Enter any address in Benton County, Tennessee to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the primary flood hazard in Benton County, TN. Over the past 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database has recorded 48 flash flood events compared to 4 general flood events. For example, flash flooding occurred on March 15, 2025, due to severe thunderstorms, and again on April 5, 2025, following a frontal system that produced heavy rain.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties designated as Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $38,242 and an average water depth of 0.5 feet. While Zone X properties have had fewer claims, they still averaged $14,047 with 0.3 feet of water depth. Homeowners in Zone A, and those in Zone X or with unknown flood zone designations, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
17 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Benton County, Tennessee has recorded 52 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 48 flash floods and 4 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 (1971–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 22, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 2, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornado | Severe Storm | Mar 1, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 3, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Tornado | Mar 3, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storm And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | Oct 26, 2019 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Associated Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 25, 2011 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 19, 2011 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Mar 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 5, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 22, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 1, 2020 | 2.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 16, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 6, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 4, 2019 | 0.50K |
| Flood | Feb 22, 2018 | 10.00K |
Flash Flood — Mar 15, 2025
An upper low over the Central Plains moved into the Upper Mississippi Valley during the evening hours of Friday, March 14, 2025. Increasing moisture advection ahead of an approaching cold front lifted dewpoints into the low to mid 60s. This coupled with increasing height falls and a mid-level 80 knot jet rotating around the main upper low supported severe thunderstorm development. Large looping...
Flash Flood — Feb 15, 2025
An upper-level trough crossed the Four Corners region and dipped into northern Mexico on February 14, 2025. In response, deep southwesterly flow set up over the Lower Mississippi Valley and advected Gulf moisture poleward. Showers and thunderstorms blossomed across the region during the early morning hours on February 15, 2025. Meanwhile, a warm front quickly accelerated northward during the mo...
Flash Flood — Apr 5, 2025
The front eventually sagged south back into the Mid-South during the early morning hours of April 5th. Strong low-level moisture transport into the frontal zone resulted in heavy rain and training storms across northern sections of the Mid-South, mainly north of I-40. A bow echo developed along and just south of the slowly advancing front. This feature crossed the entire forecast area producing...
Flash Flood — May 22, 2024
A decaying MCS/MCV moved through the Mid-South during the overnight/early morning hours of May 22. A slow moving cold front was stretched over the Missouri Bootheel and moisture surged northward allowing for plentiful instability. This instability collided with remnant outflow boundaries from previous convection. Peak diurnal heating hours, moisture, and enough lift caused damaging winds, large...
Flash Flood — Jul 12, 2020
An upper-level disturbance kicked off numerous thunderstorms across the western Ohio Valley. This activity produced an outflow boundary that sagged into West Tennessee and kicked off more thunderstorms during the morning hours on July 12, 2020. A few storms were severe with damaging winds. Heavy rainfall produced isolated flash flooding as well.
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 Benton County, Tennessee:
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 Benton County, Tennessee 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.