Enter any address in Washington Parish, Louisiana to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding events are the most frequent type of flood hazard in Washington Parish, accounting for 19 occurrences in the last 30 years. These events can be severe, as seen with flash flooding in March 2024 due to a stalled frontal boundary, and in December 2022, when supercell thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall and damaging winds. While flash floods are common, hurricanes have also impacted the parish, with 7 events recorded in the same period, including Hurricane Francine in September 2024 which brought a storm surge of 6-9 feet and 10-15 inches of rainfall.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims, with 321 claims averaging $25,305 and an average water depth of 9.9 feet. Zone X also has a significant number of claims, 140, with an average payout of $28,564 and an average water depth of 2.5 feet. Residents in Zone A, and those in Zone X who have experienced higher water depths, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
20 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Washington Parish, Louisiana has recorded 36 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 19 flash floods and 5 river or area floods. The county has received 41 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 |
| 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 |
| Tropical Storm Zeta | Hurricane | Oct 26, 2020 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 11, 2024 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 8, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 14, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 3, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 3, 2022 | 30.00K |
| Hurricane (Typhoon) | Aug 29, 2021 | 10.00M |
| Flash Flood | Oct 27, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 15, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 28, 2020 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 11, 2019 | 50.00K |
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 ...
Flash Flood — Mar 8, 2024
A stalled frontal boundary draped across the local area began to surge northward as cyclogenesis began along the southwest LA coastline. Ample moisture being lifted by this warm front resulted in numerous shower and thunderstorm development. Discrete storms began to congeal into a line of storms which resulted in flash flooding in Washington Parish.
Flash Flood — Dec 14, 2022
A strong upper level disturbance and surface low produced several supercell thunderstorms with embedded tornadoes across Southeast Louisiana and Southern Mississippi during the late afternoon and evening hours of Wednesday December 14, 2022. These supercell thunderstorms produced straight line wind damage and a several tornadoes in the area. Two EF-2 tornados impacted portions of the New Orlean...
Flash Flood — Feb 3, 2022
A cold front moving through the local area began to slow down its eastward progression as it reached southeast Louisiana. Thunderstorms along the boundary started training over the same areas due to the slowing down of the cold front. This resulted in multiple areas of flash flooding across the region. Property damage was fairly minimal but dozens of streets across different cities became impas...
Hurricane (Typhoon) — Aug 29, 2021
The ninth named storm, fourth hurricane, and second major hurricane of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season, Ida originated from a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea on August 23rd. On August 26th, the wave developed into a tropical depression, which organized further and became Tropical Storm Ida later that day, near Grand Cayman. On a northwestward track, Ida intensified into a hurricane on Aug...
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 Washington 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 Washington 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.