Enter any address in Carter County, Tennessee to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the dominant flood character in Carter County, TN. Over the last 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 31 flash flood events, resulting in 7 fatalities. For example, a flash flood event in August 2022 was caused by slow-moving thunderstorms producing locally heavy rain. Another significant event in September 2024, associated with Tropical Storm Helene, led to catastrophic flash flooding and river flooding following several days of heavy rainfall.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $22,047 and an average water depth of 2.8 feet. Properties in Zone X also experience claims, with an average payout of $13,501 and an average water depth of 1.6 feet. Homeowners in areas designated as Zone A or Zone X, particularly those located near waterways or in areas prone to heavy rainfall, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
9 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Carter County, Tennessee has recorded 43 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 31 flash floods and 12 river or area floods. The county has received 18 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2026)
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 |
| Tropical Storm Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 26, 2024 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Feb 19, 2019 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Sep 16, 2004 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Feb 14, 2003 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jul 27, 2001 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Sep 27, 2024 | 62.50M |
| Flash Flood | Sep 27, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 15, 2022 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 10, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 28, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 20, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 25, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 13, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 23, 2019 | 1.50M |
| Flash Flood | Oct 23, 2017 | 10.00K |
Flash Flood — Sep 27, 2024
Tropical Storm Helene caps off a several day heavy rainfall event in association with a stalled closed upper low that drew a stream of tropical moisture into the area on the 25th and 26th. The arrival of Helene on the 27th yielded catastrophic flash flooding and river flooding, as well as significant wind damage as wet soils and strong wind gusts led to forest damage.
Flash Flood — Aug 15, 2022
An unusual August cold front generated widespread rainfall in southwest Virginia and extreme northeast Tennessee.
Flash Flood — Aug 10, 2022
High pressure over the area led to weak steering currents. Slow moving thunderstorms produced locally heavy rain.
Flood — Mar 28, 2021
Thunderstorms with large hail spread northward across East Tennessee during the early morning hours of March 27, reaching southwest Virginia by late morning. These storms were associated with a warm front, which later stalled across northeast Tennessee. This stalled front was the focus of additional thunderstorms that produced damaging wind gusts and flooding in the evening of March 27 and into...
Flash Flood — Aug 20, 2021
Early morning convection anchored over a ridgetop and produced a localized area of heavy rainfall. The run off produced flash flooding downstream to the northeast of Elizabethton.
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, 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 Carter 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.