Enter any address in Middlesex County, Connecticut to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the most frequent type of flooding in Middlesex County, CT, with 26 such events recorded in the last 30 years. Recent examples include localized flash flooding on July 4, 2023, due to torrential rainfall rates of 1-2 inches per hour, and widespread flash and river flooding on September 1-2, 2021, from the remnants of Hurricane Ida, which dropped 5-8+ inches of rain in a few hours. Coastal flooding also occurs, driven by strong winds and high tides, as seen on January 10 and January 13, 2024.
Homeowners in Zone A, which has seen the highest number of NFIP claims (1107) with an average payout of $17,712 and water depths of 3.2 feet, should pay particular attention. Properties in Zone V, with an average payout of $26,106, and those in Zone X_UNSHADED, averaging $14,891 and 2.9 feet of water, also represent areas with significant flood risk. Coastal properties and those located near rivers are especially vulnerable to these events.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
15 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Middlesex County, Connecticut has recorded 59 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 26 flash floods and 16 river or area floods. The county has received 28 federal disaster declarations, 3 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1978–2021)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Remnants Of Hurricane Ida | Hurricane | Sep 1, 2021 |
| Hurricane Henri | Hurricane | Aug 21, 2021 |
| Tropical Storm Isaias | Hurricane | Aug 4, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Sep 25, 2018 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Feb 8, 2013 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Feb 8, 2013 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 27, 2012 |
| Severe Storm | Severe Storm | Oct 29, 2011 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flood | Jan 13, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Jan 10, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 4, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 22, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 2, 2021 | 50.27K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2020 | 1.30M |
| Coastal Flood | Oct 16, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 25, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Nov 16, 2018 | 0.00K |
Coastal Flood — Jan 13, 2024
Strong low pressure shifted northeast through the eastern Great Lakes on January 13, 2024, sending a warm front through during the morning hours, followed quickly by a cold front. Strong winds produced by this system, combined with peaking high astronomical tides associated with a recent new moon, produced widespread moderate coastal flooding along the southern Connecticut coastline.
Coastal Flood — Jan 10, 2024
Strong low pressure moving northeast from the Mid Atlantic region to southern New England during the night of January 9, 2024 into the early morning hours of January 10, 2024 produced high winds, which combined with high astronomical tides associated with an upcoming new moon to produce moderate coastal flooding along the southeast Connecticut coastline.
Flash Flood — Jul 4, 2023
A stalled frontal boundary over the area provided a focus for convection to develop in the afternoon on July 4th. CAPE values of greater than 2000 J/kg and PWAT values near 1.8-2 allowed thunderstorms that developed along the stationary front to slowly drift southward while producing torrential rainfall rates of 1-2 per hour. Some areas saw 1-3 of rain over a 1 to 3 hour period which produced l...
Tropical Storm — Aug 22, 2021
Tropical storm Henri with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph made landfall on the Rhode Island coast, near Westerly, at 12:30pm EDT Sunday, August 22. Henri then continued turning to the west as the storm weakened over Connecticut becoming a depression by evening. Henri meandered towards the Lower Hudson Valley of New York as the storm continued to interact with an upper level trough, before bei...
Flash Flood — Jul 9, 2021
Tropical Storm Elsa tracked across the eastern portion of the area during the morning hours of July 9, with heavy rainfall north and west of the storm's center resulting in widespread flash flooding across southern Connecticut. Rainfall totals ranged from 3-5 inches across much of the area, including 4.09 inches reported from the ASOS at Bridgeport Airport and 3.51 inches reported from the ASOS...
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 Middlesex County, Connecticut:
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 Middlesex County, Connecticut 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.