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Flood in Smith County, Kansas
16 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 16 flood events in Smith County, Kansas, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 10 years.
May is the busiest month, with 9 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 11 events against 5 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.3% of the 4,604 flood events recorded in Kansas; its 1.8 per 100 square miles compares with 5.6 statewide.
Compared with Kansas
| Measure | Smith County | Kansas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 16 | 4,604 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.8 | 5.6 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 44.7 | 15.7 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 32 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | May | May | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
0Apr
0May
9Jun
3Jul
2Aug
2Sep
0Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 May 2025 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Aug 2015 | Flood | — | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2011 | Flood | — | $1.0M | $3.0M | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2011 | Flood | — | $15K | $250K | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2011 | Flood | — | $15K | $250K | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $75K | $750K | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | $500K | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2007 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2006 | Flood | — | $20K | $250K | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2001 | Flood | — | — | $50K | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 May 1999 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | $75K | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1999 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | $75K | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $500K | $250K | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Smith County had?
16 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 Smith County?
18 May 2025 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Smith County?
The flood of 2 Jun 2011, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $1.0M and crop damage at $3.0M.
How does Smith County compare with Kansas for flood?
1.8 events per 100 square miles against 5.6 statewide; the county holds 16 of the state's 4,604 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.