Enter any address in Liberty County, Florida to see its FEMA flood zone
Tropical storms and hurricanes are the most frequent and deadliest flood-related events in Liberty County, FL, over the past 30 years. These events have caused 5 deaths. Flash floods are also a notable concern, with 10 recorded instances.
Recent events illustrate these risks. For example, in September 2024, Hurricane Helene, which made landfall as a Category 4 storm, brought significant storm surge to the Apalachee Bay coast, exceeding 15 feet. Earlier in March 2025, isolated flash flooding occurred alongside hail and wind damage due to a slow-moving frontal boundary.
Residents in Zone A, which has seen multiple claims with an average water depth of nearly 5 feet and payouts exceeding $10,000, should be particularly aware of flood risk. Properties in Zone X_UNSHADED have also experienced claims with significant payouts and water depth. Coastal properties and those in low-lying areas are most vulnerable to these types of events.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
23 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Liberty County, Florida has recorded 36 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 10 flash floods and 3 river or area floods. The county has received 41 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 | Mar 9, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 26, 2024 | 50.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 18, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Nov 10, 2022 | 3.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 16, 2021 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 16, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2020 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Mar 9, 2025
A slow moving frontal boundary brought multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms to the area. Isolated flash flooding occurred along with hail and isolated wind damage.
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...
Tropical Storm — Aug 30, 2023
Hurricane Idalia made landfall on the morning of August 30th along the coast of Taylor County Florida near Keaton Beach at approximately 745 am EDT. The hurricane made landfall with estimated sustained winds of 125 mph, making it a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, the first major hurricane on record to make landfall in this portion of Florida. Hurricane Idalia mo...
Flash Flood — Mar 18, 2022
A strong cold front moved through the tri-state region with several reports of wind damage. In addition, a couple of tornadoes occurred in the Florida panhandle, including an EF2 in Panama City. Training convection also produced flash flooding across portions of the Florida panhandle.
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 Liberty 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 Liberty 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.