1 flood insurance claims·$21,727 paid·3 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 Lynn County, Texas. 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.
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms dominates the flood profile of Lynn County, accounting for 28 of the 39 recorded flood events over the last 30 years, alongside 11 standard flood events.
Severe storms frequently bring heavy rainfall to the area, as demonstrated by a slow-moving thunderstorm in August 2024 that produced approximately six inches of water flowing over US Highway 87 between O'Donnell and Tahoka. Another severe weather event impacted the city of Tahoka in May 2024, following a pattern of torrential rainfall and slow-moving convective storms that also caused flooding in August 2022.
Historical National Flood Insurance Program records for Lynn County show a single recorded claim in an unshaded Zone X, resulting in an average payout of $21,727 with an average recorded water depth of 2 inches. Homeowners and real estate agents in unshaded Zone X areas should pay attention to these localized flash flood risks, particularly along major roadways and low-lying areas during heavy seasonal storms.
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 2 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.
14 NOAA storm reports from Lynn County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Texas flood stories →
18 federal disaster declarations since 1992, 3 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Apr 26, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds And Flooding | May 4, 2015 |
| Wildfires | Apr 6, 2011 |
| Hurricane Alex | Jun 30, 2010 |
| Wildfires | Mar 14, 2008 |
| Extreme Wildfire Threat | Nov 27, 2005 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
39 since 1996: 28 flash floods and 11 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 31, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 30, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 1, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 5, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2015 | — |
| Flood | Jul 7, 2015 | — |
| Flood | May 4, 2015 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · May 31, 2024. Another day of severe thunderstorms affected the South Plains of West Texas on the evening of the 31st. Broad southeasterly low level atmospheric flow allowed thunderstorms to initially develop in eastern New Mexico. Upscale growth allowed thunderstorms to move into West Texas despite a capped atmosphere over the South Plains. This line of thunderstorms produced widespread severe wind gusts from Hockley County thr…
Flash Flood · Aug 30, 2024. Isolated thunderstorms developed across the southern South Plains on the afternoon of the 30th. A very moist atmosphere was able to generate efficient rain producing thunderstorms. A slow moving isolated thunderstorm moving across southern Lynn County produced a wet microburst. Areas along US Highway 87 between O'Donnell and Tahoka were reported to have approximately six inches of water flowing over the roadway. C…
Flash Flood · Jun 1, 2023. Rich moisture, a weak upper level disturbance, and several low-level boundaries worked in concert to bring torrential rainfall to portions of the south-central and southeastern South Plains on the first. One of the primary factors, in addition to the plentiful moisture, was a low-level boundary, originating from thunderstorm activity that affected the Texas Panhandle the previous evening into the overnight hours,…
Flash Flood · Aug 28, 2022. On the afternoon of the 28th, scattered thunderstorms developed over the central and southwestern South Plains within a low level convergence zone from a surface pressure trough. Hot temperatures and well above average moisture levels fueled the development of convection as it slowly moved to the east. These slow moving storms brought severe wind gusts and widespread flooding to parts of Lubbock and Lynn Counties.…
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 Lynn 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.