Enter any address in Clay County, Mississippi to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from severe thunderstorms is the most frequent flood event in Clay County, MS, with 23 occurrences recorded in the last 30 years. Other events include hurricanes, tropical storms, and tropical depressions. For example, a flash flood event occurred on May 4, 2021, associated with severe thunderstorms that brought damaging winds and tornadoes. Another flash flood event on August 30, 2021, was linked to the remnants of Hurricane Ida, which brought tropical storm-force gusts to the region.
NFIP claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $14,011 and an average water depth of 2.1 feet. Properties in Zone X_SHADED and Zone X_UNSHADED also have a history of claims, though with lower average payouts and water depths. Residents in Zone A, as well as those in lower-lying areas or properties without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE), should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
18 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Clay County, Mississippi has recorded 28 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 23 flash floods. The county has received 27 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 (1973–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Hurricane Ida | Hurricane | Aug 28, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 12, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Feb 10, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jan 10, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 13, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Feb 22, 2019 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 30, 2021 | 25.00K |
| Tropical Depression | Aug 30, 2021 | 75.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 4, 2021 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 18, 2020 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 18, 2020 | 7.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 11, 2020 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 11, 2020 | 3.00K |
| Flash Flood | Oct 30, 2019 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 22, 2019 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 19, 2019 | 50.00K |
Flash Flood — Aug 30, 2021
Major hurricane Ida made landfall as a strong category four hurricane around 11:55am on August 29 near Grand Isle, LA. It then moved very slowly north through south central Louisiana and into Mississippi on August 30. It then turned northeast and moved across the Jackson metro area as a tropical storm and into northeast Mississippi as a tropical depression through the early morning of August 31...
Tropical Depression — Aug 30, 2021
Major hurricane Ida made landfall as a strong category four hurricane around 11:55am on August 29 near Grand Isle, LA. It then moved very slowly north through south central Louisiana and into Mississippi on August 30. It then turned northeast and moved across the Jackson metro area as a tropical storm and into northeast Mississippi as a tropical depression through the early morning of August 31...
Flash Flood — May 4, 2021
An outbreak of severe thunderstorms occurred on May 4th. An initial round of supercell thunderstorms that morning brought several brief tornadoes to the area along with a few instances of damaging winds. The main round of storms occurred during the afternoon in the form of an intense line of storms. Widespread wind damage occurred with embedded swaths of significant damaging winds up to 80 mph....
Flash Flood — Feb 18, 2020
A cold front sank very slowly south into the northern parts of the ArkLaMiss. With abundant moisture in place, storms moved repeatedly over the same locations. This resulted in flash flooding for locations generally along and north of the Highway 82 corridor.
Flash Flood — Jan 11, 2020
A warm, moist airmass was in place across the region ahead of a potent January weather system. Ample wind energy also was present, which not only helped bring damaging winds with severe storms but also allowed for strong gradient winds to occur ahead of an eastward advancing squall line. Severe weather occurred in the early morning hours of January 11th and continued across the ArkLaMiss region...
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 Clay County, Mississippi:
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 Clay County, Mississippi 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.