Enter any address in Cecil County, Maryland to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Cecil County. Between 2000 and 2020, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 56 flash flood events and 43 general flood events. For example, in July 2025, slow-moving thunderstorms produced localized rainfall of two to five inches, leading to flash flooding. Another event in July 2025 saw instantaneous rain rates approaching five to six inches per hour, resulting in flooding and flash flooding.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with 374 claims averaging $24,485 and a water depth of 4.9 feet. Properties in Zone X_SHADED and Zone X_UNSHADED also saw significant claims, with average payouts of $15,644 and $20,366 respectively, and average water depths of 2.2 and 2.3 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in areas prone to heavy rainfall and river overflow, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
26 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Cecil County, Maryland has recorded 106 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 56 flash floods and 43 river or area floods. The county has received 21 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1972–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Snowstorm | Jan 22, 2016 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 26, 2012 |
| Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee | Flood | Sep 6, 2011 |
| Hurricane Irene | Hurricane | Aug 26, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms | Snowstorm | Feb 5, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Snowstorm | Dec 18, 2009 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 10, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 8, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Dec 27, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Dec 18, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 4, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 2, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 2, 2022 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 16, 2025
An anomalously moist airmass with tropical moisture resided over much of Maryland on July 16th. This comes after several days of showers and thunderstorms, which left some areas with suppressed flash flood guidance. Slow moving thunderstorms developed on remnant boundaries and terrain circulations before propagating eastward. These storms produced localized rainfall amounts of two to five inc...
Flood — Jul 10, 2025
An anomalously moist airmass ahead of a frontal boundary sparked numerous showers and thunderstorms across Maryland. Instantaneous rain rates approached five to six inches an hour in the bigger storms. Storm total rainfall of one and a half to four inches resulted in flooding and flash flooding in areas throughout the evening of July 9th.
Flash Flood — Jul 8, 2025
An area of slow moving thunderstorms trained along a residual boundary across northeast Maryland. This resulted in heavy rain and a localized two to four inches of rain over a two hour period.
Flood — Jan 9, 2024
An area of low pressure tracked through the Ohio River Valley and up through the Great Lakes Region. A strong low level jet enhanced moisture flow into the low pressure system leading to an extended period of moderate rain that caused widespread minor flooding with isolated moderate flooding.
Coastal Flood — Jan 9, 2024
A strong area of low pressure tracked from the mid MS River Valley on Jan 9th to the Northeast U.S. Jan 10th. A very strong pressure gradient ahead of the low pressure center resulted in a long period of strong southerly winds gusting up to 55 mph that raised water levels to major levels at several locations along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay.
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 Cecil County, Maryland:
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 Cecil County, Maryland 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.