Enter any address in Pontotoc County, Mississippi to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Pontotoc County, Mississippi. Between 1994 and 2024, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 30 flash flood events, alongside 3 general flood events and 1 tropical storm. Recent flash flooding occurred in March 2025, driven by severe thunderstorms with high atmospheric instability, and again in April 2025 due to heavy rain and training storms along a frontal boundary.
While most flood insurance claims in Pontotoc County have been in Zone X, with an average payout of $3,407 for 1.5 feet of water depth, homeowners in areas prone to flash flooding should remain vigilant. Properties located in low-lying areas or those without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE) may face a higher risk during intense rainfall events.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
14 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Pontotoc County, Mississippi has recorded 34 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 30 flash floods and 3 river or area floods. The county has received 20 federal disaster declarations. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1971–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Hurricane Ida | Hurricane | Aug 28, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storm, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Oct 26, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Feb 22, 2019 |
| Hurricane Gustav | Hurricane | Aug 28, 2008 |
| Hurricane Katrina | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Hurricane Dennis | Hurricane | Jul 10, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes And High Winds | Severe Storm | May 5, 2003 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Mar 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 5, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 24, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2021 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 9, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 8, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 1, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 1, 2020 | 200.00K |
| Flood | Feb 22, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 20, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Mar 15, 2025
An upper low over the Central Plains moved into the Upper Mississippi Valley during the evening hours of Friday, March 14, 2025. Increasing moisture advection ahead of an approaching cold front lifted dewpoints into the low to mid 60s. This coupled with increasing height falls and a mid-level 80 knot jet rotating around the main upper low supported severe thunderstorm development. Large looping...
Flash Flood — Apr 5, 2025
The front eventually sagged south back into the Mid-South during the early morning hours of April 5th. Strong low-level moisture transport into the frontal zone resulted in heavy rain and training storms across northern sections of the Mid-South, mainly north of I-40. A bow echo developed along and just south of the slowly advancing front. This feature crossed the entire forecast area producing...
Flash Flood — Mar 24, 2023
The first significant event to produce widespread severe weather across the Mid-South for 2023 occurred on March 24, during the afternoon and evening hours. This severe weather episode occurred mainly over portions of the Lower Mississippi and Tennessee Valleys. Surface analysis for this day depicted a quasi-stationary boundary from the Mid-Atlantic States and Ohio Valley through northern port...
Flash Flood — Jun 9, 2021
An upper low continued to meander across the region on June 9, 2021. Weak upper-level disturbances rotated around the upper low and interacted with a very moist air mass across the Mid-South to produce several rounds of heavy rain across East-Central Arkansas and North Mississippi. There were several instances of flash flooding.
Flash Flood — Apr 9, 2021
A warm front lifted north through the Mid-South during the day on April 9th. As a result, moist and unstable air pushed into the region ahead of a potent upper-level disturbance approaching from the Central Plains. A couple of lines of severe storms with large hail ignited and pushed across Northeast Arkansas and West Tennessee during the early evening hours. Another line developed across North...
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 Pontotoc 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 Pontotoc 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.