Enter any address in Alachua County, Florida to see its FEMA flood zone
Flooding from tropical storms and heavy rainfall events is a significant concern in Alachua County. Over the past 30 years, NOAA data shows 34 flood events and 11 flash flood events, alongside 9 tropical storm events that resulted in one fatality. Recent examples include Hurricane Helene in September 2024, which brought wind gusts of 55 to 75 mph, and Hurricane Debby in August 2024, which caused widespread inland flooding and flash flooding across river valleys.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims, with an average payout of $28,603 and an average water depth of 3.1 feet. While Zone X and Zone X_UNSHADED also have substantial claims, Zone X_SHADED properties have seen the highest average payouts, reaching $40,961. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in areas prone to flash flooding or near rivers, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
24 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Alachua County, Florida has recorded 54 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 11 flash floods and 34 river or area floods. The county has received 35 federal disaster declarations. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1993–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Milton | Hurricane | Oct 5, 2024 |
| Hurricane Helene | Hurricane | Sep 23, 2024 |
| Tropical Storm Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 23, 2024 |
| Hurricane Debby | Tropical Storm | Aug 1, 2024 |
| Tropical Storm Debby | Tropical Storm | Aug 1, 2024 |
| Hurricane Idalia | Hurricane | Aug 27, 2023 |
| Tropical Storm Idalia | Tropical Storm | Aug 27, 2023 |
| Hurricane Nicole | Hurricane | Nov 7, 2022 |
| Tropical Storm Nicole | Tropical Storm | Nov 7, 2022 |
| Hurricane Ian | Hurricane | Sep 23, 2022 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 11, 2024 | 5.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2023 | 0.00K (1 deaths) |
| Flash Flood | Sep 1, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 1, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 29, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Aug 28, 2022 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Aug 23, 2022 | 1.00K |
Tropical Storm — Sep 26, 2024
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a category 4 with peak winds of near 140 mph in the Florida Big |Bend just east of the Aucilla River Entrance in Taylor County, late Thursday evening September 26, |2024. Helene's main impact to southeast Georgia and northeast Florida was wind damage as it |tracked quickly north-northeast. The very powerful hurricane and the forward motion produced a |wide swa...
Flood — Jun 11, 2024
A surface front was stalled across north Florida with moist, unstable southwest flow off of the Gulf of Mexico south of the front. This airmass combined with frontal lift and sea breeze forcing triggered locally heavy rainfall and isolated strong to severe storms across portions of NE FL.
Tropical Storm — Oct 9, 2024
A tropical disturbance over the southwest Gulf of Mexico quickly developed into Tropical Storm |Milton on Saturday, October 5th. Milton then moved slowly east-southeastward, strengthening into a |hurricane the following day. On Monday, October 7th, the storm underwent rapid intensification, |reaching Category 5 strength as it neared the northwestern coast of Mexico's Yucat��n Peninsula. Lat...
Tropical Storm — Aug 4, 2024
Hurricane Debby made landfall as a Category 1 storm along the FL Big Bend coast during the early morning of August 5, 2024. Prior to landfall, outer convective bands produced tornadoes across portions of northeast Florida on August 4th. Widespread flooding moved inland with Debby across the Suwannee River Valley and inland Southeast Georgia where flash flooding and moderate to major river flood...
Tropical Storm — Aug 30, 2023
Hurricane Idalia made landfall Wednesday morning August 30th around 745 AM EDT along the|Florida Big Bend near Keaton Beach as a category 3, with the inner core moving NE across the|Suwannee River Valley. The inner wind core of Idalia gradually weakened through the morning while,|heavily impacting Suwannee and Hamilton counties in NE Florida and Echols county SE Georgia as the|circulation track...
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 Alachua County, Florida:
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 Alachua County, Florida 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.