Enter any address in Choctaw County, Alabama to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent flood event in Choctaw County, AL, with 46 occurrences recorded over the last 30 years, resulting in two fatalities. Recent examples include events on January 4, 2023, and March 26, 2023, where strong thunderstorms caused both flooding and high winds.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $10,801 and water depths averaging 2.2 feet. Properties in Zone X, though fewer in number, have seen significantly higher average payouts of $21,865, with an average water depth of 1.0 foot. Homeowners in Zone A, and those in Zone X, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
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.
Choctaw County, Alabama has recorded 54 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 46 flash floods. The county has received 28 federal disaster declarations, 3 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2024)
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 Nate | Hurricane | Oct 6, 2017 |
| Hurricane Irma | Hurricane | Sep 8, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | Apr 27, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 15, 2011 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Mar 26, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 4, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 4, 2023 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 24, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 16, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 28, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jan 23, 2019 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 28, 2018 | 700.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 5, 2018 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Mar 26, 2023
A stalled front over northern portions of the area combined with favorable wind shear and instability led to the development of severe thunderstorms. Two tornadoes developed along with several reports of large hail.
Flash Flood — Jan 4, 2023
Strong thunderstorms developed ahead of a cold front and moved across the area during the afternoon and evening hours. These storms produced high winds that caused damage in addition to some flooding.
Flash Flood — Aug 24, 2022
A very favorable pattern for heavy rain combined with already wet ground conditions led to development of heavy rain and flooding across the area.
Flash Flood — Mar 16, 2021
Clusters of showers and thunderstorms stalled over portions of southwest Alabama and trained over the same areas producing very heavy rain and flooding. The thunderstorms also produced strong winds which caused damage in southwest Alabama.
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 ...
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 Choctaw 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 Choctaw 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.