Enter any address in Hutchinson County, Texas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from severe thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Hutchinson County. Between 1993 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 23 flash flood events and 5 flood events, with 2 fatalities. Recent events include minor flooding reported across the southeast Texas Panhandle on September 21, 2019, following isolated thunderstorms. Another instance of flooding occurred on May 20, 2019, associated with severe thunderstorms that produced wind shear and instability.
Residents in areas designated as Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHAs) by FEMA should pay the most attention to flood risk. These zones are identified by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as having a higher probability of experiencing flooding.
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.
Hutchinson County, Texas has recorded 28 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 23 flash floods and 5 river or area floods. The county has received 19 federal disaster declarations. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1989–2025)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Double S Fire | Fire | Mar 18, 2025 |
| Smokehouse Creek Fire | Fire | Feb 27, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Harbor Bay Fire | Fire | Apr 13, 2018 |
| Double Diamond Fire | Fire | May 11, 2014 |
| Reimer Fire | Fire | May 29, 2011 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Apr 6, 2011 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Sep 21, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 20, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 20, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 17, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 17, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 29, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 11, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 2, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 14, 2013 | 0.00K |
Flood — Sep 21, 2019
Isolated thunderstorms developed during the afternoon across the central Texas Panhandle, producing hail. Thunderstorms became more widespread during the evening across the southeast Texas Panhandle and produced minor flooding.
Flash Flood — May 20, 2019
A vigorous upper level storm system followed a favorable track for Panhandles severe thunderstorms as it crossed southern Nevada and moved east into the Desert Southwest. A frontal boundary in the area and the storm system led to significant wind shear and instability across the area. This led to two rounds of severe weather occurred across the Texas Panhandle on the 20th. A combination of s...
Flood — May 20, 2019
A vigorous upper level storm system followed a favorable track for Panhandles severe thunderstorms as it crossed southern Nevada and moved east into the Desert Southwest. A frontal boundary in the area and the storm system led to significant wind shear and instability across the area. This led to two rounds of severe weather occurred across the Texas Panhandle on the 20th. A combination of s...
Flood — May 17, 2018
Perturbation off the mean 500 mb flow downstream of a small amplitude ridge axis provided a late morning round of thunderstorms for the northeast TX/OK Panhandles. As a result, some severe criteria hail was reported. The more widespread thunderstorm activity happened on the afternoon of the 17th. A dryline setup across the western and central combined Panhandles with SE surface flow around 30-4...
Flash Flood — Aug 17, 2018
High instability but low wind shear environment across the region did set up for thunderstorms to develop across portions of the Texas Panhandle. Thunderstorms that developed would be very slow moving to nearly stationary. The combination of a weak surface boundary, high moisture and slow storm movement, led to flash flooding. The more intense storms did produce large hail and severe wind gusts.
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Hutchinson County, Texas:
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 Hutchinson County, Texas 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.