Enter any address in Carter County, Oklahoma to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood hazard in Carter County, Oklahoma. Between 1993 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 37 flash flood events, resulting in one fatality. More general flood events occurred 4 times during the same period. For example, multiple rounds of hail-producing thunderstorms caused flash flooding in May 2025.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A experienced 44 claims with an average payout of $27,445 and an average water depth of 4.4 feet. Properties in Zone X, which includes X_UNSHADED and X_SHADED, had 18 and 3 claims respectively, with average payouts of $56,621 and $12,304, and average water depths of 1.8 feet and 1.0 foot. A single claim in an unknown zone had an average payout of $34,203 with 3.0 feet of water.
Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in areas with higher average water depths and payouts, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
10 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Carter County, Oklahoma has recorded 41 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 37 flash floods and 4 river or area floods. The county has received 33 federal disaster declarations, 1 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1970–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital Road Fire | Fire | Feb 19, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Tornado | Apr 25, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 8, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 8, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 5, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 31, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | May 10, 2010 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 28, 2010 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 22, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 22, 2025 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 19, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 6, 2025 | 25.00K |
| Flood | May 1, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Oct 4, 2023 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 1, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 9, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 5, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 21, 2018 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — May 22, 2025
Multiple rounds of hail-producing thunderstorms impacted portions of the WFO Norman Forecast Area on the 22nd. Morning convection was initiated by moist isentropic ascent in low to mid-levels. With sufficient elevated instability and wind shear already in place, a few transiently organized thunderstorms produced hail from south-central into north-central Oklahoma. Thunderstorm intensity gradual...
Flash Flood — Apr 19, 2025
A severe weather and flash flood episode occurred across central and southern portions of the WFO Norman Forecast Area from the evening of the 19th into the early morning hours of the 20th. A slow-moving upper system continued to approach the area on the 19th. This, along with strong/moist low-level ascent atop a quasi-stationary boundary, helped initiate widespread thunderstorms across the reg...
Flood — May 6, 2025
A round of heavy thunderstorms impacted southern Oklahoma during the morning of the 6th, resulting in additional flooding across areas already saturated from previous heavy rainfall.
Flood — May 1, 2025
Very heavy rainfall during the latter portions of April 2025 resulted in prolonged river flooding across portions of central and southern Oklahoma during the first days of May 2025.
Flash Flood — Oct 4, 2023
A high-amplitude upper trough swept across the Central and Southern Plains on the 4th. The southern branch/maxima of the upper jet provided sufficient synoptic lift that, combined with multiple surface fronts across the area (cold front approaching from northwest with stationary boundary along Red River) aided in widespread strong to severe thunderstorm development in areas along and south of t...
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 Carter County, Oklahoma:
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 Carter County, Oklahoma 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.