Enter any address in Bay County, Florida to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent flood event in Bay County, FL, with 149 occurrences recorded over the last 30 years. This type of flooding was observed in May 2025, following rainfall of 3-9 inches, and again in July 2025 due to scattered afternoon thunderstorms. Other significant flood-related events include tropical storms and hurricanes, which have resulted in fatalities.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows a substantial number of claims in Zone A (3186 claims) and Zone X (2912 claims), indicating widespread flood risk across various areas. Properties located in Zone A, Zone V, and coastal areas should pay particular attention to flood risk, as these zones have historically experienced significant flood events and associated damage.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
127 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Bay County, Florida has recorded 228 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 149 flash floods and 28 river or area floods. The county has received 49 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1975–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Ian | Hurricane | Sep 23, 2022 |
| Tropical Storm Ian | Hurricane | Sep 23, 2022 |
| 1707 Adkins Ave Fire | Fire | Mar 4, 2022 |
| Chipola Fire Complex | Fire | Mar 4, 2022 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 11, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 16, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 13, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 10, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 2, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 5, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 2, 2023 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 15, 2025
A moist and unstable summer airmass led to the development of scattered afternoon thunderstorms, a few of which were strong to severe.
Flash Flood — May 11, 2025
Steep mid level lapse rates along with sufficient instability and deep layer shear ahead of a cold front brought a couple of rounds of showers and thunderstorms to the region. Damaging wind gusts were reported across the Florida panhandle. In addition, a couple of tornadoes were reported in Walton county and Holmes county. Flash flooding also occurred in portions of Bay and Washington counties....
Tropical Storm — Sep 26, 2024
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph and a minimum central pressure of 938 mb (27.70 inches) at about 11:10 PM EDT on Thursday, September 26th, in Taylor County Florida just east of the Aucilla River. Helene quickly moved inland across Taylor and Madison Counties before moving into Lowndes County in South Central Georgia. The hurricane...
Flash Flood — Sep 26, 2024
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph and a minimum central pressure of 938 mb (27.70 inches) at about 11:10 PM EDT on Thursday, September 26th, in Taylor County Florida just east of the Aucilla River. Helene quickly moved inland across Taylor and Madison Counties before moving into Lowndes County in South Central Georgia. The hurricane...
Flash Flood — Jun 16, 2024
Slow moving thunderstorms in the Panama City Beach area produced flash flooding.
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 Bay 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 Bay 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.