Enter any address in Newport County, Rhode Island to see its FEMA flood zone
Newport County experiences a mix of flood types, with coastal flooding and general flooding events being most frequent over the last 30 years. Recent events include coastal flooding in December 2023, driven by strong southerly winds from a storm system moving up the Atlantic coast, which caused road closures and power outages. Another coastal flood event occurred in December 2022, bringing minor to moderate flooding to the east and south coasts. Additionally, heavy rainfall from Tropical Depression Ida in September 2021 led to flash flooding across Rhode Island, with some areas receiving over 8 inches of rain.
Homeowners in Zone A, which has seen the highest number of National Flood Insurance Program claims and substantial average payouts, should be particularly aware of their flood risk. Properties in Zone V, experiencing deeper water depths on average, and those in Zone X_UNSHADED, which has also seen significant claims and payouts, warrant attention. Residents in coastal areas and those located near waterways should consult flood maps to understand their specific risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
18 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Newport County, Rhode Island has recorded 31 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 7 flash floods and 11 river or area floods. The county has received 22 federal disaster declarations. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1978–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jan 9, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Snowstorm | Jan 28, 2022 |
| Hurricane Henri | Hurricane | Aug 20, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Jan 26, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Severe Storm | Feb 8, 2013 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 26, 2012 |
| Tropical Storm Irene | Hurricane | Aug 27, 2011 |
| Hurricane Irene | Hurricane | Aug 26, 2011 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | May 16, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Dec 18, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Dec 23, 2022 | 2.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 22, 2021 | 500.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 2, 2021 | 4.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 2, 2021 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 14, 2020 | 20.00K |
| Flood | Jul 14, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2020 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2014 | 5.00K |
Flood — May 16, 2024
Low pressure south of southern New England brought widespread moderate to heavy rain to the region during the morning. The heaviest was centered in eastern CT, northern and |central RI into south coastal MA where a nearly stationary band of rain produced hourly rain rates of about a half-inch per hour. Some of the highest totals were 5.09 inches of rain in Westport, MA, 6.54 inches in South Kin...
Coastal Flood — Dec 18, 2023
A strong storm system moved up the Atlantic coast Sunday night into Monday, merging with a short wave trough exiting the northern Great Plains and taking the surface low west of southern New England. This brought strong southerly winds and coastal flooding to southern New England. This was a very impactful storm flooding roads, closing schools, knocking out power to 300,000 across MA, cancellin...
Coastal Flood — Dec 23, 2022
Low pressure deepened rapidly as it tracked through the eastern Great Lakes.|The storm produced damaging southeast to south winds across much of southern New England and minor to moderate coastal flooding the east and south coasts. Two to 3.5 inches of rain fell across much of RI and interior MA.
Tropical Storm — Aug 22, 2021
Tropical Storm Henri made landfall in southwest Rhode Island around noon on August 22nd, then moved slowly northwestward and westward across northern Connecticut and weakened. Henri brought strong wind gusts and flash flooding. The strongest gusts -- to 70 mph -- occurred along the Rhode Island coast. The worst flash flooding occurred in northeast Connecticut. ||As the remnants of Henri moved...
Flash Flood — Sep 2, 2021
On Sept. 1, Tropical Depression Ida tracked northeasward from the central Appalachians and arrived in southern New England late in the day as a remnant low. The low moved rather swiftly across southern New England, reaching the coastal waters east of Massachusetts by 7 AM EDT on Sept. 2. Heavy rain of 4.0 to more than 8.0 inches fell across Rhode Island, with the most intense rain falling 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 Newport County, Rhode Island:
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 Newport County, Rhode Island 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.