Enter any address in Smith County, Mississippi to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall is the most frequent type of flood event recorded in Smith County, MS, with 39 occurrences in the last 30 years. Other recorded events include tropical storms, floods, hurricanes, and tropical depressions. For example, heavy rain caused flash flooding across portions of Mississippi on May 17, 2024. Widespread flooding of roads, homes, and businesses also occurred on August 24, 2022, due to a low-pressure system bringing heavy rain.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced an average of 1.5 feet of water depth and an average payout of $6,091. Properties in Zone X have seen an average water depth of 0.3 feet and an average payout of $2,569. Homeowners in Zone A, properties located near rivers or in areas prone to flash flooding, and homes 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.
26 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Smith County, Mississippi has recorded 49 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 39 flash floods and 3 river or area floods. The county has received 25 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 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Mar 14, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes. | Severe Storm | Jun 14, 2023 |
| 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 22, 2020 |
| 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 |
| Hurricane Isaac | Hurricane | Aug 26, 2012 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 17, 2024 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 24, 2022 | 30.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 24, 2022 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 24, 2022 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 30, 2021 | 10.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 30, 2021 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 25, 2021 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 16, 2021 | 3.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 6, 2021 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2020 | 4.00K |
Flash Flood — May 17, 2024
A band of heavy rain developed during the morning of May 17th and caused flash flooding across portions of Mississippi.
Flash Flood — Aug 24, 2022
A low pressure system spinning over northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas brought several rounds of showers and thunderstorms producing heavy rain to Mississippi August 24th through 25th. This resulted in widespread flooding of roads, homes, and businesses around the state.
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 Storm — 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 — Mar 25, 2021
A volatile atmosphere was in place for the second time in two weeks, with potential for significant severe weather across portions of the Southeast United States. Vigorous wind shear as well as ample instability would combine to generate thunderstorms that had the potential for violent severe weather. Storms developed during the afternoon, bringing damaging winds and flash flooding to the regio...
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 Smith 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 Smith 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.