7 flood insurance claims·$119,094 paid·5 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 Newton 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 from heavy rainfall events dominates the flood history of Newton County, Arkansas. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database records 34 flash flood events alongside 5 general flood events, which resulted in 1 recorded death.
Stalled frontal systems and slow-moving summer thunderstorms frequently produce high-volume rainfall across the region. For example, on November 4, 2024, a stationary cold front dropped significant rainfall totals that caused numerous flash floods. Earlier, on August 11, 2020, heavy rainfall produced 4.70 inches of rain in Jasper, which flooded an apartment building.
Property owners and real estate professionals should note that FEMA claims data shows historical flood impacts within Zone A. Specifically, Zone A has recorded 7 claims with an average payout of $17,013 and an average recorded water depth of 5 inches. Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the closest attention to properties located within Zone A and areas susceptible to rapid flash flooding during heavy precipitation.
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 5 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 2000, with 1 claims and $34,723 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.
15 NOAA storm reports from Newton County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Arkansas flood stories →
30 federal disaster declarations since 1969, 5 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Apr 2, 2025 |
| Hurricane Laura | Aug 26, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Jun 23, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Apr 26, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | May 7, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Dec 5, 2013 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Aug 8, 2013 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
39 since 1996: 34 flash floods and 5 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Nov 4, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 15, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | Oct 28, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 11, 2020 | $10,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 3, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2019 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 23, 2019 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 16, 2015 | $50,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Nov 4, 2024. A cold front became a stationary front and stalled out across northern Arkansas leading to significant rainfall totals across northern Arkansas which led to numerous reports of flash flooding and significant rainfall totals.
Flash Flood · May 15, 2022. For much of the state, May 13th was the end of the heatwave as a cold front moved into the area and showers and thunderstorms developed. Thunderstorms were most widespread on the 15th with several reports of hail as large as golf balls and numerous wind damage reports. A wind gust of 58 mph was recorded at the Jacksonville/LR Air Force Base.||Some relief (cooler air) came on the 15th in the form of a cold front. A…
Flash Flood · Oct 28, 2020. A big gullywasher came on the 28th as the system in the Plains neared. Rain came down in buckets over the northern half of the state, with four to more than five inch amounts at several locations. This included Des Arc (Prairie County) and Harrison (Boone County). Three to four inch totals occurred at Booneville (Logan County), Batesville (Independence County), Gilbert (Searcy County), Jonesboro (Craighead County)…
Flash Flood · Aug 11, 2020. The heat was tempered on the 11th as storms returned to the region. The fireworks began in northwest sections of the state, and gradually spread to the south and east. By 200 pm CST, temperatures had cooled into the upper 60s to mid 70s in the north/west. It was only 69 degrees at Harrison (Boone County). At Jasper (Newton County), 4.70 inches of rain flooded an apartment building.||Later that night/early on the 1…
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 Newton 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.