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Flood in Wells County, North Dakota
17 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 17 flood events in Wells County, North Dakota, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 12 years.
June is the busiest month, with 5 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 13 events against 4 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.4% of the 1,221 flood events recorded in North Dakota; its 1.3 per 100 square miles compares with 1.8 statewide.
Compared with North Dakota
| Measure | Wells County | North Dakota | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 17 | 1,221 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 1.3 | 1.8 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 43.5 | 15.8 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 16 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | June | June | June |
By year
Seasonality
0Feb
0Mar
1Apr
2May
1Jun
5Jul
2Aug
5Sep
1Oct
0Nov
0Dec
0
Recorded events
All 17 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Apr 2023 | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jun 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jun 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 2020 | Flash Flood | — | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $500K | $700K | — | — | County |
| 20 Jun 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $4K | $10K | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2009 | Flood | — | $2.4M | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2009 | Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2007 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2007 | Flash Flood | — | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2006 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2000 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Jun 2000 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Aug 1999 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Wells County had?
17 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 Wells County?
16 Apr 2023 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Wells County?
The flood of 1 Apr 2009, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $2.4M.
How does Wells County compare with North Dakota for flood?
1.3 events per 100 square miles against 1.8 statewide; the county holds 17 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.