40 flood insurance claims·$186,508 paid·6 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Marengo County, Alabama. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from severe weather and storms associated with tropical systems define the primary flood hazards in Marengo County, Alabama. Over the last 30 years, recorded events include seven flash floods, six general floods, three tropical storms, and two tropical depressions.
Specific historical impacts are documented in NOAA storm records. For example, a mesoscale convective system produced isolated flash flooding on July 11, 2013, while a line of thunderstorms caused heavy rainfall and flash flooding on March 9, 2011. Additionally, tropical systems such as the remnants of Hurricane Ida in November 2009 and Tropical Storm Zeta in October 2020 have brought heavy rains to the region.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate that property owners in high-risk Zone A have filed the majority of claims, totaling 27 claims with an average payout of $7,575 and an average recorded water depth of 3 inches. Properties categorized under Zone UNKNOWN accounted for 10 claims with an average payout of $1,827 and an average recorded water depth of 3 inches, while Zone X properties recorded 3 claims with an average payout of $3,533 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches. Homeowners and real estate professionals working with properties located in Zone A should pay the closest attention to these flood risks.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
Less than 1% of Marengo County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
27 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 3 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 1991, with 12 claims and $51,347 paid.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
6 NOAA storm reports from Marengo County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Alabama flood stories →
20 federal disaster declarations since 1977, 6 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Helene | Sep 22, 2024 |
| Hurricane Zeta | Oct 28, 2020 |
| Hurricane Sally | Sep 14, 2020 |
| Hurricane Nate | Oct 6, 2017 |
| Hurricane Irma | Sep 8, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds | Apr 27, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Apr 15, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes & Straight-line | Mar 25, 2009 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
18 since 1996: 7 flash floods and 6 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Oct 28, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 11, 2013 | — |
| Flash Flood | Mar 9, 2011 | $75,000 |
| Tropical Depression | Nov 9, 2009 | $1,000 |
| Tropical Depression | Aug 23, 2008 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 29, 2005 | $2.4M |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2005 | — |
| Flood | Jul 11, 2005 | $5,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Tropical Storm · Oct 28, 2020. Tropical cyclone Zeta developed over the Western Caribbean Sea on Saturday, October 24, and slowly moved west. The tropical storm emerged into the Southern Gulf of Mexico on Tuesday, October 27th. Zeta turned northwest and became a hurricane on Wednesday, October 28th. Zeta made landfall in southeast Louisiana late on Wednesday, then moved northeast into southwest Alabama late Wednesday night. The hurricane weaken…
Flash Flood · Jul 11, 2013. On Thursday, July 11th, a mesoscale convective system (MCS) developed across the Tennessee Valley and pushed southward into Central Alabama. New development along the western edge of the MCS developed southwestward and resulted in isolated flash flooding.
Flash Flood · Mar 9, 2011. A line of thunderstorms moved through the state of Alabama on the morning of March 9th. Along with heavy rainfall that caused flash flooding in areas, these storms produced strong winds causing tree and structure damage.
Tropical Depression · Nov 9, 2009. The remnants of what was at one time Hurricane Ida brought very heavy rain and gusty winds to a large portion of Central Alabama.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Marengo County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.