Enter any address in Jackson County, North Carolina to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from slow-moving thunderstorms is the most frequent flood event in Jackson County, NC, with 25 such events recorded in the last 30 years. Other flood types include general flooding (20 events) and tropical storms (2 events). For example, localized torrential rainfall caused flash flooding across parts of the county on July 16, 2025. Heavy rainfall associated with Tropical Cyclone Helene also produced widespread rain showers and thunderstorms in the area on September 27, 2024.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims (64) with an average payout of $10,168 and an average water depth of 4.3 feet. Properties in Zone X have had 20 claims with an average payout of $2,671 and an average water depth of 4.8 feet. One claim was recorded in Zone X_UNSHADED, with an average payout of $2,416 and an average water depth of 8.0 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in any flood zone, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
14 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Jackson County, North Carolina has recorded 47 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 25 flash floods and 20 river or area floods. The county has received 19 federal disaster declarations, 3 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2026)
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 |
| Remnants Of Tropical Storm Fred | Hurricane | Aug 16, 2021 |
| 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 | Jul 16, 2025 | 20.00K |
| Flood | Sep 27, 2024 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 27, 2024 | 10.00M |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 | 1.00M |
| Flash Flood | Apr 13, 2020 | 100.00K |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2020 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 6, 2020 | 5.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 19, 2019 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Dec 29, 2015 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 24, 2015 | 2.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 16, 2025
Scattered slow-moving thunderstorms moved across the North Carolina mountains during the overnight and early morning hours. Localized torrential rainfall resulted in flash flooding across part of Jackson 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 ...
Flash 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 — Apr 13, 2020
A strong storm system impacted the Southeast, resulting in an area of widespread heavy rain and embedded strong to severe thunderstorms that moved across western North Carolina during the late night and early morning hours. Localized flash flooding, some of which was quite significant developed across the mountains. Isolated severe weather also occurred, mainly in the form of damaging wind gust...
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 Jackson 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 Jackson 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.