Enter any address in Washburn County, Wisconsin to see its FEMA flood zone
9 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Washburn County, Wisconsin has recorded 11 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 9 flash floods and 2 river or area floods. The county has received 10 federal disaster declarations, 1 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jul 11, 2016 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes And Flooding | Tornado | Sep 2, 2002 |
| Flooding, Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Flood | Apr 10, 2001 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 26, 2000 |
| Winds, Hail & Rain | Severe Storm | Aug 5, 1977 |
| Drought | Drought | Jun 17, 1976 |
| Tornadoes, Severe Storms & Flooding | Tornado | Apr 21, 1965 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 4, 2025 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 4, 2025 | 200.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 4, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 27, 2024 | 20.00K |
| Flood | Apr 12, 2023 | 30.00K |
| Flood | Apr 12, 2022 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 20, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 8, 2000 | — |
Flash Flood — Jul 4, 2025
A warm front lifted across northwestern Wisconsin the morning of the 4th bringing a very warm and humid airmass to the region. Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours with a few being severe across Burnett and Washburn counties. Sporadic wind damage to trees was reported along with some marginally severe hail. Areas just west of the town of Shell Lake in Bashaw Township in Washburn C...
Flash Flood — Aug 27, 2024
A decaying complex of storms moved northeast out of east-central Minnesota in the hours after sunrise the morning of the 27th. A few isolated reports of tree damage were received along with a few washed out gravel roads from the heavy rainfall.
Flood — Apr 12, 2023
Record breaking snowfall for the 2022-2023 winter season was received across all of northwest Wisconsin which was about 200% of normal snowfall. Much of this snowpack remained on the ground into April. Warm temperatures 10 to 20 degrees above normal during the second week of the month led to rapid snowmelt across the region with fast rises on area waterways. This above normal warmth was quickly...
Flood — Apr 12, 2022
A strong and slow moving area of low pressure moved from the Central Plains on the 12th to over Minnesota on the morning of the 14th and became occluded. A cold front pushed across northwest Wisconsin on the 13th with heavy rainfall being received in some locations. Rainfall totals or 2-3 inches were recorded around Washburn County with most falling in a 5 hour period. Additionally, frost was s...
Flash Flood — Sep 20, 2021
A cold front moving east across the Upper Midwest propelled a cold front through northwest Wisconsin leading to the development of a line of storms during the afternoon. These storms produced sporadic wind damage and heavy rain and training of the storms led to some minor flash flooding in spots as well. While storms were exhibiting circulation in the low levels, no tornadoes were reported.
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 Washburn County, Wisconsin:
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 Washburn County, Wisconsin 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.