Enter any address in Jefferson County, Ohio to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the primary flood concern in Jefferson County, OH. Between 1993 and 2023, NOAA data recorded 34 flash flood events and 14 general flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding in July 2022 in Winterville and Steubenville following intense rainfall, and widespread flash flooding in April 2024 across the Ohio River Valley due to persistent thunderstorms.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A and Zone X_UNSHADED have experienced the most significant flood damage, with average payouts exceeding $10,000 and average water depths of 8 feet or more. Homeowners in these zones, as well as those in Zone X_SHADED and Zone X, should pay close attention to flood risk. Properties located in areas with higher average claim payouts and water depths, or those not mapped to a Base Flood Elevation (BFE), warrant particular attention.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
19 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Jefferson County, Ohio has recorded 48 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 34 flash floods and 14 river or area floods. The county has received 22 federal disaster declarations, 7 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1972–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Landslides | Flood | Feb 5, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Feb 14, 2018 |
| Severe Storms | Severe Storm | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 4, 2011 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Dec 22, 2004 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Aug 27, 2004 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 18, 2004 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Apr 2, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 17, 2022 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 1, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 18, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 10, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 8, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 20, 2014 | 1.00M |
| Flash Flood | Aug 20, 2014 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 20, 2014 | 25.00K |
Flash Flood — Apr 2, 2024
Several rounds of showers and thunderstorms prompted a widespread flash flood problems across the Ohio River Valley on April 2nd to April 3rd. The synoptic pattern across the CONUS was a slow moving and deep elongated trough over the Great Plains phasing with a ejecting trough over the Midwest that created an area of converging moisture over eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. Overall, over ...
Flash Flood — Jul 17, 2022
A cluster of slow-moving thunderstorms drifted east across the Upper Ohio Valley. A segment of training storms were focused across Jefferson County, Ohio in the area of Winterville and Steubenville, where over 2 inches fell in an hour and caused flash flooding issues in those areas.
Flash Flood — Sep 1, 2021
The remnant low pressure center of Hurricane Ida passed across West Virginia and the Central Appalachian Mountains from late August 31st through September 1st. The abundant moisture associated with the low intersected a frontal zone which was nearly stalled in the area of the Ohio Valley. Strong isentropic and frontogenetically-induced lift led to periods of heavy rain over eastern Ohio over ...
Flash Flood — Jun 19, 2019
A quasi-stationary frontal boundary set up across Ohio and Pennsylvania on the 17th, and wavered about the region until it was kicked off to the east by a stronger frontal boundary late on the 20th. Flooding and flash flooding remained a concern through the period given an ideal setup for training storms, as well as efficient rainfall production associated with observed high PWATs and deeper w...
Flash Flood — Jun 18, 2019
A quasi-stationary frontal boundary set up across Ohio and Pennsylvania on the 17th, and wavered about the region until it was kicked off to the east by a stronger frontal boundary late on the 20th. Flooding and flash flooding remained a concern through the period given an ideal setup for training storms, as well as efficient rainfall production associated with observed high PWATs and deeper w...
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 Jefferson County, Ohio:
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 Jefferson County, Ohio 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.