Enter any address in Lafayette County, Arkansas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding is the dominant flood character in Lafayette County, AR, with 52 events recorded by NOAA over the last 30 years. Recent examples include flash flooding on January 23, 2024, and March 15, 2024, driven by atmospheric conditions conducive to heavy rainfall. While less frequent, general flooding has also occurred, resulting in one fatality.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced claims, with an average payout of $20,375 for an average water depth of 0.4 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those residing in areas prone to flash flooding, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
37 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Lafayette County, Arkansas has recorded 57 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 52 flash floods and 3 river or area floods. The county has received 21 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 (1990–2026)
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 | Oct 29, 2009 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 27, 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 | Apr 5, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 23, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 15, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 2, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 27, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 12, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 12, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 8, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 21, 2018 | 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 — 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 — 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...
Flash Flood — Jan 2, 2023
A vigorous upper level trough traversed east through the Desert Southwest and into the Southern Rockies January 1st, before ejecting northeast across the Texas/Oklahoma Panhandles into Western Kansas on the 2nd. In advance of this trough, rich low level moisture quickly spread northward from the Gulf of Mexico across East Texas, North Louisiana, and Southern Arkansas, along a strong southerly l...
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 Lafayette 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 Lafayette 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.