Enter any address in Howard County, Arkansas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding is the dominant flood event in Howard County, AR, with 40 recorded events in the last 30 years. This is further supported by a single tropical storm event and three general flood events in the same period. Recent heavy rainfall events, such as those occurring in February 2023, have been attributed to stalled frontal boundaries combined with moisture from both the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that while Zone A areas have seen 12 claims averaging $3,973, properties in Zone X have experienced higher average payouts of $14,331, with an average water depth of 1.0 foot. Properties in zones with unknown flood risk have also seen significant claims, averaging $9,687 with 1.7 feet of water. Homeowners in areas designated as Zone A, Zone X, or those without a defined Base Flood Elevation (BFE) should pay particular attention to their flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
25 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Howard County, Arkansas has recorded 44 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 40 flash floods and 3 river or area floods. The county has received 22 federal disaster declarations, 4 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, Tornadoes, And Associated Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 14, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 27, 2009 |
| Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Tornado | Apr 9, 2009 |
| Tropical Storm Ike | Severe Storm | Sep 13, 2008 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 12, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 8, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 8, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 12, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 28, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 24, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 23, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 1, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 23, 2017 | 0.00K |
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 — Feb 8, 2023
A surface low was accompanied by a stalled frontal boundary that extended near and along the Interstate 30 corridor of Southwest Arkansas, Southeast Oklahoma, and far Northeast Texas. Aloft, a closed low was positioned across eastern New Mexico into the Texas Panhandle with a trailing trough well south into northern and central Mexico. This pattern allowed for plentiful Pacific moisture to comb...
Flood — Feb 8, 2023
A surface low was accompanied by a stalled frontal boundary that extended near and along the Interstate 30 corridor of Southwest Arkansas, Southeast Oklahoma, and far Northeast Texas. Aloft, a closed low was positioned across eastern New Mexico into the Texas Panhandle with a trailing trough well south into northern and central Mexico. This pattern allowed for plentiful Pacific moisture to comb...
Flash Flood — Aug 12, 2020
An upper level trough shifted southeast across Eastern Oklahoma and much of Arkansas during the early morning hours of August 12th, which helped to ignite scattered showers and thunderstorms over these areas. A weak inverted surface trough had developed along the Red River Valley of Southeast Oklahoma and extreme Northeast Texas, with a 25-30 kt southwesterly low level jet feeding near and atop...
Flash Flood — Jul 16, 2019
The remnants of Tropical Storm Barry drifted north into Northcentral Arkansas during the early morning hours of July 16th. Meanwhile, a very moist air mass lingered south of this remnant center of circulation, as a weak shortwave trough rounded the center, enhancing large scale forcing over Eastern McCurtain County Oklahoma and the northern sections of Southwest Arkansas. Low level warm and moi...
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 Howard 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 Howard 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.