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Flood in Polk County, Minnesota
54 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 54 flood events in Polk County, Minnesota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 20 years.
June is the busiest month, with 14 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 22 events against 32 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 2% of the 2,680 flood events recorded in Minnesota; its 2.7 per 100 square miles compares with 3.4 statewide.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Polk County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 54 | 2,680 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.7 | 3.4 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 17.6 | 4.7 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 23 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | June | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
4Apr
12May
3Jun
14Jul
9Aug
12Sep
0Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 54 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Aug 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $500 | $500 | — | — | County |
| 29 Aug 2024 | Flood | — | $500 | $500 | — | — | County |
| 18 Jun 2024 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2024 | Flood | — | $500 | $500 | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2019 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $500 | $20K | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Apr 2013 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Apr 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2009 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2009 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jun 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2006 | Flood | — | $932K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | $200K | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | $100K | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Aug 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jul 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Aug 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 1999 | Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jun 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1997 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | — | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Polk County had?
54 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 Polk County?
29 Aug 2024 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Polk County?
The flood of 1 Apr 2006, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $932K.
How does Polk County compare with Minnesota for flood?
2.7 events per 100 square miles against 3.4 statewide; the county holds 54 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.