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Flood in Butte County, Idaho
11 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 11 flood events in Butte County, Idaho, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 6 years.
January is the busiest month, with 3 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 10 events against 1 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.4% of the 790 flood events recorded in Idaho; its 0.5 per 100 square miles compares with 1.0 statewide.
Compared with Idaho
| Measure | Butte County | Idaho | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 11 | 790 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 0.5 | 1.0 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 41.4 | 4.2 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 3 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | January | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
1Mar
2Apr
0May
1Jun
1Jul
1Aug
2Sep
0Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 11 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Mar 2018 | Flood | — | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2017 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2017 | Flood | — | $45K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2017 | Flood | — | $135K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Feb 2017 | Flood | — | $265K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jan 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Butte County had?
11 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 Butte County?
14 Jan 2019 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Butte County?
The flood of 4 Feb 2017, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $265K.
How does Butte County compare with Idaho for flood?
0.5 events per 100 square miles against 1.0 statewide; the county holds 11 of the state's 790 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.