Enter any address in Chesterfield County, South Carolina to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall is the most frequent flood event in Chesterfield County, SC, with 38 such events recorded in the last 30 years. This includes rainfall associated with tropical systems, such as Tropical Storm Debby in August 2024, which caused widespread flash flooding across South Carolina. Additionally, localized thunderstorms, like those on May 28, 2020, have produced heavy rainfall leading to overflowing streams and flooded roadways.
While less frequent, tropical storms have also impacted the county, with 12 events recorded in the last 30 years, including Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024. National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced higher average water depths (1.0 ft) compared to Zone X (0.2 ft), though Zone X has had more claims. Properties in Zone A and Zone X should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
31 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Chesterfield County, South Carolina has recorded 51 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 38 flash floods and 1 river or area floods. The county has received 26 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 (1984–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 21, 2026 |
| Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 25, 2024 |
| Hurricane Debby | Tropical Storm | Aug 4, 2024 |
| Hurricane Idalia | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2023 |
| Hurricane Ian | Hurricane | Sep 25, 2022 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Dorian | Hurricane | Aug 31, 2019 |
| Hurricane Florence | Hurricane | Sep 8, 2018 |
| Hurricane Irma | Hurricane | Sep 6, 2017 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 | 50.00K (1 deaths) |
| Flash Flood | Aug 8, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 30, 2022 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 28, 2020 | 0.10K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 16, 2018 | 0.10K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 15, 2018 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 14, 2018 | — |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 11, 2018 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 23, 2017 | 0.10K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 11, 2016 | 0.01K |
Tropical Storm — Sep 27, 2024
Tropical Storm Helene formed in the NW Caribbean Sea on September 24. Helene moved northward into the Gulf of Mexico where it strengthened into a hurricane on September 25. Helene made landfall as a major hurricane in the Big Bend area of Florida the night of September 26 before quickly moving inland into east central Georgia by early morning on September 27. Helene weakened to a strong tropica...
Flash Flood — Aug 8, 2024
Heavy rainfall associated with Tropical Storm Debby occurred across South Carolina for several days resulting in areas of flash flooding. There was also an isolated severe thunderstorm on the 6th.
Tropical Storm — Sep 30, 2022
Ian first formed as Tropical Depression Nine in the Caribbean Sea on September 23,|2022. It moved west and northwest into the Western Caribbean and strengthened|into a hurricane. The cyclone turned to the north and crossed over the western tip|of Cuba on September 27th.||Ian strengthened into a major hurricane and moved NNE across the SE Gulf of Mexico,|and intensified into a high end categor...
Flash Flood — May 28, 2020
Daytime heating, along with sufficient atmospheric moisture and instability, combined with a nearly stationary surface boundary to produce persistent strong to severe thunderstorms over Chesterfield Co SC. This rainfall fell over areas where the ground was already saturated from recent heavy rains and caused many small streams to rise out of their banks and flood some roadways and bridges. Ha...
Flash Flood — Sep 16, 2018
Hurricane Florence began as an area of disturbed weather that moved west off the African coast around August 29-30, 2018. It gradually developed into a tropical cyclone on August 31, 2018 while just south of the Cape Verde islands. The cyclone continued to move to the WNW across the Atlantic Ocean in the ensuing two weeks, undergoing fluctuations in intensity. The cyclone reorganized and str...
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 Chesterfield County, South Carolina:
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 Chesterfield County, South Carolina 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.