Enter any address in Gadsden County, Florida to see its FEMA flood zone
Tropical storms and flash floods have been the most frequent types of flooding events in Gadsden County over the past 30 years, with 16 tropical storm events and 15 flash flood events recorded. Hurricanes have also impacted the area, with 6 events resulting in 2 fatalities. Recent events include a major flash flood in April 2024, which caused millions of dollars in damage due to 6 to 10 inches of rainfall, flooding numerous cars and structures. Another significant event in September 2024, associated with Hurricane Helene, brought devastating storm surge to coastal areas.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone X have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $15,260 and an average water depth of 9.4 feet. Properties in Zone A also show a notable number of claims, though with lower average payouts and water depths. Homeowners in Zone X, Zone A, and particularly those in the UNKNOWN zone which saw the highest average payout, should pay close 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.
Gadsden County, Florida has recorded 41 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 15 flash floods and 4 river or area floods. The county has received 39 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 (1985–2024)
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 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | May 10, 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 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 29, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 29, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 25, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 11, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 18, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 13, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Nov 10, 2022 | 3.00K |
Flash Flood — Jun 29, 2024
Slow moving thunderstorms produced localized flash flooding across the area.
Flash Flood — Jul 29, 2024
Scattered slow moving thunderstorms produced isolated instances of trees down and flash flooding.
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...
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 25, 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...
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 Gadsden 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 Gadsden 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.