4 flood insurance claims·$58,297 paid·4 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 Cleveland County, Arkansas. 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 driven by severe thunderstorms dominates the flood history of Cleveland County, Arkansas. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database records 29 flash flood events, 10 general flood events, four tropical storm events, and three tropical depression events.
Recent occurrences illustrate these patterns. In January 2023, strong thunderstorms produced damaging winds, tornadoes, and localized flash flooding across the region. A more extensive storm system in May 2023 dropped two to more than four inches of rain within a 48-hour period, bringing high moisture levels that fueled efficient rain makers and subsequent flash flooding.
Homeowners and real estate agents should pay particular attention to properties located within Zone A. FEMA records show four National Flood Insurance Program claims in this zone, with an average payout of $14,574 and an average recorded water depth of two inches. Properties in these designated zones face documented flood risks that require careful evaluation of building elevations and coverage needs.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
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 1984, with 1 claims and $34,647 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.
22 NOAA storm reports from Cleveland County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Arkansas flood stories →
21 federal disaster declarations since 1973, 4 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Apr 2, 2025 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 30, 2023 |
| Hurricane Laura | Aug 26, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Straight-line Winds | Apr 12, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Mar 8, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Associated Flooding | Apr 14, 2011 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Dec 23, 2009 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
46 since 1996: 29 flash floods and 10 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 12, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 11, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jan 3, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 8, 2021 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 27, 2020 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 27, 2020 | $20,000 |
| Flash Flood | Apr 14, 2018 | — |
| Flash Flood | Mar 9, 2016 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · May 12, 2023. A cold front stalled across the northern counties of Arkansas, and the focus shifted to a storm system headed this way from Texas on the 10th/11th. As the system approached, moisture levels went through the roof. Storm clouds had more than usual moisture to wring out, making them more efficient rain makers. Two to more than four inches of rain dumped from southwest into central sections of Arkansas. In the 48 hour…
Flash Flood · May 11, 2023. A cold front stalled across the northern counties of Arkansas, and the focus shifted to a storm system headed this way from Texas on the 10th/11th. As the system approached, moisture levels went through the roof. Storm clouds had more than usual moisture to wring out, making them more efficient rain makers. Two to more than four inches of rain dumped from southwest into central sections of Arkansas. In the 48 hour…
Flash Flood · Jan 3, 2023. A few strong to severe thunderstorms moved across Arkansas on the afternoon and evening of the 2nd. Damaging winds and a tornado occurred over portions of far southeast Arkansas. Over central and northern Arkansas, storms occurred but damage was highly localized. Another tornado moved through Jessieville causing damage.
Flash Flood · Jun 8, 2021. Hit and miss thunderstorms ramped up on the 6th. Two to more than three inches of rain was measured at Cane Creek State Park (Lincoln County), Fordyce (Dallas County), Monticello (Drew County), Nashville (Howard County), and Pine Bluff (Jefferson County). Several roads were under water between Avilla (Saline County) and Ferndale (Pulaski County), and also at Monticello (Drew County).||During the predawn hours of t…
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 Cleveland 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.