34 flood insurance claims·$238,611 paid·2 federal flood & hurricane disasters
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 Paulding County, Ohio. 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 and general flooding dominate the historical flood character of Paulding County, with NOAA records showing 11 flash flood events and 9 flood events over the last 30 years. Torrential rainfall events have driven significant impacts in the area, such as storms in June 2015 that produced rainfall rates of two to three inches per hour and pushed five-day totals past eight inches, alongside combined upstream and local rainfall that forced evacuations in the town of Payne. Another heavy rain event occurred in June 2017 due to a vigorous shortwave and moist atmospheric column.
National Flood Insurance Program claims data indicates that risk impacts properties across multiple zones. Zone UNKNOWN recorded 14 claims with an average payout of $2,520 and an average recorded water depth of 2 inches. Zone A accounted for 11 claims with an average payout of $12,964 and an average recorded water depth of 18 inches. Zone X recorded 9 claims with an average payout of $12,789 and an average recorded water depth of 6 inches. Residents located in designated Zone A and Zone X, as well as those with unmapped properties in Zone UNKNOWN, should pay the closest attention to local flood risks given the historical payout and water depth averages.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 7 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 1982, with 6 claims and $16,186 paid, the year of Severe Storms & Flooding.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
5 NOAA storm reports from Paulding County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Ohio flood stories →
13 federal disaster declarations since 1974, 2 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Severe Storms And Straight-line Winds | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Dec 22, 2004 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Aug 27, 2004 |
| Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Nov 10, 2002 |
| Flooding | May 2, 1996 |
| Severe Storms & Flooding | Mar 12, 1982 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
20 since 1996: 11 flash floods and 9 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 30, 2017 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 27, 2015 | — |
| Flood | Jun 27, 2015 | — |
| Flood | Jun 15, 2015 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 25, 2011 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 21, 2010 | — |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2008 | $50,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 13, 2004 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jun 30, 2017. Vigorous shortwave within generally weak to moderate low level flow and a very moist column helped to create a hazardous heavy rain event.
Flash Flood · Jun 27, 2015. Thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall in portions of northwestern Ohio. A combination of upstream rainfall in Fort Wayne, Indiana and rainfall across Putnam county set the stage for flash flooding in the town of Payne, forcing evacuation of parts of the town as several inches of rain fell both upstream in Indiana and over the area. A similar scenario took place in Deshler (Henry county) where a care facility…
Flood · Jun 27, 2015. Thunderstorms produced torrential rainfall in portions of northwestern Ohio. A combination of upstream rainfall in Fort Wayne, Indiana and rainfall across Putnam county set the stage for flash flooding in the town of Payne, forcing evacuation of parts of the town as several inches of rain fell both upstream in Indiana and over the area. A similar scenario took place in Deshler (Henry county) where a care facility…
Flood · Jun 15, 2015. The edge of strong high pressure was situated over northwestern Ohio as a series of disturbances moved into the region. In addition, the remnants of a tropical system added to already abundant moisture to set the stage for isolated severe storms and several rounds of torrential rainfall for parts of northwestern Ohio. Rainfall rates of two to three inches per hour were common with the stronger cells, allowing 5 da…
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 Paulding 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.