Enter any address in Marion County, Ohio to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is a significant flood character in Marion County. In June 2021, training thunderstorms over the city of Marion dropped 1.5 to 2 inches of rain in a two-hour period. Earlier in May 2021, widespread rain from a low-pressure system brought 2 to 3 inches of rainfall to the area.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that Zone A, typically areas of higher flood risk, has the highest number of claims at 157, with an average payout of $15,579 and an average water depth of 4.4 feet. Zone X, representing moderate flood risk, has fewer claims but still shows significant payouts and water depths in some instances. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in areas with a history of flash flooding or near waterways, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
22 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Marion County, Ohio has recorded 63 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 15 flash floods and 48 river or area floods. The county has received 12 federal disaster declarations, 1 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1977–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms | Severe Storm | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Record Snow And Near Record Snow | Snowstorm | Mar 7, 2008 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Dec 22, 2004 |
| Snow | Snowstorm | Dec 22, 2004 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Aug 27, 2004 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Aug 7, 1995 |
| Severe Storms & Flooding | Flood | Jul 1, 1987 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | May 10, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 9, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 3, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 19, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 7, 2020 | 150.00K |
| Flood | Jan 24, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 19, 2019 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2019 | 75.00K |
| Flood | Feb 25, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Nov 2, 2018 | 0.00K |
Flood — May 10, 2021
A surface area of low pressure tracked from the high plains crossing northern Ohio on Sunday May 9th. Widespread light to moderate rain developed Sunday morning and was ongoing through much of the day. Temperatures were in the upper 30s to low 40s, and some snowflakes mixed in midday. As the system moved east, rain turned to snow in the primary snowbelt with reports up to 2��� in northwes...
Flood — May 9, 2021
A surface area of low pressure tracked from the high plains crossing northern Ohio on Sunday May 9th. Widespread light to moderate rain developed Sunday morning and was ongoing through much of the day. Temperatures were in the upper 30s to low 40s, and some snowflakes mixed in midday. As the system moved east, rain turned to snow in the primary snowbelt with reports up to 2��� in northwes...
Flash Flood — Jun 3, 2021
A warm front lifted northward across northern OH early in the day on the 3rd, as low pressure lifted northeast from the lower OH valley. As the low and attendant cold front slowly moved through the area, showers and thunderstorms developed across the region. PWAT values near 1.5 were present in the warm sector, with modest instability allowing for efficient rainfall processes. Training thunders...
Flood — May 19, 2020
A slow moving upper low over Illinois combined with a conveyor belt of humid air over Ohio supported widespread showers and thunderstorms over southern and central Ohio on the afternoon and evening of the 18th. The weather conditions supported not severe weather but heavy rain. Rain rates of 2 inches an hour or higher were observed with storms that trained, or repeated over the same areas. Ove...
Flash Flood — Sep 7, 2020
A cold front moved slowly southward across Lake Erie and northern Ohio into a moist environment early Labor Day morning. A strong jet aloft fueled persistent moisture advection along with significant backbuilding and training of thunderstorms across the area between about 6am and 6pm Monday. This resulted in a widespread 2-5��� of rain with isolated amounts even higher. Later that afterno...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Marion County, Ohio:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Marion County, Ohio that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.