Enter any address in Butler County, Alabama to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the most frequent type of flooding recorded in Butler County, AL over the last 30 years, with 15 such events documented. These can occur rapidly, as seen with a flash flood event on February 3, 2022, caused by heavy rain from an unstable airmass. Larger systems also contribute; Hurricane Sally, which made landfall on September 16, 2020, brought widespread freshwater flooding inland to south central Alabama, impacting the county.
While flash flooding is most common, tropical storms and hurricanes have also affected the area. For example, Hurricane Zeta, which made landfall on October 28, 2020, as a Category 2 hurricane, weakened to a tropical storm while moving across inland southwest Alabama, contributing to flood impacts.
Homeowners in flood-prone areas should be particularly aware. While the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data for Butler County shows only one claim in Zone V with an average payout of $4,900 and an average water depth of 4.0 feet, and one claim in Zone X with no payout and no water depth, these zones represent different levels of risk. Properties located in areas designated as Zone V, or any properties without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE), should pay close attention to flood risk information.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
9 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Butler County, Alabama has recorded 21 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 15 flash floods and 1 river or area floods. The county has received 28 federal disaster declarations. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1977–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | Hurricane | Sep 22, 2024 |
| Hurricane Zeta | Hurricane | Oct 28, 2020 |
| Hurricane Sally | Hurricane | Sep 14, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Feb 5, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Michael | Hurricane | Oct 10, 2018 |
| Hurricane Nate | Hurricane | Oct 6, 2017 |
| Hurricane Irma | Hurricane | Sep 8, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Dec 23, 2015 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Feb 3, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 28, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 16, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 15, 2020 | 234.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 29, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 22, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Dec 24, 2015 | 600.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 4, 2012 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 29, 2005 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2005 | — |
Flash Flood — Feb 3, 2022
A very moist and unstable airmass developed ahead of an approaching cold front. Storms developed along the front and produced damaging wind gusts as they moved across southeast Mississippi and southwest Alabama. Heavy rain caused flooding across portions of the area.
Tropical Storm — Oct 28, 2020
Hurricane Zeta made landfall in southeast Louisiana during the late afternoon hours of Wednesday, October 28th as a strong category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph. Zeta quickly raced northeast and moved across inland southeast Mississippi and inland southwest Alabama during the evening hours. Shortly after midnight, Thursday, October 29th, Zeta weakened to a tropical storm ...
Flash Flood — Sep 16, 2020
Hurricane Sally made landfall in Gulf Shores, AL at 5am on Wednesday, September 16th as a strong Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. Sally produced widespread wind, storm surge, and freshwater flooding across coastal AL and the western Florida Panhandle. Flood and wind damage also extended well inland into inland southwest Alabama and south central Alabama. Sally was a...
Tropical Storm — Sep 15, 2020
Hurricane Sally made landfall in Gulf Shores, AL at 5am on Wednesday, September 16th as a strong Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. Sally produced widespread wind, storm surge, and freshwater flooding across coastal AL and the western Florida Panhandle. Flood and wind damage also extended well inland into inland southwest Alabama and south central Alabama. Sally was a...
Flash Flood — May 29, 2018
A weak subtropical storm made landfall in the Florida panhandle during the day on the 28th and slowly moved north and northwest through portions of southwest Alabama during the night into the early morning on the 29th. Wind gusts were below tropical storm strength, however minor damage was observed along the storm's path. Minor coastal flooding was observed at the normally prone locations. The ...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Butler County, Alabama:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Butler County, Alabama that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.