Enter any address in Franklin County, Florida to see its FEMA flood zone
Tropical storm and hurricane activity, including storm surge and flash flooding, are the primary flood drivers in Franklin County. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 31 tropical storm events, 18 storm surge/tide events, and 10 hurricane events. For example, Hurricane Helene in September 2024 produced a storm surge exceeding 15 feet along the coast of Apalachee Bay.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone V have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $17,938 and an average water depth of 2.8 feet. Zone A also shows a significant number of claims. While Zone X and X_Unshaded have fewer claims, the average payouts in these zones are higher, suggesting potentially more severe impacts when flooding occurs.
Residents in coastal areas and those in or near designated flood zones, particularly Zone V and Zone A, should pay close attention to flood risk. Properties without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE) may also be at higher risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
57 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Franklin County, Florida has recorded 81 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 16 flash floods and 3 river or area floods. The county has received 46 federal disaster declarations, 2 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1972–2024)
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 Nicole | Hurricane | Nov 7, 2022 |
| Hurricane Ian | Hurricane | Sep 23, 2022 |
| Tropical Storm Ian | Hurricane | Sep 23, 2022 |
| Tropical Storm Fred | Hurricane | Aug 13, 2021 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Storm Surge/Tide | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 13, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 12, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 5, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 5, 2024 | 50.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 2, 2023 | 0.00K |
Storm Surge/Tide — 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...
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 — Sep 13, 2024
Several showers and thunderstorms developed in association with the remnants of Hurricane Francine and a stalled frontal boundary. Several areas of rotation were detected, but no tornado touchdowns were reported. There was one report of a tree down in Walton county. In addition, heavy rainfall led to areas of flash flooding.
Flash Flood — Sep 12, 2024
Several showers and thunderstorms developed in association with the remnants of Hurricane Francine and a stalled frontal boundary. Several areas of rotation were detected, but no tornado touchdowns were reported. There was one report of a tree down in Walton county. In addition, heavy rainfall led to areas of 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 Franklin 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 Franklin 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.