Enter any address in Nowata County, Oklahoma to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from severe thunderstorms is the dominant flood hazard in Nowata County. Between 1993 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 43 flash flood events and 19 flood events. Recent examples include severe thunderstorms producing heavy rainfall and flash flooding on May 27, 2021, and a similar event on May 20, 2019.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced more claims (8) than Zone X (3). Zone A claims averaged $35,964 with an average water depth of 2.0 feet, while Zone X claims averaged $19,060 with an average water depth of 1.7 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, and those in any flood-prone area, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
15 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Nowata County, Oklahoma has recorded 62 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 43 flash floods and 19 river or area floods. The county has received 31 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 (1986–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Tornado | Apr 25, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 8, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 8, 2021 |
| 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 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 30, 2019 |
| Dld Fire Complex | Fire | Nov 11, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 5, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Tornado | May 18, 2013 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 27, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 15, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 30, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 25, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 24, 2019 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 23, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 21, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 21, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 20, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — May 27, 2021
Severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Oklahoma during the afternoon of the 27th, near an outflow boundary from previous storms, and ahead of a cold front. These storms eventually organized into a line and moved through southeastern Oklahoma during the evening. A tornado, large hail up to baseball size, and damaging wind occurred as the storms moved through the area. Some of the thunders...
Flood — May 15, 2020
Thunderstorms developed into eastern Oklahoma during the morning of the 15th. The strongest storms produced damaging wind and a tornado across northeastern Oklahoma. Very moist air across the region, combined with slow storm motion, resulted in locally heavy rainfall and flash flooding. The storms developed slowly southward during the day, with intensification noted as they moved into southeast...
Flash Flood — Apr 30, 2019
Strong to severe thunderstorms developed across eastern Oklahoma during the early afternoon hours of the 30th, to the east of a stationary frontal boundary that was located across north-central Oklahoma into northwest Texas. Moderately strong instability combined with strong wind shear resulted in the development of supercell thunderstorms, which produced multiple tornadoes, including two stron...
Flash Flood — Sep 25, 2019
Thunderstorms developed across northeast Oklahoma during the late evening of the 25th, and continued across the region into the early morning hours of the 26th. The strongest thunderstorms produced large hail up to half dollar size and damaging wind. Additionally, the thunderstorms moved slowly and produced locally heavy rainfall repeatedly across the same areas, which resulted in some flash fl...
Flash Flood — Sep 24, 2019
Showers and thunderstorms developed across northeastern Oklahoma during the early morning hours of the 24th, as warm and moist air was drawn up over a warm front that stretched through the region. Slow-moving thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall repeatedly across the same areas, resulting in flash flooding across portions of northeastern Oklahoma.
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 Nowata 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 Nowata 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.