Enter any address in Washington County, Oklahoma to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from severe thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Washington County, Oklahoma. Between 2003 and 2023, NOAA data recorded 35 flash flood events and 17 general flood events. For example, a flash flood occurred on April 28, 2020, as a cold front moved into the area, triggering severe thunderstorms. Another instance of flash flooding happened on May 20, 2019, during the passage of a strong upper-level storm system.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data from Washington County shows that properties in Zone A, typically areas with a 1% annual chance of flooding, have the highest number of claims at 258, with an average payout of $21,109 and an average water depth of 4.4 feet. However, properties in Zone X_UNSHADED, which are areas with a 0.2% annual chance of flooding, have experienced the deepest average water depths at 5.6 feet and the highest average payouts at $44,039, despite fewer claims. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in Zone X_UNSHADED and Zone X, should pay close attention to their flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
12 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Washington County, Oklahoma has recorded 52 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 35 flash floods and 17 river or area floods. The county has received 33 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 (1973–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Rattlesnake Fire | Fire | Feb 19, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Tornado | Apr 25, 2024 |
| Gap Road Fire, Oklahoma Fmag | Fire | Mar 31, 2023 |
| 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 |
| Dld Fire Complex | Fire | Nov 11, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Apr 28, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 25, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 22, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 21, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 21, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 20, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 20, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 3, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 2, 2017 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Apr 28, 2020
A broken line of severe thunderstorms developed across northeastern Oklahoma during the late afternoon hours of the 28th, as a cold front moved into the area. The line of thunderstorms moved southeast across eastern Oklahoma through the evening hours. Very strong instability and strong deep layer shear developed across eastern Oklahoma ahead of the thunderstorms. These conditions promoted the d...
Flood — May 25, 2019
A persistently active weather pattern, consisting of a deep trough over the western U. S. and ridging along the Gulf Coast and southeastern U. S., set the stage for numerous rounds of rainfall across the Southern Plains from May 18th through the end of the month. The atmospheric moisture remained unseasonably high during this period, resulting in very efficient rainfall-producing showers and th...
Flash Flood — May 22, 2019
Severe thunderstorms developed over northeastern Oklahoma during the afternoon hours of the 22nd, ahead of a cold front that moved into the area. Very strong instability and wind shear in the air mass ahead of the cold front allowed for the development of supercell thunderstorms, which affected the area through late evening. These supercells produced twenty-one documented tornadoes, including a...
Flash Flood — May 21, 2019
A strong upper level storm system moved into the Southern Plains from the Rockies on the 20th and 21st. The attendant warm front moved from northern Texas northward into northeastern Oklahoma during the day on the 20th, and then the cold front associated with this storm system moved through eastern Oklahoma during the late evening of the 20th and early morning hours of the 21st. Warm, moist, an...
Flood — May 21, 2019
A persistently active weather pattern, consisting of a deep trough over the western U. S. and ridging along the Gulf Coast and southeastern U. S., set the stage for numerous rounds of rainfall across the Southern Plains from May 18th through the end of the month. The atmospheric moisture remained unseasonably high during this period, resulting in very efficient rainfall-producing showers and th...
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 Washington 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 Washington 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.