Enter any address in Rockingham County, North Carolina to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding events have been the most frequent type of flooding in Rockingham County over the last 30 years, with 61 recorded instances. Other flood types, including general floods (40 events) and tropical storms (3 events), have also occurred. Recent events include flash flooding on January 9, 2024, and general flooding on January 28, 2024, both associated with atmospheric conditions bringing significant moisture.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows a range of payouts and water depths across different flood zones. Zone X_SHADED has seen claims with an average water depth of 5.9 feet, while Zone A claims averaged 1.1 feet. Zone X claims averaged $9184, and Zone X_SHADED claims averaged $8784.
Residents in areas designated as Zone A, Zone X_SHADED, and Zone X should pay particular attention to flood risk. These zones have experienced NFIP claims with varying water depths and financial payouts, indicating potential for property damage.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
59 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Rockingham County, North Carolina has recorded 104 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 61 flash floods and 40 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 |
| 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 |
| Tropical Storm Michael | Hurricane | Oct 10, 2018 |
| Hurricane Florence | Hurricane | Sep 7, 2018 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jan 28, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 18, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 18, 2024 | 2.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 17, 2024 | 35.00K |
| Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Aug 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 8, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 7, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 11, 2021 | 0.00K |
Flood — Jan 28, 2024
An upper level low pressure system passed up the Ohio River Valley on the 28th, drawing an associated occluded front across the central Appalachians. Strong southerly windflow ahead of the front brought precipitable water values ranging from 1.1 to nearly 1.4 inches over northwest North Carolina, which is between 2 and 3 standard deviations above normal per NWS climatology data. This resulted...
Flood — Sep 18, 2024
A stationary front draped east to west across northern North Carolina provided the focus for training showers and thunderstorms during the evening of the 17th. Winds were from the east along the North Carolina & Virginia state border around high pressure centered over New England. The easterly windflow carried moist Atlantic air across Stokes and Rockingham Counties, with precipitable water v...
Flash Flood — Sep 17, 2024
A stationary front draped east to west across northern North Carolina provided the focus for training showers and thunderstorms during the evening of the 17th. Winds were from the east along the North Carolina & Virginia state border around high pressure centered over New England. The easterly windflow carried moist Atlantic air across Stokes and Rockingham Counties, with precipitable water v...
Flood — Jan 9, 2024
A deep, negatively tilted upper level trough and associated occluded front passed from the central Mississippi River Valley on January 9th toward the lower New England region by the morning of the 10th. Strong southerly wind flow ahead of the upper trough carried deep moisture from the Gulf of Mexico northward into the Carolinas and the lower Mid-Atlantic. Precipitable water values ranged from ...
Flash Flood — Jan 9, 2024
A deep, negatively tilted upper level trough and associated occluded front passed from the central Mississippi River Valley on January 9th toward the lower New England region by the morning of the 10th. Strong southerly wind flow ahead of the upper trough carried deep moisture from the Gulf of Mexico northward into the Carolinas and the lower Mid-Atlantic. Precipitable water values ranged from ...
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 Rockingham 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 Rockingham 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.