3,301 flood insurance claims·$54.7M paid·10 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 Marin County, California. 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.
Standard river and general floods dominate the historical record in Marin County, accounting for 95 out of the 138 total flood events recorded over the last 30 years by the NOAA Storm Events Database, alongside 21 coastal flood events, 19 flash floods, and 3 storm surge or tide events.
Recent occurrences illustrate these hazards, such as the intense atmospheric river from February 3 to 4, 2025, which brought heavy rain and strong winds to the region and caused the Russian River near Guerneville to flood. Additionally, a series of storm systems impacted the area from December 19 to 25, 2025, disrupting holiday travel, while a winter storm on February 13 caused widespread flooding and strong winds across the Bay Area.
Federal flood insurance claims data shows the highest volume of claims in Zone A, with 2003 claims averaging a payout of $28,050 and an average recorded water depth of 5 inches. Properties in Zone X recorded an average water depth of 15 inches across 194 claims, with an average payout of $16,542. Homeowners and real estate agents with properties in Zone A and Zone X, as well as coastal and river-adjacent locations, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
21% of Marin County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
2,607 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
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 1982, with 626 claims and $4.7M 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.
64 NOAA storm reports from Marin County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the California flood stories →
26 federal disaster declarations since 1964, 10 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Feb 21, 2023 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Jan 8, 2023 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Dec 27, 2022 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Feb 24, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Feb 1, 2017 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Jan 3, 2017 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Mar 29, 2006 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, And Landslides | Dec 17, 2005 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
138 since 1996: 19 flash floods, 95 river or area floods and 24 coastal floods or surges.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Dec 22, 2025 | — |
| Flood | Nov 17, 2025 | — |
| Flood | Feb 13, 2025 | — |
| Flood | Feb 4, 2025 | $10 |
| Flood | Jan 31, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Dec 29, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Dec 27, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Dec 26, 2024 | $10 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Dec 22, 2025. A series of storm systems impacted the Bay Area and Central Coast from December 19 to 25th, impacting Christmas holiday travel across the region. The most impactful systems arrived on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Two tornado warnings were issued for the coastal regions of San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties based off radar indicated rotation. San Francisco International Airport reported delays of at least 300 fl…
Flood · Nov 17, 2025. A low pressure system brought rain and winds to the Bay Area and Central Coast on November 16 and 17th. Special Marine Warnings and Special Weather Statements were issued due to isolated thunderstorms causing localized heavy rain and gusty winds. The main frontal rain band came through in the overnight hours, with isolated to scattered showers and some thunderstorms continuing into the 17th.
Flood · Feb 13, 2025. A winter storm on February 13 caused widespread flooding and strong winds across the Bay Area and Central Coast.
Flood · Feb 4, 2025. An intense atmospheric river impacted the Bay Area from February 3rd to the 4th, bringing heavy rain and strong wind to the region, especially across the North Bay. The Russian River near Guerneville flooded due to the heavy rain.
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 Marin 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.