States › Missouri › Cole County › Flood
Flood in Cole County, Missouri
42 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 42 flood events in Cole County, Missouri, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 20 years.
May is the busiest month, with 10 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 23 events against 19 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.4% of the 10,821 flood events recorded in Missouri; its 10.7 per 100 square miles compares with 15.7 statewide.
NCEI attributes 1 death in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with Missouri
| Measure | Cole County | Missouri | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 42 | 10,821 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 10.7 | 15.7 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 5.4 | 17.5 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 1 | 159 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | May | May | June |
By year
Seasonality
1Feb
0Mar
0Apr
5May
10Jun
9Jul
7Aug
2Sep
3Oct
3Nov
1Dec
1
Recorded events
All 42 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Jun 2026 | Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2026 | Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jun 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2020 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Sep 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 31 Jul 2016 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Dec 2015 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $750K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2013 | Flood | — | $1K | $3K | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Apr 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Nov 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Sep 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2007 | Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jan 2005 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 May 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 May 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2002 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 May 2002 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jun 2001 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Apr 2001 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 May 1999 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Oct 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Oct 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Oct 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 May 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Cole County had?
42 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 Cole County?
8 Jun 2026 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Cole County?
The flash flood of 1 Jul 2015, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $750K.
How does Cole County compare with Missouri for flood?
10.7 events per 100 square miles against 15.7 statewide; the county holds 42 of the state's 10,821 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.