Enter any address in Lewis County, New York to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms is a significant hazard in Lewis County, NY. Between 1994 and 2024, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 39 flash flood events and 27 general flood events. For example, on July 10, 2024, remnants of tropical cyclone Beryl brought significant flash flooding to western and central New York, including Lewis County, alongside other severe weather hazards.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone X_Unshaded have experienced the highest average payouts ($26,494) and water depths (2.2 ft), despite not being in a high-risk flood zone. Zone A, designated as a high-risk area, saw an average payout of $10,512 with an average water depth of 1.1 ft. Homeowners in any flood zone, particularly those in Zone X_Unshaded or Zone A, should be aware of their flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
55 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Lewis County, New York has recorded 66 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 39 flash floods and 27 river or area floods. The county has received 28 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1977–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storm And Flooding | Severe Storm | Aug 18, 2024 |
| Severe Storm, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Flood | Jul 10, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Winter Storm | Nov 18, 2022 |
| Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred | Hurricane | Aug 18, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Oct 31, 2019 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, And Flooding | Snowstorm | Nov 17, 2014 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 13, 2014 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 27, 2012 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 10, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Aug 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Dec 18, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Oct 7, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 7, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Aug 19, 2021 | 10.00K |
| Flood | Oct 31, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 16, 2024
For the second day in a row, a mesoscale convective vortex (MCV) crossed western and central New York during the afternoon on July 16, 2024. Much like the day before, partly to mostly sunny skies ahead of the system increased instability across portions of the Buffalo forecast area. The primary difference with the MCV that occurred on this day, was the timing of the track of the system. The MCV...
Flood — Jul 10, 2024
On July 10, 2024, most of western and central New York were impacted by the remnants of tropical cyclone Beryl. The event brought every type of warm season severe hazard, including 10 tornadoes across the entire state, numerous reports of wind damage, hail and significant flash flooding. ||As the remnants of Beryl approached the region, a warm front out ahead of/associated with the system provi...
Flash Flood — Jul 10, 2024
On July 10, 2024, most of western and central New York were impacted by the remnants of tropical cyclone Beryl. The event brought every type of warm season severe hazard, including 10 tornadoes across the entire state, numerous reports of wind damage, hail and significant flash flooding. ||As the remnants of Beryl approached the region, a warm front out ahead of/associated with the system provi...
Flood — Aug 9, 2024
The remnants of Tropical Cyclone Debby tracked northeast across Central New York on Friday August 9. As the system tracked across the region, heavy rain pushed into parts of the forecast area, with the heaviest rain falling over the Southern Tier, Finger Lakes and up to the North Central New York areas. Flash Flooding was the primary threat from the remnants of the system, but some strong to se...
Flood — Dec 18, 2023
A strong area of low pressure along the East Coast caused heavy rainfall as far west as the North Country. Heavy rain prompted the issuance of an areal flood warning for portions of Oswego and Lewis counties for general flooding with an emphasis on streams, creeks and rivers. Subsequent flood warnings were issued for both the Moose River and Black River. Three reports were received for flooding...
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 Lewis County, New York:
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 Lewis County, New York 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.