Enter any address in Lake County, California to see its FEMA flood zone
River overflow and atmospheric river events characterize flooding in Lake County. Recent events include flooding in February 2025, driven by low elevation snow, atmospheric rivers, and rising river threats, and another in February 2024, associated with a cyclone that brought heavy rain and high creek flows.
National Flood Insurance Program data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $9,949 and an average water depth of 2.6 feet. While Zone X_UNSHADED and Zone X_SHADED have fewer claims, their average payouts are higher, suggesting significant damage can occur even outside of high-risk zones. Properties in Zone X and UNKNOWN zones also have claims, though with lower average payouts and water depths.
Homeowners in low-lying areas, particularly those near rivers and creeks, should pay close attention to flood risk. Properties located in Zone A, as well as those in other mapped zones that have experienced claims, may be susceptible to flood damage.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
6 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Lake County, California has recorded 23 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 2 flash floods and 21 river or area floods. The county has received 35 federal disaster declarations, 7 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1964–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Boyles Fire | Fire | Sep 8, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Mar 9, 2023 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Feb 21, 2023 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Flood | Jan 8, 2023 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Aug 14, 2021 |
| Lnu Lightning Fire Complex | Fire | Aug 17, 2020 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Aug 14, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Feb 24, 2019 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Feb 13, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 4, 2025 | 25.00K |
| Flood | Feb 4, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 19, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 4, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 10, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jan 9, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jan 5, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Dec 27, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 30, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flood — Feb 13, 2025
A frontal system approaches the area with moisture and cold temperatures aloft, bringing low elevation winter precipitation in some areas.
Flood — Feb 4, 2025
Low elevation snow, atmospheric rivers and rising river threats characterized February. Several storm systems with some weaker cold weather breaks filled the timeline, with a few dry spells.
Flood — Feb 19, 2024
A storm system brought rain and wind to Northwest California a couple weeks following the major wind event on February 4th. This system was more convective and resulted in periodic wind gusts in excess of 58 mph on ridgetops across the region.
Flood — Feb 4, 2024
A cyclone bombed very close to the central California coast developing widespread damaging wind gusts across Mendocino and Lake counties. Heavy rain also was observed with some of the highest flows on creeks in Lake County in the last several years. The low then moved north off of the extreme northwestern California coast bringing strong gusts into Humboldt and Del Norte counties as well, thoug...
Flood — Mar 10, 2023
The result of days long precipitation and mass accumulation characterizes the following events as avalanches and flooding occur.
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 Lake County, California:
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 Lake County, California 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.