Enter any address in Clarke County, Alabama to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent flood event in Clarke County, AL, accounting for 45 occurrences in the last 30 years. Tropical storms and hurricanes have also impacted the area, with 5 and 3 events respectively. Recent flash flooding events occurred in February 2022 and August 2022, driven by moist air masses and saturated ground conditions.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A experienced an average of 3.1 feet of water depth with an average payout of $31,004. Zone V properties, often associated with coastal areas, saw an average water depth of 4.3 feet and an average payout of $34,168. Properties in Zone X also filed claims, with an average water depth of 0.7 feet and an average payout of $35,802.
Residents in areas designated as Zone A and Zone V, as well as those in Zone X with higher water depths, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
18 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Clarke County, Alabama has recorded 56 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 45 flash floods and 3 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 (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 |
| 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 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Dec 12, 2009 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 24, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 3, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 24, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 16, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 28, 2020 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 15, 2020 | — |
| Flood | Feb 7, 2020 | 250.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 23, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 23, 2019 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 23, 2019 | 50.00K |
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 — 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.
Flash Flood — Apr 24, 2021
A two part severe weather outbreak impacted the northern Gulf Coast. An early morning squall line brought wind damage to numerous locations. The second round of severe storms in the afternoon and early evening resulted in very large hail across potions of inland southwest and south central AL, some of which reached baseball size. Additional wind damage occurred as well. A few instances of flash...
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 Clarke 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 Clarke 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.