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Flood in Imperial County, California
118 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.
NCEI records 118 flood events in Imperial County, California, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 20 years.
September is the busiest month, with 50 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 113 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.7% of the 7,136 flood events recorded in California; its 2.8 per 100 square miles compares with 4.6 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with California
| Measure | Imperial County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 118 | 7,136 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.8 | 4.6 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 6.6 | 1.8 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 121 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | September | January | June |
By year
Seasonality
11Feb
0Mar
4Apr
0May
0Jun
1Jul
10Aug
32Sep
50Oct
5Nov
3Dec
2
Recorded events
All 118 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2025 | Flash Flood | — | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jun 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | $4.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | $21K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2023 | Flash Flood | — | $30M | $50K | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2023 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Oct 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Oct 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Oct 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Oct 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | 2 | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jan 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jan 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2020 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2020 | Flash Flood | — | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2020 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Dec 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Nov 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Nov 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Nov 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2017 | Flash Flood | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Sep 2017 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Sep 2017 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Sep 2017 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2017 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2014 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Sep 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2012 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2012 | Flood | — | $400K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 30 Jul 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2012 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2012 | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Aug 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Dec 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 1999 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Imperial County had?
118 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 Imperial County?
27 Sep 2025 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Imperial County?
The flash flood of 1 Sep 2023, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $30M and crop damage at $50K.
How does Imperial County compare with California for flood?
2.8 events per 100 square miles against 4.6 statewide; the county holds 118 of the state's 7,136 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.