Enter any address in Lee County, Florida to see its FEMA flood zone
Flooding from heavy rainfall events, including tropical storms and hurricanes, is a significant concern in Lee County. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 39 flood events, 13 tropical storms, and 5 hurricanes impacting the area. For example, slow-moving thunderstorms produced flash flooding in early August and street flooding in early September. Coastal flood events and storm surge also contribute to the risk.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $80,223 and an average water depth of 5.8 feet. Properties in Zone V have seen fewer claims but higher average payouts and water depths, averaging $136,615 and 7.4 feet respectively. Homeowners in coastal areas, as well as those in Zone A and Zone V, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
37 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Lee County, Florida has recorded 75 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 11 flash floods and 39 river or area floods. The county has received 45 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 (1965–2024)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Sep 17, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 10, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Aug 10, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jan 15, 2024 | 500.00K |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 12, 2024 | 30.00K |
| Storm Surge/Tide | Oct 9, 2024 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 9, 2024 | 77.00M |
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | Oct 9, 2024 | 77.00M |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2024 | 0.00K |
Flood — Sep 17, 2025
Low-level easterly flow underneath mid- and upper-level west-southwest flow aloft associated with broad troughing over the eastern U.S. lead to afternoon thunderstorms that produce minor street flooding near Fort Myers in Lee County.
Flood — Sep 10, 2025
Slow-moving, late afternoon into early evening thunderstorms associated with the sea breeze and a stationary frontal boundary across the central peninsula produce heavy rainfall that leads to street flooding near Fort Myers in Lee County.
Flood — Aug 10, 2025
A surface trough across the peninsula coupled with broad low- to mid-level inverted troughing over the eastern gulf enables moist south to southeast flow over the peninsula, leading to clusters of slow-moving, deep convection with heavy rain producing flash flooding in parts of Lee County during the early morning hours, and in parts of Pinellas County during the evening hours.
Flood — Jan 15, 2024
An eastward-progressing mid-/upper-level disturbance interacting with a surface trough over southwest Florida produced a slow-moving cluster of thunderstorms that produced localized heavy rainfall totaling 5-10 inches with locally higher amounts over parts of Lee County near Fort Myers and Cape Coral, resulting in numerous flooded streets and roadways, and inundated vehicles in the Cape Coral a...
Flood — Jun 12, 2024
Deep tropical moisture south of a tropical disturbance and surface trough extending west to east across the central Florida peninsula produces 3-5 inches of rain with locally higher amounts leading to flooding across parts of Lee County.
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 Lee 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 Lee 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.