Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Esmeralda County, Nevada. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms dominates the flood risk in Esmeralda County, as recorded by the NOAA Storm Events Database over the last 30 years.
Monsoon moisture and seasonal weather systems regularly trigger these events across the region. For example, a modest push of monsoon moisture fueled flash flooding on July 18, 2023. Similarly, broad east to southeast flow brought monsoon moisture that produced flash flooding on August 1, 2022.
Because the recorded historical events exclusively consist of flash floods driven by convective storms, property owners in low-lying areas, near desert washes, and along known historic flow paths should pay the most attention to local weather alerts and flood risks.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
3 federal disaster declarations since 2005.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
20 since 1996: 20 flash floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 18, 2023 | $250,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 1, 2022 | $100,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2018 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 25, 2015 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 11, 2015 | $2,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2015 | $2,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 7, 2015 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 1, 2015 | $10,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jul 18, 2023. A modest push of monsoon moisture and ongoing extreme heat fueled spotty thunderstorms over southern Nevada. Isolated high winds and flash flooding occurred.
Flash Flood · Aug 1, 2022. Broad east to southeast flow advected in monsoon moisture, which fueled thunderstorms over southern Nevada. Several storms produced flash flooding.
Flash Flood · Jul 12, 2018. A more substantial push of monsoon moisture helped trigger widespread thunderstorms across the Mojave Desert and southern Great Basin. Many storms produced severe weather and flash flooding.
Flash Flood · May 25, 2015. An unseasonable upper low east of the area helped fuel showers and thunderstorms over the southern Great Basin and Mojave Desert. Isolated flash flooding occurred.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Esmeralda County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.