2 flood insurance claims·$11,992 paid
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Highland County, Ohio. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding and general flooding driven by heavy seasonal rainfall dominate the flood profile of Highland County. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 48 flash flood events and 32 general flood events. Heavy precipitation systems frequently produce widespread inundation across the region, as demonstrated when 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain caused widespread flooding on February 18, 2022. Similarly, a warm front dropped two to three inches of rain across much of the area on February 28, 2021, and persistent heavy rains developed along an oscillating frontal boundary on June 19, 2019.
Federal records indicate limited historical National Flood Insurance Program participation, with Zone A accounting for two recorded claims averaging $5,996 each, with an average recorded water depth of 0 inches.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties located within Zone A, as these areas carry documented flood claim history and face the greatest direct exposure when heavy rainfall systems move through the Ohio Valley.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
5 NOAA storm reports from Highland County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Ohio flood stories →
12 federal disaster declarations since 1965.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Severe Storms And Straight-line Winds | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike | Sep 14, 2008 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Dec 22, 2004 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Aug 27, 2004 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Feb 28, 1997 |
| Blizzards & Snowstorms | Jan 26, 1978 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
80 since 1996: 48 flash floods and 32 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Feb 16, 2025 | — |
| Flood | Jun 6, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 6, 2025 | $20,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jun 6, 2025 | $50,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 4, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 4, 2024 | $40,000 |
| Flood | Feb 18, 2022 | — |
| Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flood · Feb 16, 2025. A low pressure system brought heavy rainfall to the region as it moved through the Ohio Valley.
Flood · Jun 6, 2025. Isolated, slow moving showers and thunderstorms produced localized heavy rain and flooding.
Flash Flood · Jun 6, 2025. Isolated, slow moving showers and thunderstorms produced localized heavy rain and flooding.
Flash Flood · May 4, 2024. A stalled stationary front in southern Ohio sparked showers and thunderstorms.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Highland County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.