Enter any address in Durham County, North Carolina to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Durham County. In July 2025, Tropical Storm Chantal's remnants caused catastrophic flash flooding with record rainfall, contributing to fatalities in nearby counties. Another flash flood event in May 2025 saw storms produce rainfall rates of three or more inches per hour across the region.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A have the highest number of claims, with an average payout of $34,507 and water depths averaging 2.9 feet. Properties in Zone X also experience frequent claims, though with lower average payouts and water depths. Homeowners in Zone V, while having fewer claims, have experienced the deepest water on average, with payouts averaging $36,727. Residents in Zone A and Zone V should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
45 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Durham County, North Carolina has recorded 103 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 91 flash floods and 4 river or area floods. The county has received 25 federal disaster declarations. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1977–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 21, 2026 |
| Tropical Depression Chantal | Tropical Depression | Jul 6, 2025 |
| Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 25, 2024 |
| Tropical Storm Debby | Tropical Storm | Aug 5, 2024 |
| Hurricane Ian | Hurricane | Sep 28, 2022 |
| Hurricane Isaias | Hurricane | Jul 31, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Dorian | Hurricane | Sep 1, 2019 |
| Hurricane Florence | Hurricane | Sep 7, 2018 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 29, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 28, 2025 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2025 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2025 | 2.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 6, 2025 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 30, 2024 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 27, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 27, 2024 | 15.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 22, 2024 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 18, 2024 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — May 29, 2025
Storms over South Carolina in association with a mid-level system tracked into central North Carolina in the afternoon and evening hours. The storms initially produced a wind damage and isolated hail threat. Thereafter, the event evolved into a flash flood threat, with training and back building storms resulting in 3 or more inches per hour rainfall rates from Albemarle to Greensboro to Burling...
Flash Flood — Jun 28, 2025
In a typical summertime warm and humid regime, scattered showers and storms developed over the Piedmont and Coastal Plain of central North Carolina. Several storms produced numerous reports of trees down, with even a few isolated flash flood events.
Flash Flood — Jul 9, 2025
A weak trough of low pressure over the Ohio and Tennessee valley region was in place, along with very anomalous moisture over the Carolinas. Scattered showers and storms over the Appalachians become widespread as they moved into central North Carolina in the evening and overnight hours. Numerous wind and flash flooding reports were recorded over the region.
Flash Flood — Jul 6, 2025
Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall over northeastern South Carolina during the morning hours of July 6. The remnants of Chantal then tracked west-northwest into portions of central North Carolina, stalling out over the area before tracking east-northeast into Virginia by the 7th of July. Catastrophic flash flooding occurred from record rainfall of up to 11 inches in some spots of the Piedmont...
Flash Flood — Aug 30, 2024
A frontal boundary moving south from east-central Virginia into central North Carolina combined with a disturbance aloft and produced numerous showers and storms in the afternoon to late evening hours. Storms initially formed over the eastern Piedmont and Coastal Plain, congealing and tracking west-southwestward in the evening hours over the western and southern Piedmont and Sandhills. Numerous...
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 Durham County, North Carolina:
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 Durham County, North Carolina 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.