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Flood in Clay County, Arkansas
37 floods and flash floods events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Flood, Flash Flood, Coastal Flood, Lakeshore Flood.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Clay County, Arkansas, has 37 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 18 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 7 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 25 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.7% of the 5,685 flood events recorded in Arkansas; its 5.8 per 100 square miles compares with 10.9 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with Arkansas
| Measure | Clay County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 37 | 5,685 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 5.8 | 10.9 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 25.8 | 18.8 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 92 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | May | May | June |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
1Mar
3Apr
6May
7Jun
4Jul
2Aug
2Sep
3Oct
2Nov
0Dec
5
Recorded events
All 37 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Apr 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jan 2023 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Oct 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2017 | Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Dec 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $685K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Dec 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2011 | Flood | — | $1.3M | — | 1 | — | County |
| 1 May 2011 | Flood | — | $1.3M | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Apr 2011 | Flood | — | $1.3M | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Dec 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $241K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Oct 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 2008 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2006 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2006 | Flash Flood | — | $202K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2006 | Flash Flood | — | $10 | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2006 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2003 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Dec 2002 | Flood | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 2002 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 May 2002 | Flood | — | — | $5K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Dec 2001 | Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Sep 2001 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 2 Jan 2000 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 1997 | Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Clay County had?
37 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of floods and flash floods became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded flood event in Clay County?
5 Apr 2025 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Clay County?
The flood of 1 May 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.3M; 1 death recorded.
How does Clay County compare with Arkansas for flood?
5.8 events per 100 square miles against 10.9 statewide; the county holds 37 of the state's 5,685 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Flood hub and the county page.