3 flood insurance claims·$14,911 paid·6 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 McPherson County, South Dakota. 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.
Flooding from riverine and general flood events dominates the historical record in McPherson County, supported by 12 flood events compared to 7 flash flood events over the last 30 years. Historical records illustrate vulnerability to both heavy seasonal snowmelt and intense summer downpours. For instance, in April 2023, an exceptionally deep snowpack ranging from 15 to 30 inches—containing 4 to 8 inches of snow water equivalent from an above-normal snow season—melted rapidly under abnormally warm spring conditions. Months of heavy rainfall also drove hazards, such as in July 2020, when storms dropped 4 to 8 inches of rain (with localized amounts approaching a foot), causing significant overland flooding and inundating secondary roads near the Long Lake Colony where a car stalled.
Federal insurance records indicate that flood risks extend beyond designated high-risk areas, with 3 National Flood Insurance Program claims filed in unshaded Zone X, recording an average of 8 inches of water depth and an average payout of $7,455. Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties located outside mapped high-risk zones, such as unshaded Zone X, where localized heavy rain and snowmelt can still produce damaging standing water and overland flooding.
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 8 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 2009, with 1 claims and $12,113 paid, the year of Severe Storms and Flooding.
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.
9 NOAA storm reports from McPherson County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the South Dakota flood stories →
19 federal disaster declarations since 1969, 6 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storm, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jun 11, 2022 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding | Mar 13, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Dec 24, 2016 |
| Flooding | Mar 10, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 20, 2010 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Mar 11, 2009 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Sep 6, 2005 |
| Severe Flooding, Sever Winter Storms,heavy Rains High Winds | Feb 3, 1997 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
19 since 1996: 7 flash floods and 12 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Apr 12, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 25, 2020 | — |
| Flood | Jul 24, 2020 | — |
| Flood | Jul 6, 2020 | — |
| Flood | Mar 26, 2019 | — |
| Flood | May 1, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Jun 1, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Apr 1, 2019 | $67,800 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Apr 12, 2023. The snowfall during the season in northeast and central South Dakota exceeded normal levels, with many locations ranking among the top 10 for the snowiest seasons. Additionally, the late spring conditions were unusually cold, resulting in a persistent and exceptionally deep snowpack until early April. The depth of the snowpack ranged from 15 to 30 plus inches, containing approximately 4 to 8 inches of snow water e…
Flash Flood · Jul 25, 2020. Storms tracked across north central and northeast South Dakota during the evening hours of July 24th and into July 25th. Developing in a very moisture rich atmosphere, the storms were able to produce very heavy rain in a short amount of time, especially over parts of northeastern McPherson County, northern Brown County and far northwestern Marshall County. Rainfall amounts ranged from 4 to 8 inches, while localize…
Flood · Jul 24, 2020. Storms tracked across north central and northeast South Dakota during the evening hours of July 24th and into July 25th. Developing in a very moisture rich atmosphere, the storms were able to produce very heavy rain in a short amount of time, especially over parts of northeastern McPherson County, northern Brown County and far northwestern Marshall County. Rainfall amounts ranged from 4 to 8 inches, while localize…
Flood · Jul 6, 2020. Heavy rains caused the flooding of several secondary roads in southeast Mcpherson county near the Long Lake Colony. One car stalled after driving into a flooded road.
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 McPherson 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.