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Flood in Swift County, Minnesota
13 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.
Swift County, Minnesota, has 13 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 7 different years.
March is the busiest month, with 4 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 2 events against 11 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.5% of the 2,680 flood events recorded in Minnesota; its 1.8 per 100 square miles compares with 3.4 statewide.
Compared with Minnesota
| Measure | Swift County | Minnesota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 13 | 2,680 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.8 | 3.4 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 13.3 | 4.7 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 23 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | March | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
4Apr
4May
2Jun
0Jul
1Aug
2Sep
0Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Mar 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Mar 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Aug 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2001 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Apr 2001 | Flash Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2001 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Aug 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Mar 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Mar 1997 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Swift County had?
13 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 Swift County?
17 Mar 2010 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Swift County?
The flash flood of 7 Apr 2001, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $500K.
How does Swift County compare with Minnesota for flood?
1.8 events per 100 square miles against 3.4 statewide; the county holds 13 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.