161 flood insurance claims·$1.3M paid·3 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 Santa Cruz County, Arizona. 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 summer thunderstorms dominates the flood risk in Santa Cruz County, Arizona. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 83 flash flood events resulting in 4 deaths, compared to only 3 general flood events. Recent activity includes severe thunderstorms on July 2nd, 2025, which caused flash flooding with roughly 3 feet of water moving through a low water crossing, as well as an international border event on June 26th, 2024, where runoff moved from Nogales, Sonora into Nogales, Arizona.
National Flood Insurance Program records show that claims are distributed across multiple zones, with the highest concentration occurring in high-risk areas. Zone A accounts for 113 claims with an average payout of $13,762 and an average recorded water depth of 2 inches. Moderate- and lower-risk areas also experience impacts, including Zone X_SHADED with 16 claims averaging $2,832 and an average water depth of 3 inches, Zone X with 15 claims averaging $9,910 and an average water depth of 2 inches, Zone X_UNSHADED with 13 claims averaging $5,969 and an average water depth of 1 inch, and Zone UNKNOWN with 4 claims averaging $3,738 and an average water depth of 2 inches.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties located in Zone A due to the high volume of claims, while remaining aware that properties in all zones, including various designations of Zone X, have recorded historical flood claims and water depths averaging 1 to 3 inches.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
20% of Santa Cruz County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
142 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 2 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 1983, with 40 claims and $414,597 paid, the year of Severe Storms & Flooding.
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.
12 NOAA storm reports from Santa Cruz County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Arizona flood stories →
8 federal disaster declarations since 1977, 3 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Ryan-wildfire-4/30/2002 | Apr 29, 2002 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Oct 21, 2000 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Jan 5, 1993 |
| Severe Storms & Flooding | Sep 23, 1983 |
| Severe Storms & Flooding | Nov 4, 1977 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
86 since 1996: 83 flash floods and 3 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 2, 2025 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2024 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 21, 2024 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 6, 2024 | $25,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 1, 2024 | $1,000 |
| Flash Flood | Aug 6, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 20, 2022 | $5,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jul 2, 2025. Strong to severe thunderstorms moved northward through Southeastern Arizona the afternoon and evening of July 2nd, 2025. These storms caused severe wind gusts and thunderstorm wind damage causing power outages due to downed power lines and damage to equipment. Additionally, there was heavy rainfall causing flash flooding of roughly 3 feet of water moving through a low water crossing.
Flash Flood · Jun 26, 2024. A thunderstorm along the International border at Nogales, Arizona produced flash flooding as runoff moved from Nogales, Sonora into Nogales, Arizona.
Flash Flood · Aug 21, 2024. An area of severe thunderstorms including a confirmed tornado occurred in Cochise County. Severe wind gusts, hail and flash flooding also occurred with these storms.
Flash Flood · Aug 6, 2024. A line of thunderstorms moved through Nogales resulting in severe wind gusts, property damage, and flash flooding.
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 Santa Cruz 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.