Enter any address in Richmond County, New York to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy summer thunderstorms and severe weather dominates the flood history of Richmond County, which recorded 53 flash flood events alongside 16 general flood events, 12 coastal flood events, 4 tropical storms, and 1 storm surge event over the last 30 years.
Recent impacts are documented in NOAA storm narratives, such as the strong low pressure system and high astronomical tides that caused widespread coastal flooding on January 13, 2024, and the extremely heavy rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane Ida that brought 5 to 8 inches of rain and widespread catastrophic flash flooding on September 1–2, 2021.
Homeowners and real estate professionals should pay the closest attention to properties in FEMA Zone A, which accumulated 5,650 National Flood Insurance Program claims with an average payout of $43,040 and an average recorded water depth of 20 inches. Properties in Zone X_SHADED also warrant careful review, having recorded an average water depth of 18 inches across claims.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
23 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Richmond County, New York has recorded 86 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 53 flash floods and 16 river or area floods. The county has received 25 federal disaster declarations, 2 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2021)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Remnants Of Hurricane Ida | Hurricane | Sep 1, 2021 |
| Hurricane Henri | Hurricane | Aug 21, 2021 |
| Tropical Storm Isaias | Hurricane | Aug 4, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 27, 2012 |
| Hurricane Irene | Hurricane | Aug 26, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Dec 26, 2010 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds | Tornado | Sep 16, 2010 |
| 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 |
| Coastal Flood | Jan 13, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Jan 10, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 27, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 22, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 2, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 1, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 1, 2021 | 60.00M |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2020 | 3.80M |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2019 | 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.
Coastal Flood — Jan 13, 2024
Strong low pressure shifted northeast through the eastern Great Lakes on January 13, 2024, sending a warm front through during the morning hours, followed quickly by a cold front. Strong winds produced by this system, combined with peaking high astronomical tides associated with a recent new moon, produced widespread moderate to major coastal flooding along the entire southeast New York coastli...
Coastal Flood — Jan 10, 2024
Strong low pressure moving northeast from the Mid Atlantic region to southern New England during the night of January 9, 2024 into the early morning hours of January 10, 2024 produced high winds, which combined with high astronomical tides associated with an upcoming new moon to produce widespread moderate to major coastal flooding along the south shore of Long Island and along the Hudson River...
Flash Flood — Aug 27, 2021
A backdoor cold front approached the area during the afternoon before stalling across the region during the evening and overnight. This front sparked a few widely scattered thunderstorms in a moisture rich environment, with precipitable water values from both the 8am and 8pm soundings from Upton, NY measuring around 2 inches. With weak upper level flow resulting in slow storm motions and wet an...
Flash Flood — Aug 22, 2021
Showers and thunderstorms streaming northward well ahead of approaching Hurricane Henri resulted in flash flooding across portions of New York City and Western Long Island. This rainfall developed in a moisture-rich environment, with the 8pm sounding from Upton, NY recording precipitable water values around 2.25 inches. Rainfall totals from this predecessor rainfall event ranged from 1-5 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 Richmond 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 Richmond County, New York that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender, or a federally backed loan, 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.