Enter any address in Whitman County, Washington to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow and flash flooding have been the primary flood events in Whitman County over the last 30 years, with 33 flood events and 12 flash flood events recorded. For example, in February 2025, an atmospheric river combined with snowmelt led to flooding in areas such as Pullman, with the South Fork of the Palouse River cresting at 7.64 feet.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $16,014 and an average water depth of 9.4 feet. Properties in Zone X_UNSHADED and Zone UNKNOWN also have a history of claims, though with lower average payouts and water depths. Residents in Zone A, as well as those in Zone X_UNSHADED and Zone UNKNOWN, should pay particular attention to their flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
25 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Whitman County, Washington has recorded 45 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 12 flash floods and 33 river or area floods. The county has received 18 federal disaster declarations, 7 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1964–2023)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Wildfires | Fire | Aug 18, 2023 |
| Babb Fire | Fire | Sep 7, 2020 |
| Wildfires And Straight-line Winds | Fire | Sep 1, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Nov 12, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Record And Near Record Snow | Severe Storm | Dec 12, 2008 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Coastal Storm | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Land & Muds Slides,flooding | Severe Storm | Dec 26, 1996 |
| High Winds, Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Jan 26, 1996 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Feb 24, 2025 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Feb 24, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 24, 2025 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Feb 23, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 23, 2025 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Feb 23, 2025 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Feb 23, 2025 | 2.00K |
| Flood | Feb 22, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 22, 2025 | 0.50K |
| Flood | Dec 26, 2022 | 0.00K |
Flood — Feb 24, 2025
A strong atmospheric river moved through the region on February 22-26. Many locations across Eastern Washington received rain amounts 1 to 2 inches over the period. The rain combined with snow melt in the area leading to several reports of flooding from Pullman to Spokane. Little Spokane River at Dartford crested at 5.82 feet. The Latah Creek at Spokane crested at 12.82 feet. The South Fork of ...
Flood — Feb 23, 2025
A strong atmospheric river moved through the region on February 22-26. Many locations across Eastern Washington received rain amounts 1 to 2 inches over the period. The rain combined with snow melt in the area leading to several reports of flooding from Pullman to Spokane. Little Spokane River at Dartford crested at 5.82 feet. The Latah Creek at Spokane crested at 12.82 feet. The South Fork of ...
Flood — Feb 22, 2025
A strong atmospheric river moved through the region on February 22-26. Many locations across Eastern Washington received rain amounts 1 to 2 inches over the period. The rain combined with snow melt in the area leading to several reports of flooding from Pullman to Spokane. Little Spokane River at Dartford crested at 5.82 feet. The Latah Creek at Spokane crested at 12.82 feet. The South Fork of ...
Flood — Dec 26, 2022
Rain amounts above an inch and melting snow caused flooding issues in the Spokane and|Oakesdale areas.
Flood — Jun 12, 2022
Another trough system brought a round of slow moving stratiform slow moving showers. With the abundant amount of precipitation from earlier in the month, the streams and creeks were already near bank full. The additional 1 inch of precipitation starting to create problems for low lying areas in the Southeast WA and Lower ID Panhandle.
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 Whitman County, Washington:
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 Whitman County, Washington 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.