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Flood in Pennington County, Minnesota
15 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 15 flood events in Pennington County, Minnesota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 9 years.
June is the busiest month, with 4 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 7 events against 8 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 2,680 flood events recorded in Minnesota; its 2.4 per 100 square miles compares with 3.4 statewide.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Pennington County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 15 | 2,680 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.4 | 3.4 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 10.9 | 4.7 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 23 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | June | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
2Apr
2May
2Jun
4Jul
3Aug
1Sep
1Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 15 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 Aug 2020 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $250K | $10M | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | $25K | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2009 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2002 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jun 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jul 2000 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Pennington County had?
15 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 Pennington County?
14 Aug 2020 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Pennington County?
The flash flood of 20 Sep 2019, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $250K and crop damage at $10M.
How does Pennington County compare with Minnesota for flood?
2.4 events per 100 square miles against 3.4 statewide; the county holds 15 of the state's 2,680 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.