Enter any address in Lucas County, Ohio to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is a significant flood character in Lucas County. Recent events include flash flooding on June 26, 2024, and August 24, 2023, driven by atmospheric conditions conducive to heavy rainfall. Additionally, the county experiences lakeshore flooding, as seen on May 16, 2020, when persistent northeast winds caused water level rises on Lake Erie.
Analysis of National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims, with an average payout of $7,360 and an average water depth of 3.3 feet. Properties in Zone X also have a notable number of claims, with an average payout of $7,996 and an average water depth of 2.0 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, Zone X, and those located near the lakeshore or waterways should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
23 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Lucas County, Ohio has recorded 59 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 22 flash floods and 22 river or area floods. The county has received 16 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 (1965–2020)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms | Severe Storm | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight Line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jun 21, 2006 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Aug 27, 2004 |
| Power Outage | Other | Aug 14, 2003 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jul 29, 2000 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes & Flooding | Severe Storm | Jul 12, 1992 |
| Blizzards & Snowstorms | Snowstorm | Jan 26, 1978 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 26, 2024 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 24, 2023 | 75.00K |
| Lakeshore Flood | Apr 23, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Lakeshore Flood | Mar 22, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Lakeshore Flood | May 16, 2020 | 250.00K |
| Lakeshore Flood | Jun 14, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Lakeshore Flood | May 12, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Lakeshore Flood | Jun 6, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Lakeshore Flood | May 5, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Lakeshore Flood | Feb 5, 2020 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jun 26, 2024
A cold front drifted southeastward from central Lake Huron, southern Lower MI, and northwestern IN to southern ON, southeastern Lower MI, far-northwestern OH, and northern IN during the late morning through early evening of the 26th. The front was preceded by a warm and humid sector comprised of weak to moderate MUCAPE and DCAPE, respectively, and moderate to strong effective bulk shear in nort...
Flash Flood — Aug 24, 2023
An anomalously-warm and moist air mass was in place across much of the Central Plains and Midwest, resulting in strong to perhaps extreme instability in addition to tropical-like precipitable water values exceeding 2.0 inches. The Lower Great Lakes region, specifically northern Ohio and Northwest Pennsylvania found itself on the eastern edge of this heat dome. Strong northwest flow aloft persis...
Lakeshore Flood — Apr 23, 2020
An area of low pressure moved into the Ohio Valley on the 23rd followed by another slightly stronger low on the 25th. A near persistent north to northeast wind of 15 to 20 knots piled water up on the western basin on an already record lake levels. This supported a drawn out lakeshore flood event.
Lakeshore Flood — Mar 22, 2020
The western basin of Lake Erie from Lucas to Erie Counties was under a lakeshore flood warning on the evening of March 22nd into the early morning of the 23rd as an area of low pressure passed to the southeast of the lake. Persistent winds out of the northeast at 15 to 25 knots with higher gusts lasted for 24 hours, resulting in increased lake levels and high 2 to 4 foot breaking waves. Minor ...
Lakeshore Flood — May 16, 2020
A strengthening area of high pressure of James Bay extended down over Lake Erie. At the same time, an area of low pressure over the Central Plains increased the pressure gradient over the local area resulting in increased winds out of the east northeast. This persistent wind lead to water level rises in the western basin.||Water levels at Marblehead were elevated during a period of persistent n...
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 Lucas 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 Lucas 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.