Enter any address in Lamar County, Alabama to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent type of flood event recorded in Lamar County over the past 30 years, with 57 occurrences. More widespread flooding events have also been documented. For example, heavy rainfall caused flooded roadways in southern Lamar County on June 14, 2025, following slow-moving thunderstorms. Earlier that year, on March 1, 2024, widespread showers affected central Alabama, including a heavy band of rain over southern Lamar County.
While most National Flood Insurance Program claims in Lamar County have been in zones with unknown flood risk, properties in Zone X have experienced the highest average payouts and water depths. Homeowners in Zone A and Zone X_Unshaded areas have also filed claims. Residents in areas with higher flood risk designations, or those without a confirmed Base Flood Elevation, should pay particular attention to flood preparedness.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
10 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Lamar County, Alabama has recorded 66 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 57 flash floods and 6 river or area floods. The county has received 26 federal disaster declarations, 1 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 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 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Feb 19, 2019 |
| Hurricane Irma | Hurricane | Sep 8, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Dec 23, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 28, 2014 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | Apr 27, 2011 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 6, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 1, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 23, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 2, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 25, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 4, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Dec 23, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 23, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 7, 2014 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jun 14, 2025
A mid-level trough over the Mississippi River, along with subtropical ridging over the northern Gulf and eastward into the Atlantic, brought fairly moist southwesterly flow to Central Alabama. Afternoon convection resulted in a few strong to severe storms, with areas of tree damage in Cherokee, Jefferson, Tallapoosa, and Chambers counties. Later that evening, slow-moving thunderstorms dropped a...
Flash Flood — Apr 6, 2025
Deep-layer ridging over the Southeast United States held up a trough over the Central United States for the first few days of April, leading to a prolonged and significant severe weather and flooding event from Texas to Ohio and West Virginia along a stalled boundary. As the ridge began to retreat eastward, a cold front slowly progressed through Central Alabama on April 6, with an all-hazards w...
Flood — Mar 1, 2024
A shortwave trough approaching the Mississippi Valley from the central Great Plains, along with a surface low in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico and stationary boundary along the Gulf Coast, contributed to widespread showers moving across Central Alabama during the morning hours of March 1. A ridge located over the East Coast promoted easterly surface winds across the area, with temperatures in...
Flash Flood — Feb 23, 2022
A line of thunderstorms ahead of a slow moving cold front produced periods of heavy rainfall over a several period over the northwest portions of central Alabama. Rainfall totals averaged 2-3 inches.
Flash Flood — Feb 2, 2016
A strong upper level system developed over the Central Plains and a surface low moved from the Mid Mississippi Valley into the Great Lakes. Although this was well removed from Central Alabama, the system was strong enough that winds at the surface and aloft increased significantly. This produced high wind shear. The combination of the high precipitable water values and unseasonably warm tempera...
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 Lamar 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 Lamar 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.