97 flood insurance claims·$1.3M paid·4 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 Monroe County, Wisconsin. 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 and river flooding from summer thunderstorms dominate Monroe County's flood history, with the NOAA Storm Events Database recording 18 flash flood events and 16 flood events over the last 30 years. Recent events illustrate this pattern, including rounds of thunderstorms in June 2025 that caused the La Crosse and Lemonweir Rivers to enter minor flood stage. Additionally, storms in July 2024 generated increased runoff over saturated soils, leading to flooding and rock slides in Monroe County, alongside the Kickapoo River at Ontario reaching major flood stage.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate that property damage occurs across multiple zones, with the highest claim volume concentrated in high-risk areas. Zone A accounts for 59 claims with an average payout of $11,980 and an average recorded water depth of 4 inches. Meanwhile, Zone X recorded 16 claims with an average payout of $46,570 and an average water depth of 4 inches.
Properties located in Zone A and Zone X should pay the most attention to flood risk, as these areas have accumulated the highest number of historical insurance claims and experienced significant average water depths and payouts.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
19% of Monroe County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
73 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 4 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 2018, with 27 claims and $858,657 paid, the year of Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, and Landslides.
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.
27 NOAA storm reports from Monroe County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Wisconsin flood stories →
15 federal disaster declarations since 1976, 4 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Jul 18, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides | Aug 17, 2018 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mud | Jul 19, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Sep 21, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jun 5, 2008 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | May 7, 2004 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | May 26, 2000 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
34 since 1996: 18 flash floods and 16 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jun 26, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 14, 2024 | $80,000 |
| Flood | Jul 14, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 14, 2024 | $20,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 7, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 7, 2021 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 28, 2020 | $5,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2020 | $160,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Jun 26, 2025. Rounds of thunderstorms on June 25th and 26th contributed to rises on area rivers in Wisconsin which included portions of the La Crosse and Lemonweir Rivers entering minor flood stage.
Flash Flood · Jul 14, 2024. After midnight on July 14th, a line of thunderstorms moved across portions of western Wisconsin. As these storms moved over already saturated soils from storms a few hours prior, susceptible areas noted flooding and rock slides particularly in Trempealeau and Monroe Counties.
Flood · Jul 14, 2024. Rounds of thunderstorms during the middle of July led to increased runoff across portions of western Wisconsin. As a result, several river basins rose into flood stage with the passage of these storms. Most notably, the Kickapoo River at Ontario entered major flood stage with a river stage of just under 20 feet.
Flash Flood · May 7, 2024. On May 6th, scattered storms produced large hail and heavy rainfall across portions of western Wisconsin. In Monroe County, a slow moving storm produced localized flash flooding near Warrens.
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 Monroe 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.