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Flood in Madison County, Iowa
55 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 55 flood events in Madison County, Iowa, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 19 years.
May is the busiest month, with 15 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 32 events against 23 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.7% of the 7,383 flood events recorded in Iowa; its 9.8 per 100 square miles compares with 13.2 statewide.
Compared with Iowa
| Measure | Madison County | Iowa | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 55 | 7,383 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 9.8 | 13.2 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 32.8 | 23.1 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 18 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | May | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
2Mar
5Apr
3May
15Jun
14Jul
9Aug
0Sep
7Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 55 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 Jul 2025 | Flash Flood | — | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Mar 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2019 | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2015 | Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $150K | $500K | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2014 | Flood | — | $50K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2014 | Flood | — | $25K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2014 | Flood | — | $250K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 15 Jun 2013 | Flood | — | $500K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2012 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2010 | Flood | — | — | $20M | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2009 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2008 | Flood | — | $250K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2007 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 May 2005 | Flood | — | $30K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 May 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 22 May 2004 | Flood | — | $100K | $298K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 May 2004 | Flood | — | $15K | $5K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 May 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 2003 | Flood | — | $10K | $25K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 May 2003 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 May 2003 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Mar 2001 | Flood | — | $8K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Mar 2001 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 21 May 1999 | Flood | — | $50K | $10K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 May 1999 | Flood | — | $200K | $25K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Apr 1999 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Apr 1999 | Flood | — | $7K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Jun 1998 | Flood | — | $100K | $20K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Jun 1998 | Flood | — | $50K | $30K | — | — | County |
| 7 May 1997 | Flood | — | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 May 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 May 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 May 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 May 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 May 1996 | Flood | — | $75K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Madison County had?
55 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 Madison County?
20 Jul 2025 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Madison County?
The flood of 12 Jun 2010, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $0 and crop damage at $20M.
How does Madison County compare with Iowa for flood?
9.8 events per 100 square miles against 13.2 statewide; the county holds 55 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.