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Flood in Hamilton County, Iowa
72 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.
Hamilton County, Iowa, has 72 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 17 different years.
June is the busiest month, with 25 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 35 events against 37 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1% of the 7,383 flood events recorded in Iowa; its 12.5 per 100 square miles compares with 13.2 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Hamilton County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 72 | 7,383 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 12.5 | 13.2 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 48.4 | 23.1 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 18 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | June | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
1Mar
7Apr
11May
7Jun
25Jul
6Aug
12Sep
2Oct
1Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 72 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 Mar 2019 | Flood | — | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2018 | Flood | — | $100K | $250K | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Sep 2016 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Aug 2010 | Flood | — | $200K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2010 | Flood | — | $100K | $1.0M | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2010 | Flood | — | — | $20M | — | — | County |
| 11 Mar 2010 | Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2008 | Flood | — | $75K | $250K | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2008 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Mar 2008 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2007 | Flood | — | $25K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 20 Aug 2007 | Flood | — | $50K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 19 Aug 2007 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 2007 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 25 Apr 2007 | Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2007 | Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2007 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2007 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2006 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2005 | Flood | — | $10K | $30K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jun 2005 | Flood | — | $50K | $10K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jun 2005 | Flood | — | $74K | $50K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 May 2005 | Flood | — | $30K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Jun 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Flood | — | $100K | $298K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Jul 2003 | Flood | — | $10K | $25K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jun 2003 | Flood | — | $5K | $10K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 May 2003 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 May 2003 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Jul 2001 | Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2001 | Flood | — | $25K | $50K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 May 2001 | Flood | — | $30K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 May 2001 | Flood | — | $75K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Apr 2001 | Flood | — | $150K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 2001 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Mar 2001 | Flood | — | $8K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Jul 2000 | Flood | — | $50K | $25K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jun 2000 | Flood | — | $20K | $50K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jun 2000 | Flood | — | $25K | $25K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jun 1999 | Flood | — | $50K | $75K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 May 1999 | Flood | — | $200K | $25K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Apr 1999 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Apr 1999 | Flood | — | $7K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Aug 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $150K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1998 | Flood | — | $75K | $20K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Jun 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $75K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 16 Apr 1998 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Apr 1998 | Flood | — | $15K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Apr 1998 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Mar 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Feb 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Jun 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Jun 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Jun 1996 | Flash Flood | — | $200K | $100K | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Hamilton County had?
72 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 Hamilton County?
13 Mar 2019 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Hamilton County?
The flood of 12 Jun 2010, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $0 and crop damage at $20M.
How does Hamilton County compare with Iowa for flood?
12.5 events per 100 square miles against 13.2 statewide; the county holds 72 of the state's 7,383 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.