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Flood in Nelson County, North Dakota
59 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 59 flood events in Nelson County, North Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 13 years.
June is the busiest month, with 12 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 29 events against 30 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 4.8% of the 1,221 flood events recorded in North Dakota; its 6.0 per 100 square miles compares with 1.8 statewide.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | Nelson County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 59 | 1,221 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 6.0 | 1.8 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 193.2 | 15.8 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 16 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | June | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
5Apr
9May
8Jun
12Jul
9Aug
9Sep
4Oct
1Nov
1Dec
1
Recorded events
All 59 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Sep 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $125K | $5.0M | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $125K | $5.0M | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2011 | Flood | — | $50K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | $15K | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2011 | Flood | — | $50K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2011 | Flood | — | $50K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $500 | $2K | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | $30K | — | — | County |
| 23 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | $50K | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2009 | Flood | — | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Jun 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | $100K | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2009 | Flood | — | $2.0M | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2009 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2009 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Mar 2009 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Nov 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Oct 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jun 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 May 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Mar 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Aug 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jul 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jun 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 May 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Aug 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Mar 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jun 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2001 | Flood | — | $5.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2000 | Flash Flood | — | $2.0M | $12M | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Apr 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Apr 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Apr 1996 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Nelson County had?
59 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 Nelson County?
21 Sep 2019 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Nelson County?
The flash flood of 12 Jun 2000, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.0M and crop damage at $12M.
How does Nelson County compare with North Dakota for flood?
6.0 events per 100 square miles against 1.8 statewide; the county holds 59 of the state's 1,221 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.