Enter any address in Orange County, New York to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the dominant flood character in Orange County, NY. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 121 flash flood events, alongside 31 general flood events, two tropical storms, and one coastal flood event. Recent examples include flash flooding on July 31, 2025, which caused stranded vehicles and road closures due to heavy rainfall, and a July 14, 2025 event where 4 to 6.5 inches of rain fell in a short period.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $17,399 and an average water depth of 7.4 feet. Properties in Zone X and X_Unshaded also show significant claim activity, with average payouts exceeding $13,000 and water depths around 4 to 5 feet. Homeowners in areas designated as Zone A, or those located near rivers and streams, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
60 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Orange County, New York has recorded 155 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 121 flash floods and 31 river or area floods. The county has received 36 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 (1965–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Jennings Creek Fire | Fire | Nov 8, 2024 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jul 9, 2023 |
| Remnants Of Hurricane Ida | Hurricane | Sep 1, 2021 |
| Hurricane Henri | Hurricane | Aug 21, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 27, 2012 |
| Remnants Of Tropical Storm Lee | Severe Storm | Sep 7, 2011 |
| Hurricane Irene | Hurricane | Aug 26, 2011 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Mar 13, 2010 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 14, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 18, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 14, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 13, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2023 | 0.00K (1 deaths) |
| Flash Flood | Sep 8, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 8, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 1, 2021 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 31, 2025
A slow moving frontal boundary moved over the local area triggering heavy rainfall and thunderstorms across NJ and NYC causing flash flooding across the area resulting in vehicles being stranded and multiple road closures.
Flash Flood — Jul 14, 2025
A weak front approached from the west along with PW of 2 inches resulting in heavy rainfall across the area. 4 to 6.5 inches of rainfall totals were reported with rainfall rates between 1 to 2 inches.
Flash Flood — Dec 18, 2023
A warm front ahead of a developing coastal low pressure system positions itself over the area late on December 17th and into December 18th. As the low pressure intensified and approached, significant amounts of moisture focused along the warm front ahead of the coastal low resulting in widespread areas of heavy rainfall that occurred over a 12-18 hour period. PWATs were 1.5-1.7 inches which wer...
Flash Flood — Jul 16, 2023
A stationary front near the area forced torrential thunderstorms in a tropical airmass resulting in widespread flash flooding in NY. The first round of thunderstorms occurred early in the morning on July 16th. Another round of thunderstorms occurred later in the afternoon. The tropical airmass had CAPE values 1500 - 2000 J/kg with PWATs 2.2-2.4 inches. The torrential thunderstorms produced rain...
Flash Flood — Jul 14, 2023
Several rounds of thunderstorms moves through the area during the early morning hours on July 14th and then again into the early afternoon. These thunderstorms were forced by a stalled frontal boundary in the area with PWATs of 1.6-1.8 inches. These thunderstorms dropped anywhere from 1-3 inches of rainfall. Some locations saw upwards of 4-5 inches.
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 Orange 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 Orange 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.