1 flood insurance claims·$1,174 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 Weston County, Wyoming. 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 history of Weston County, Wyoming. Over the past 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database records 14 flash flood events compared to 6 general flood events.
Heavy seasonal rainfall repeatedly triggers these events across the region. For instance, on June 30, 2019, storms dropped two to four inches of rain across eastern Weston County, generating runoff that caused flash flooding. Earlier, on June 25, 2015, one to three inches of rainfall produced runoff that washed out a few roads in the southern portion of the county. Saturated soils from persistent thunderstorms also led to minor flooding, as observed on May 29, 2018.
Historical National Flood Insurance Program records indicate minimal claims activity, with a single recorded claim in Zone A resulting in an average payout of $1174 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches. Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties located within Zone A and areas susceptible to rapid runoff from intense summer rainfall.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
1 NOAA storm reports from Weston County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Wyoming flood stories →
7 federal disaster declarations since 1978, 1 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Oil Creek Fire | Jul 1, 2012 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides | May 18, 2011 |
| Elk Mountain Fire Complex - 08/01/01 | Jul 31, 2001 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Oct 31, 2000 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding & Mudslides | May 29, 1978 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
20 since 1996: 14 flash floods and 6 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 30, 2019 | — |
| Flood | Aug 10, 2019 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 10, 2019 | $25,000 |
| Flood | Jul 3, 2019 | $10,000 |
| Flood | May 29, 2018 | — |
| Flood | Jun 25, 2015 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 25, 2015 | $30,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 17, 2015 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jun 30, 2019. On the afternoon of June 30, thunderstorms with heavy rain moved through parts of northeastern Wyoming. Two to four inches of rain fell across southeast Crook and eastern Weston Counties. Runoff from the heavy rain caused flash flooding.
Flood · Aug 10, 2019. A slow moving severe thunderstorm produced large hail and heavy rain in the Newcastle area.
Flash Flood · Aug 10, 2019. A slow moving severe thunderstorm produced large hail and heavy rain in the Newcastle area.
Flood · Jul 3, 2019. Thunderstorms with heavy rain produced flooding over portions of southeastern Weston County.
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 Weston 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.