2 flood insurance claims·$0 paid·1 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 Wayne County, Utah. 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 Wayne County, Utah. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 159 flash flood events compared to only 5 general flood events.
Recent activity highlights this recurring summer threat. Monsoonal flash flooding on August 17, 2023, impacted Capitol Reef National Park, prompting the evacuation of a campground and road closures. Earlier in the season, on July 19, 2023, an atmospheric pattern shift brought flash flooding alongside severe wind gusts and large hail to parts of Utah. Additional flash flooding occurred on July 31, 2023, and July 2, 2025, driven by moisture and unsettled weather systems.
FEMA records show two historical National Flood Insurance Program claims filed under Zone UNKNOWN, with an average payout of $0 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches. Given the high frequency of flash floods, property owners and real estate agents monitoring localized stormwater runoff, wash channels, and low-lying areas should pay the closest attention to flood risks in this region.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
4 NOAA storm reports from Wayne County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Utah flood stories →
4 federal disaster declarations since 1977, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Drought | Jan 20, 1977 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
164 since 1996: 159 flash floods and 5 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 6, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 5, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 2, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 27, 2024 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 27, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 23, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 19, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 13, 2024 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jun 6, 2025. The start of the month had several storm systems that brought gusty winds, hail, and flash flooding.
Flash Flood · Jun 5, 2025. The start of the month had several storm systems that brought gusty winds, hail, and flash flooding.
Flash Flood · Jul 2, 2025. A partially cutoff low ejected through the region through early July, followed by a weaker trailing shortwave trough. This unsettled pattern resulted in sporadic instances of strong to severe wind gusts in addition to hail.
Flash Flood · Jun 27, 2024. Severe thunderstorms brought heavy rain, hail, gusty winds, and flash flooding.
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 Wayne 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.