Enter any address in Columbia County, Arkansas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from intense rainfall events dominates the flood character of Columbia County. Between 1993 and 2023, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 46 flash flood events, along with two tropical storm and two flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding on June 8, 2025, caused by heavy rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour, and another on September 24, 2025, linked to pre-frontal troughing and increased moisture.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that while most claims are in Zone X and Zone X_UNSHADED, the average payout in Zone X was significantly higher, with an average water depth of 17.7 feet. Claims in Zone A also showed notable water depth. Homeowners in areas designated as Zone X, Zone A, or any other flood hazard area, particularly those with a history of claims or experiencing deeper water inundation, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
27 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Columbia County, Arkansas has recorded 50 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 46 flash floods and 2 river or area floods. The county has received 22 federal disaster declarations, 5 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 2, 2025 |
| Hurricane Laura | Hurricane | Aug 26, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Mar 8, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Oct 29, 2009 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 30, 2004 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 2, 2003 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Sep 24, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 8, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 15, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 27, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 6, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 7, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 21, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 30, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 9, 2016 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Sep 24, 2025
A pre-frontal surface trough extended out in advance of a weak cool front over Western Arkansas and Southeast Oklahoma during the early morning hours of September 24th, with adequate forcing aloft associated with an upper level disturbance that ejected northeast ahead of an upper level trough entering the Southern Plains. A south-southwesterly low level flow yielded increased moisture and insta...
Flash Flood — Jun 8, 2025
Back-building and training thunderstorms with heavy rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour developed across Columbia County in Southwest Arkansas on the morning of June 8th. This convection became focused within a moist, unstable and convergent low-level flow pattern with this convective cluster also near a frontal boundary. MLCAPE values of 1500 to 2000 J/kg and effective bulk shear of 30 to...
Flash Flood — Mar 15, 2024
Strong and deep convection became widespread over the Ark-La-Tex and downstream portions of southern Arkansas on March 15th. This occurred along an outflow boundary on the southwestern flank of a decaying MCS, and a favorable environment encouraged increased training over several hours. The mesoscale environment was characterized by ML CAPE of 1000-2000 J/kg, PWATs of 1.5-1.8 inches, and deep l...
Flash Flood — Jul 12, 2023
A Mesoscale Convective Vortex (MCV) that was a remnant of showers and thunderstorms over Central Oklahoma on July 11th, drifted east into Southwest Arkansas during the early morning hours of the 12th. This upper level disturbance moved over an area that was very warm, moist, and unstable, and focused a cluster of showers and thunderstorms throughout much of the morning hours before drifting eas...
Tropical Storm — Aug 27, 2020
Major Hurricane Laura tracked north northwest across the Central and Northern Gulf of Mexico from the Central Carribean Sea near Cuba, making landfall in Southwest Louisiana near Cameron around 1 am on August 27th as a strong Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 150 mph, and a minimum central pressure of 938 mb. Laura remained a hurricane as it tracked north across Southwest a...
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 Columbia County, Arkansas:
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 Columbia County, Arkansas 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.