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Flood in Merced County, California
133 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.
Merced County, California, has 133 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 18 different years.
January is the busiest month, with 65 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 121 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.9% of the 7,136 flood events recorded in California; its 6.9 per 100 square miles compares with 4.6 statewide.
Compared with California
| Measure | Merced County | California | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 133 | 7,136 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.9 | 4.6 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 4.6 | 1.8 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 121 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | January | January | June |
By year
Seasonality
65Feb
20Mar
22Apr
6May
3Jun
0Jul
0Aug
1Sep
0Oct
1Nov
4Dec
11
Recorded events
All 133 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Mar 2025 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Feb 2025 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Feb 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Feb 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jan 2024 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Mar 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2023 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Mar 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | $10M | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jan 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Dec 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Dec 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Dec 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jan 2021 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jan 2021 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jan 2021 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jan 2021 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2020 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Feb 2019 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Apr 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2017 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2017 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Feb 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Feb 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Feb 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Feb 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jan 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jan 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jan 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jan 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Jan 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Nov 2013 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Nov 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Nov 2012 | Flood | — | $120K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2011 | Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2011 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Dec 2010 | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2006 | Flood | — | $9.7M | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jan 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Nov 2001 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 2000 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 1998 | Flood | — | $120K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 12 May 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $9.6M | $1.5M | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jan 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Merced County had?
133 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 Merced County?
17 Mar 2025 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Merced County?
The flash flood of 25 Mar 1998, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $9.6M and crop damage at $1.5M.
How does Merced County compare with California for flood?
6.9 events per 100 square miles against 4.6 statewide; the county holds 133 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.