1,626 flood insurance claims·$49.0M paid·3 federal flood & hurricane disasters
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 Providence County, Rhode Island. 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.
Providence County experiences a flood risk profile dominated by riverine flooding and flash floods from heavy precipitation, backed by occasional tropical and coastal events. Over the last 30 years, NOAA recorded 92 flood events, 76 flash floods, 7 tropical storms, and 4 coastal floods. Recent events illustrate this pattern, such as a January 2024 low pressure system that brought 2 to 5 inches of rain combined with melting snow to cause widespread river flooding and major flood stages. Another event in January 2024 brought 1 to 3 inches of rain on saturated ground, leading to widespread river and coastal flooding. Additionally, a passing cold front in May 2024 produced training storms that caused flash flooding in Providence.
Federal flood insurance claims data shows impacts across multiple zones, indicating varied exposure levels. High-risk Zone A accounts for the largest share with 968 claims, an average payout of $46,697, and an average recorded water depth of 11 inches. Zone X properties also face significant risk, recording 287 claims with an average payout of $31,669 and an average water depth of 16 inches. Unshaded Zone X properties recorded 253 claims with an average payout of $19,127 and an average water depth of 5 inches, while shaded Zone X properties logged 67 claims with an average payout of $25,950 and an average water depth of 12 inches. Zone D accounts for 21 claims with an average payout of $26,372 and an average water depth of 2 inches.
Homeowners and real estate professionals in Providence County should pay the closest attention to properties located in designated high-risk Zone A, as well as those in Zone X areas that have historical insurance claims and notable average water depths.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
25% of Providence County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
1,306 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 11 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2010, with 476 claims and $19.1M paid, the year of Severe Storms and Flooding.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
77 NOAA storm reports from Providence County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Rhode Island flood stories →
25 federal disaster declarations since 1978, 3 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Jan 9, 2024 |
| Severe Storm And Flooding | Dec 17, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Sep 10, 2023 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Jan 28, 2022 |
| Hurricane Henri | Aug 20, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Jan 26, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Feb 8, 2013 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Oct 26, 2012 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
179 since 1996: 76 flash floods, 92 river or area floods and 4 coastal floods or surges.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 23, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jan 13, 2024 | — |
| Flood | Jan 10, 2024 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Dec 18, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 13, 2023 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 11, 2023 | — |
| Flood | Sep 11, 2023 | — |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · May 23, 2024. A passing cold front brought a round of strong storms through southern New England. Training storms moving over Providence caused flash flooding in addition to New Bedford, Massachusetts. Earlier in the day it caused wind damage in Connecticut.
Flash Flood · Jan 13, 2024. A low pressure system over the southern Plains strengthened significantly as it reached the eastern Great Lakes. This placed New England on the warm side of the storm with strong SE winds and rain instead of snow. This lead to widespread river flooding and coastal flooding on both the south and east coasts of southern New England. The heaviest rain fell over eastern CT, RI, and eastern MA with totals of 1 to 3 inc…
Flood · Jan 10, 2024. A negatively tilted mid level trough swung through New England while at the surface a low pressure center passed directly over southern New England. This inland runner brought warm air so that all precipitation fell as rain, along with strong winds. There was a good deal of tree damage from the winds and widespread river flooding with many rivers going into major flood stage. Much of Rhode Island received 2 to 5 i…
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, cancelling flights, and killi…
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 Providence 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.