Enter any address in Payne County, Oklahoma to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from severe weather events is the dominant flood character in Payne County. Recent examples include flash flooding on May 6, 2024, associated with a significant severe weather outbreak, and flash flooding on May 20, 2024, from supercell thunderstorms.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that while Zone A has the highest number of claims, Zone X_UNSHADED and Zone X have experienced higher average payouts, indicating significant flood damage can occur outside of high-risk areas. Homeowners in all flood zones, particularly those in Zone A and Zone X_UNSHADED, should be aware of their flood risk and consider appropriate insurance coverage.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
9 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Payne County, Oklahoma has recorded 36 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 26 flash floods and 10 river or area floods. The county has received 39 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1974–2025)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Stillwater Fire | Fire | Mar 14, 2025 |
| Underwood Fire | Fire | Mar 14, 2025 |
| Wildfires And Straight-line Winds | Fire | Mar 14, 2025 |
| Euchee Creek Fire | Fire | Oct 29, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Jun 14, 2023 |
| 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 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 20, 2024 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 6, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 13, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 13, 2023 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 25, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 23, 2019 | 10.00K |
| Flood | May 21, 2019 | 10.00K (1 deaths) |
| Flood | May 21, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 20, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 6, 2019 | 5.00K |
Flash Flood — May 20, 2024
Significant severe weather occurred across portions of western into central Oklahoma from the late afternoon of the 19th through early morning on the 20th. Aloft, a strong and compact upper wave moved across portions of Kansas during the afternoon. While most severe weather outcomes were expected further north of the WFO Norman area, a few supercell thunderstorms developed along a trailing dryl...
Flash Flood — May 6, 2024
A significant severe weather outbreak, including ten (10) tornadoes, impacted northern and central portions of the WFO Norman Forecast Area during the evening of the 6th into the early morning hours of the 7th. The synoptic pattern across the western half of the Continental United States favored a significant severe weather episode across the region, with a powerful (110-120 knot) upper-level j...
Flash Flood — May 13, 2023
Some severe and flood hazard, associated with convection from the 12th, lingered into the early morning hours of the 13th. By the afternoon, a few scattered storms developed in the vicinity of a remnant mesoscale convective vortex (MCV) as it translated across southwest into north-central Oklahoma. This convection produced a few reports of wind damage, large hail, and a brief (weak) tornado acr...
Flash Flood — Aug 13, 2023
Scattered high-based convection moved from the Texas Panhandle into portions of western Oklahoma during the afternoon of the 13th. Sufficient wind shear and instability combined to yield a mix of semi-organized cells and clusters across the region, resulting in a few reports of large hail with initial activity. By the evening, convection organized into a mesoscale convective system (MCS) and mo...
Flash Flood — May 25, 2019
Scattered supercells merged into a linear system that produced a variety of severe weather on the 25th.
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 Payne 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 Payne 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.