Enter any address in Hempstead County, Arkansas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding events are the most common type of flooding in Hempstead County, AR, with 67 recorded incidents in the last 30 years. Recent examples include flash floods in May 2024 and January 2024, driven by atmospheric conditions that produced heavy rainfall. Tropical storms and general flood events have occurred less frequently.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced more significant flood damage, with an average claim payout of $142,707 and an average water depth of 5.0 feet. While Zone X properties have also filed claims, the average payout was $6,060 with an average water depth of 1.2 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, and those located near waterways or in areas prone to rapid water level increases, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
42 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Hempstead County, Arkansas has recorded 71 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 67 flash floods and 2 river or area floods. The county has received 26 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 (1968–2026)
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 | May 7, 2015 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Dec 23, 2009 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 27, 2009 |
| Tropical Storm Ike | Severe Storm | Sep 13, 2008 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Mar 18, 2008 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Apr 5, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 23, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 23, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 12, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 7, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 27, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 21, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 12, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 23, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Apr 5, 2025
A stationary front extended across portions of Northeast Texas and Southwest Arkansas during the early morning hours on April 4th, but lifted north into Southeast Oklahoma and Western Arkansas during the day. This was in response to an intensifying low level jet that developed ahead of a large upper trough that extended from the Intermountain West into the Plains, which provided the necessary l...
Flash Flood — May 23, 2024
An expanding cluster of thunderstorms shifted across Southwest Arkansas during the morning hours on May 23rd. Some bowing became evident within these thunderstorms, suggesting at least a slightly organized cold pool. This convection occurred in tandem with a weak cyclonic mid-level circulation evident in water vapor imagery, and near the nose of an associated 40 knot southerly low-level jet. Th...
Flash Flood — Jan 23, 2024
A deep upper-level trough axis became entrenched across the western U.S. early on January 23rd, enhancing a deep southwesterly flow pattern across the Middle Red River Valley. Multiple disturbances aloft ejected northeast within the southwesterly flow and combined with a stalled surface frontal boundary to provide a nearly ideal environment for heavy rainfall across the Ark-La-Tex region. The a...
Flash Flood — May 12, 2023
A small complex of showers and thunderstorms spread southeast into the northern sections of Southwest Arkansas during the morning hours of May 12th with the passage of an upper level disturbance. While these showers and thunderstorms remained non-severe as they moved into Southwest Arkansas, a very moist air mass coupled with the slow movement of these storms allowed for the development of loca...
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...
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 Hempstead 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 Hempstead 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.