Enter any address in Lamar County, Mississippi to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy thunderstorms is the most frequent type of flood event in Lamar County, Mississippi, with 88 recorded instances in the last 30 years. Other events include tropical storms, floods, and hurricanes. For example, heavy thunderstorms caused flash flooding across central Mississippi in March 2024. In February 2022, a warm, moist airmass ahead of a cold front produced locally heavy rainfall and flash flooding, with some areas receiving over five and a half inches of rain.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with 249 claims averaging $17,637 and an average water depth of 4.7 feet. Properties in Zone X have also seen claims, with 65 claims averaging $9,381 and an average water depth of 3.0 feet. Homeowners in Zone A and Zone X, as well as those in areas with unknown flood risk or 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.
51 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Lamar County, Mississippi has recorded 104 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 88 flash floods and 5 river or area floods. The county has received 26 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 (1969–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Hurricane Ida | Hurricane | Aug 28, 2021 |
| Hurricane Zeta | Hurricane | Oct 27, 2020 |
| Hurricane Sally | Hurricane | Sep 14, 2020 |
| Hurricane Marco And Tropical Storm Laura | Hurricane | Aug 23, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Tornado | Jan 20, 2017 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Mar 9, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Feb 10, 2013 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 12, 2024 | 45.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 8, 2024 | 3.00K |
| Flood | Mar 8, 2024 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 14, 2022 | 250.00K |
| Flood | Apr 5, 2022 | 5.00K |
| Flood | Apr 5, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 5, 2022 | 2.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 3, 2022 | 3.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 3, 2022 | 2.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 29, 2021 | 75.00K |
Tropical Storm — Sep 12, 2024
Tropical Storm Francine made landfall in southern Louisiana on the evening of September 11th, 2024. The weakening storm produced strong wind damage as it moved across central Mississippi the morning of September 12th, 2024.
Flash Flood — Mar 8, 2024
Training of heavy thunderstorms produced flash flooding across central Mississippi and the Interstate 20 corridor.
Flood — Mar 8, 2024
Training of heavy thunderstorms produced flash flooding across central Mississippi and the Interstate 20 corridor.
Flash Flood — Dec 14, 2022
Severe thunderstorms moved across Mississippi during the evening and overnight hours of the 13th into the 14th, with flash flooding across areas of the Delta and several tornadoes. Severe storm coverage diminished during the night, but storms became severe again during the afternoon of the 14th as a cold front interacted with a warm and unstable air mass in the region. Tornadoes on the 14th wer...
Flood — Apr 5, 2022
A low pressure system moving east along the Arkansas Louisiana border helped to organize a line of severe thunderstorms early in the morning of April 5th. Widespread severe wind gusts and several tornadoes occurred with this squall line as it moved east across Mississippi. Some hail also occurred with these storms.
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 Lamar 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 Lamar 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.