Enter any address in Custer County, Oklahoma to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from severe thunderstorms is the primary flood hazard in Custer County. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 19 flash flood events compared to 3 general flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding reported on July 9, 2023, and June 1, 2022, both associated with slow-moving or organized storm systems producing heavy rainfall.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced flooding with an average water depth of 1.9 feet and an average payout of $13,073. Properties in Zone X have also seen claims, with an average water depth of 0.2 feet and an average payout of $14,427. Homeowners in Zone A, and those in Zone X who have experienced flooding, should pay particular attention to their flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
7 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Custer County, Oklahoma has recorded 22 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 19 flash floods and 3 river or area floods. The county has received 32 federal disaster declarations, 3 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1982–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 19, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 8, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 8, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Oct 26, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 7, 2019 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Apr 11, 2018 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Dec 26, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Flooding | Severe Ice Storm | Nov 27, 2015 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 23, 2023 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 8, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 8, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 1, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 25, 2019 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 7, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 3, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 3, 2019 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 11, 2018 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jun 23, 2023
Convection during the early morning hours of the 23rd, centered across the Texas Panhandle, organized into a small mesoscale convective system (MCS) as it entered into portions of western Oklahoma by the mid-morning time frame. Severe wind gusts, a report of large hail and urban flash flooding were noted from western into central Oklahoma through the early afternoon hours.
Flash Flood — Jul 9, 2023
An impactful severe weather event occurred across portions of western into central Oklahoma during the early morning hours of the 9th. Initially, a broken line of strong to severe thunderstorms entered northwestern Oklahoma and slowly organized into a quasi-linear convective system (QLCS). Additional organized/severe storms developed across central Oklahoma owing to an increasing low-level jet/...
Flood — Jun 8, 2022
A complex of storms moved into western Oklahoma from the Texas panhandle during the early morning hours of the 8th, with reports of large hail and severe wind gusts received.
Flash Flood — Jun 8, 2022
A complex of storms moved into western Oklahoma from the Texas panhandle during the early morning hours of the 8th, with reports of large hail and severe wind gusts received.
Flash Flood — Jun 1, 2022
Storms developed along a stationary boundary in northwestern Oklahoma into the Texas panhandle during the afternoon and evening of May 31st, and lingered into the early morning hours of June 1st. Slow storm motions led to very heavy rainfall and flooding in some locations, with a few reports of severe wind also received.
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 Custer County, Oklahoma:
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 Custer County, Oklahoma 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.