Enter any address in Gilchrist County, Florida to see its FEMA flood zone
Tropical storm activity is the dominant flood character in Gilchrist County. Between 2000 and 2024, NOAA Storm Events data recorded nine tropical storm events, alongside three flood events, two flash flood events, and one hurricane. Recent examples include widespread flooding and flash flooding associated with Hurricane Debby in August 2024, and impacts from Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
NFIP claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $10,976 and an average water depth of 5.0 feet. Zone X, while having fewer claims, shows a higher average payout of $13,857, suggesting significant damage can occur even in areas with lower flood risk designation. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in Zone X and Zone Unknown, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
7 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Gilchrist County, Florida has recorded 15 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 2 flash floods and 3 river or area floods. The county has received 37 federal disaster declarations, 1 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2024)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 5, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 10, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 6, 2017 | 0.01K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 1, 2016 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 21, 2008 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Jun 13, 2006 | — |
Hurricane (Typhoon) — 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...
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...
Flash Flood — Aug 5, 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 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 Gilchrist 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 Gilchrist 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.