Enter any address in Worcester County, Maryland to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent flood event in Worcester County, MD, with 24 occurrences in the last 30 years. Tropical storms and coastal flooding each occurred 18 and 14 times, respectively, over the same period. For example, a coastal flood event in October 2025 resulted in widespread moderate flooding along the Eastern Shore due to persistent northeast winds. Earlier that year, in July 2025, a stationary front combined with deep moisture and strong surface heating led to heavy rainfall and flash flooding.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that Zone A, typically areas of high flood risk, has the highest number of claims at 1,447, with an average payout of $7,212 and an average water depth of 1.4 feet. Zone X, which includes areas with moderate flood risk, has the second-highest number of claims at 264, but with a higher average payout of $9,031 and an average water depth of 1.0 foot. Properties in Zone A and Zone X, as well as those without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE), should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
21 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Worcester County, Maryland has recorded 76 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 24 flash floods and 14 river or area floods. The county has received 14 federal disaster declarations, 1 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 |
| Hurricane Irene | Hurricane | Aug 26, 2011 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Hurricane Isabel | Hurricane | Sep 18, 2003 |
| Blizzard Of 96 (severe Snow Storm) | Snowstorm | Jan 6, 1996 |
| Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm | Snowstorm | Mar 13, 1993 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flood | Aug 21, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 21, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 19, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Oct 12, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 24, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 18, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 1, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 22, 2023 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Jul 8, 2021 | 20.00K |
Coastal Flood — Aug 21, 2025
Hurricane Erin passed well offshore and combined with high pressure to the north, resulting in a period of strong onshore winds and coastal flooding across the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
Tropical Storm — Aug 21, 2025
The center of Hurricane Erin stayed several hundred miles east of the Middle Atlantic coast on August 21, 2025. However, due the extremely large size of the cyclone with an expansive wind field, tropical storm force gusts occurred over the Atlantic and Lower Maryland beaches.
Flash Flood — Jul 19, 2025
A stationary front was anchored north of the area in Pennsylvania. Deep moisture was in place to the south of the front with precipitable water values near two inches. Strong surface heating resulted in robust instability with wind shear around 25 knots, allowing for deep, slow moving, convection capable of heavy rainfall and flash flooding during the afternoon and evening hours.
Coastal Flood — Oct 12, 2025
A coastal low formed off of the Southeast coast on October 11 and slowly tracked north into October 13 before moving offshore. Meanwhile, a strong 1035mb area of high pressure lingered over the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. This resulted in a prolonged period of strong northeast to north winds across the Chesapeake Bay and coastal waters, which allowed for widespread moderate coastal flooding across ...
Flash Flood — May 24, 2024
Scattered thunderstorms associated with a surface trough produced heavy rain which caused flash flooding across portions of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore.
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 Worcester 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 Worcester 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.