Enter any address in Escambia County, Florida to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent flood event in Escambia County, FL, with 75 occurrences recorded in the last 30 years. For example, on June 15, 2023, a cluster of thunderstorms stalled near the coast, dropping 6 to 12 inches of rain and causing widespread flash flooding around Pensacola. Another instance of flooding occurred on April 6, 2025, due to slow-moving storms producing heavy rain across the western Florida panhandle.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) has processed 13,185 claims in Escambia County since 2004. Zone A, which represents areas with a 1% annual chance of flooding, has the highest number of claims at 9,206, with an average payout of $45,101 and an average water depth of 4.8 feet. Zone X, representing areas with a 0.2% annual chance of flooding, has 2,512 claims with an average payout of $41,407 and an average water depth of 5.9 feet. Properties in Zone A, Zone V (high-velocity flood zones), and areas without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE) should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
26 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Escambia County, Florida has recorded 90 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 75 flash floods and 1 river or area floods. The county has received 40 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 (1970–2024)
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 Ian | Hurricane | Sep 23, 2022 |
| Tropical Storm Ian | Hurricane | Sep 23, 2022 |
| Tropical Storm Fred | Hurricane | Aug 13, 2021 |
| Hurricane Sally | Hurricane | Sep 14, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Apr 6, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 13, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 27, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 16, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 15, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 14, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 30, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 29, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2021 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Apr 6, 2025
Slow moving storms moved across the western Florida panhandle and produced heavy rain. Flooding was reporting in a few areas.
Flash Flood — May 13, 2024
Thunderstorms moved across the western Florida panhandle and produced damaging winds.
Flash Flood — Apr 27, 2023
A strong cold front moved across the area and brought severe storms to the area. The thunderstorms produced numerous reports of large hail and damaging winds.
Flash Flood — Jun 16, 2023
A large cluster of thunderstorms stalled near the coast in the Florida panhandle and produced very heavy rain with 6 to 12 inches of rain recorded. This caused widespread flash flooding around Pensacola. The thunderstorms also produced wind damage.
Flash Flood — Jun 15, 2023
A large cluster of thunderstorms stalled near the coast in the Florida panhandle and produced very heavy rain with 6 to 12 inches of rain recorded. This caused widespread flash flooding around Pensacola. The thunderstorms also produced wind damage.
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 Escambia 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 Escambia 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.