7 flood insurance claims·$132,447 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 Murray County, Oklahoma. 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 severe thunderstorms dominates the flood risk profile in Murray County, OK, accounting for 52 of the 58 recorded flood events over the last 30 years, while standard riverine floods make up the remaining 6 events.
Recent NOAA storm narratives illustrate these recurring hazards. On June 3, 2025, evening flash flooding developed across southeastern Oklahoma due to repeated rounds of heavy thunderstorms associated with a passing cold front. Earlier, on April 27, 2024, a widespread, long-duration severe weather and tornado outbreak produced flash flooding alongside multiple tornadoes across the region. Subsequent heavy storms on July 11, 2023, triggered additional urban and creek flooding amid favorable antecedent conditions.
National Flood Insurance Program claims data indicates that losses have affected multiple zones. Zone A recorded 4 claims with an average payout of $24,482 and an average recorded water depth of 1 inch. Zone X recorded 1 claim averaging $23,627 with an average recorded water depth of 0 inches, Zone X_Shaded recorded 1 claim averaging $9,048 with an average water depth of 1 inch, and Zone X_Unshaded recorded 1 claim averaging $1,846 with an average water depth of 1 inch. Homeowners in designated high-risk Special Flood Hazard Areas (Zone A) as well as properties located in moderate-to-low risk X zones should pay the closest attention to local drainage, creek levels, and intense rainfall rates.
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 1 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 1995, with 2 claims and $65,631 paid.
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 Murray County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Oklahoma flood stories →
26 federal disaster declarations since 1970, 2 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Buck Horn Fire | Mar 19, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Apr 25, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 8, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Feb 8, 2021 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | May 16, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | May 5, 2015 |
| Falls Creek Fire | Jul 15, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
58 since 1996: 52 flash floods and 6 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 3, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Apr 27, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 11, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Apr 30, 2019 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 21, 2018 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 15, 2018 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 7, 2018 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 27, 2017 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jun 3, 2025. Widespread severe thunderstorms, organized along a passing cold front, impacted much of Oklahoma and western-north Texas on the afternoon and evening of the 3rd. In addition to reports and observations of thunderstorm wind damage and large hail, six tornadoes occurred across the WFO Norman Forecast Area. Flash flooding also occurred during the evening hours across southeastern Oklahoma due to repeated rounds of he…
Flash Flood · Apr 27, 2024. A widespread, long-duration and historic severe weather and tornado outbreak occurred from the late morning through late evening on the 27th. In all, 32 tornadoes affected portions of the WFO Norman Forecast Area, the third most in a single day during the period of reliable record. This included six significant (EF-2+) tornadoes and one violent (EF-4) tornado that struck Marietta (Love County). ||Synoptically, a s…
Flash Flood · Jul 11, 2023. Numerous severe thunderstorms developed amidst an increasing low-level jet/isentropic ascent regime during the early morning hours of the 11th. Sufficient wind shear and instability allowed for organized modes (both cells and small lines) from west-central into southeastern Oklahoma. The strongest storms produced reports of wind damage and large hail. Given favorable antecedent conditions for flash flooding, a few…
Flash Flood · Apr 30, 2019. A stationary front and and upper wave produced numerous thunderstorms with a variety of severe weather on the 30th.
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 Murray 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.