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Flood in Hempstead County, Arkansas
70 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.
Hempstead County, Arkansas, has 70 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 24 different years.
May is the busiest month, with 19 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 56 events against 14 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.2% of the 5,685 flood events recorded in Arkansas; its 9.6 per 100 square miles compares with 10.9 statewide.
Compared with Arkansas
| Measure | Hempstead County | Arkansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 70 | 5,685 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.6 | 10.9 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 35.5 | 18.8 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 92 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | May | May | June |
By year
Seasonality
2Feb
3Mar
2Apr
6May
19Jun
11Jul
16Aug
2Sep
1Oct
3Nov
2Dec
3
Recorded events
All 70 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jun 2026 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jan 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Feb 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2017 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2017 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Dec 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Dec 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2015 | Flood | — | $770K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Apr 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Dec 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $135K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Oct 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 May 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jan 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Nov 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Oct 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Hempstead County had?
70 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 Hempstead County?
24 Jun 2026 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Hempstead County?
The flood of 1 Jun 2015, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $770K.
How does Hempstead County compare with Arkansas for flood?
9.6 events per 100 square miles against 10.9 statewide; the county holds 70 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.