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Flood in Highlands County, Florida
13 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.
Highlands County, Florida, has 13 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 6 different years.
September is the busiest month, with 4 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 1 events against 12 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 3,375 flood events recorded in Florida; its 1.3 per 100 square miles compares with 6.3 statewide.
Compared with Florida
| Measure | Highlands County | Florida | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 13 | 3,375 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.3 | 6.3 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 1.3 | 1.5 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 22 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | September | September | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
1Apr
0May
0Jun
1Jul
2Aug
2Sep
4Oct
0Nov
2Dec
0
Recorded events
All 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Aug 2008 | Flood | — | $220K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Nov 2002 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2000 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2000 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1999 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Sep 1999 | Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 1999 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 1998 | Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 1998 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 1998 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Mar 1998 | Flood | — | $850K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 1998 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Nov 1997 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Highlands County had?
13 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 Highlands County?
20 Aug 2008 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Highlands County?
The flood of 21 Mar 1998, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $850K.
How does Highlands County compare with Florida for flood?
1.3 events per 100 square miles against 6.3 statewide; the county holds 13 of the state's 3,375 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.