Enter any address in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana to see its FEMA flood zone
Tropical storms and hurricanes have been the most frequent flood-causing events in St. Bernard Parish County over the last 30 years, with 34 tropical storm events and 21 hurricane events recorded. Storm surge and tide events have also been common, with 33 occurrences. For example, Hurricane Francine in September 2024 brought a storm surge of 6-9 feet and 10-15 inches of rainfall, causing widespread damage. Additionally, flash flooding from slow-moving storms, such as the event in April 2025, has overwhelmed urban areas.
National Flood Insurance Program data shows that Zone A, which has no base flood elevation, has the highest number of claims at 10,294, with an average payout of $84,729 and an average water depth of 14.1 feet. Zone X_SHADED and Zone X also have significant claim numbers and higher average payouts than Zone X_UNSHADED, indicating substantial flood risk across various zones. Residents in coastal areas, properties near waterways, and homes located in zones without a defined base flood elevation should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
73 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana has recorded 117 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 20 flash floods and 3 river or area floods. The county has received 48 federal disaster declarations, 9 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Tropical Storm Francine | Hurricane | Sep 10, 2024 |
| Hurricane Francine | Hurricane | Sep 9, 2024 |
| Seawater Intrusion | Other | Sep 20, 2023 |
| Tropical Storm Nicholas | Coastal Storm | Sep 12, 2021 |
| Hurricane Ida | Hurricane | Aug 26, 2021 |
| Tropical Storm Ida | Hurricane | Aug 26, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Hurricane Zeta | Hurricane | Oct 26, 2020 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Apr 21, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 28, 2024 | 100.00K |
| Storm Surge/Tide | Jun 16, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 11, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 11, 2024 | 3.00K |
| Storm Surge/Tide | Sep 11, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 10, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 3, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Storm Surge/Tide | Aug 29, 2021 | 250.00M |
Flash Flood — Apr 21, 2025
On the afternoon of April 21st, a cold front approaching the region began to stall over central Louisiana as upper-level support and steering flow shifted northeastward. With the front losing its dynamical push, storms developed ahead of it across the New Orleans area and became slow-moving due to the lack of steering flow. These storms produced efficient, long-duration rainfall over the city, ...
Flash Flood — Jun 28, 2024
A frontal boundary had stalled across south Louisiana. Scattered thunderstorms developed along this front but a weak steering pattern resulted in slow moving storms. One of these storms produced heavy rain over St Bernard parish which resulted in flash flooding.
Storm Surge/Tide — Jun 16, 2024
As a surface ridge nearby shifted off to the northeast during the 3rd weekend of June, light and variable winds became onshore and more steady state. By June 16th, the surface ridge shifted offshore into the Atlantic Ocean and a surface low pressure was developing as it crossed the Yucatan Peninsula. It was at this point that east to southeast winds increased to 15-20 knots across local coastal...
Tropical Storm — Sep 11, 2024
Hurricane Francine formed as a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico on September 9, 2024, and intensified into a Category 2 hurricane before making landfall near Houma, Louisiana, on the morning of September 11. With sustained winds of 100 mph and gusts peaking at 105 mph, Francine brought widespread damage to southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi. A storm surge of 6-9 feet inundated ...
Storm Surge/Tide — Sep 11, 2024
Hurricane Francine formed as a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico on September 9, 2024, and intensified into a Category 2 hurricane before making landfall near Houma, Louisiana, on the morning of September 11. With sustained winds of 100 mph and gusts peaking at 105 mph, Francine brought widespread damage to southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi. A storm surge of 6-9 feet inundated ...
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 St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana:
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 St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana 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.