Enter any address in Henderson County, North Carolina to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding events are the most frequent type of flood recorded in Henderson County over the last 30 years, with 62 occurrences. These events have also resulted in 7 fatalities. Recent examples include heavy rainfall associated with Tropical Cyclone Helene in September 2024, which produced widespread rain showers and thunderstorms.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A have the highest number of claims, with 255. However, properties in Zone X have experienced higher average payouts and water depths, with an average payout of $74,989 and an average water depth of 13.4 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, Zone X, and those in areas with unknown flood zone designations should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
40 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Henderson County, North Carolina has recorded 108 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 62 flash floods and 44 river or area floods. The county has received 18 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 (1977–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 21, 2026 |
| Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 25, 2024 |
| Tropical Storm Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 25, 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 |
| Party Rock Fire | Fire | Nov 11, 2016 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2024 | 100.00K |
| Flood | Sep 27, 2024 | 1.00M |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 | 20.00M |
| Flash Flood | Sep 26, 2024 | 200.00M (7 deaths) |
| Flood | Sep 26, 2024 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 26, 2024 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 25, 2024 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 21, 2024 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 5.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 30, 2024
Scattered to numerous thunderstorms developed across western North Carolina, mainly during the late afternoon and evening. Several of the storms produced brief swaths of damaging wind gusts. Meanwhile, training thunderstorms resulted in very heavy rainfall and flash flooding in Henderson County.
Flood — Sep 27, 2024
Tropical Cyclone Helene began organizing over the western Caribbean on the 23rd and 24th of September before rapidly intensifying as it moved north through the eastern Gulf of Mexico on the 25th and 26th. A plume of moisture extending from the intensifying storm interacted with a slow-moving cold front to produce a band of widespread heavy rain showers and embedded scattered thunderstorms over ...
Tropical Storm — Sep 27, 2024
Tropical Cyclone Helene began organizing over the western Caribbean on the 23rd and 24th of September before rapidly intensifying as it moved north through the eastern Gulf of Mexico on the 25th and 26th. A plume of moisture extending from the intensifying storm interacted with a slow-moving cold front to produce a band of widespread heavy rain showers and embedded scattered thunderstorms over ...
Flash Flood — Sep 26, 2024
Tropical Cyclone Helene began organizing over the western Caribbean on the 23rd and 24th of September before rapidly intensifying as it moved north through the eastern Gulf of Mexico on the 25th and 26th. A plume of moisture extending from the intensifying storm interacted with a slow-moving cold front to produce a band of widespread heavy rain showers and embedded scattered thunderstorms over ...
Flood — Sep 26, 2024
Tropical Cyclone Helene began organizing over the western Caribbean on the 23rd and 24th of September before rapidly intensifying as it moved north through the eastern Gulf of Mexico on the 25th and 26th. A plume of moisture extending from the intensifying storm interacted with a slow-moving cold front to produce a band of widespread heavy rain showers and embedded scattered thunderstorms over ...
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 Henderson 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 Henderson 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.