Enter any address in Cheatham County, Tennessee to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from severe thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Cheatham County. Between 2025 and the present, NOAA data records 44 flash flood events and 8 flood events. For example, a major severe weather and flooding event occurred in February 2025, bringing heavy rainfall and widespread flooding. Another event in March 2025 also brought significant rainfall and associated flooding.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $50,509 and an average water depth of 7.9 feet. Properties in Zone X also have a notable number of claims, with an average payout of $46,480 and an average water depth of 3.7 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, Zone X, and properties without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE) should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
25 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Cheatham County, Tennessee has recorded 52 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 44 flash floods and 8 river or area floods. The county has received 25 federal disaster declarations, 3 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1975–2026)
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, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 8, 2024 |
| Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | Dec 9, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornado | Severe Storm | Mar 1, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Tornado | Dec 10, 2021 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Tornado | Mar 25, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Feb 19, 2019 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Mar 16, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 16, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 6, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 5, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 3, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 3, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 28, 2021 | 0.00K (1 deaths) |
| Flash Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 27, 2021 | 213.72K |
Flood — Mar 16, 2025
A potent storm system brought multiple rounds of thunderstorms and severe weather to Middle Tennessee on March 15, 2025. The main risk for severe weather was associated with a line of thunderstorms that tracks east across Middle Tennessee during the afternoon and evening hours. This line produced one EF-1 tornado near Christiana. As this line moved towards the Cumberland Plateau, it strengthene...
Flood — Feb 16, 2025
A major severe weather and flooding event unfolded across Middle Tennessee on February 15-16, 2025. As well above average moisture spread into the area, this helped set the stage for very heavy rainfall across Middle Tennessee. Showers and thunderstorms began early during the day on February 15th, and the primary threat with this first round was flooding. The most significant flooding was repor...
Flash Flood — Feb 15, 2025
A major severe weather and flooding event unfolded across Middle Tennessee on February 15-16, 2025. As well above average moisture spread into the area, this helped set the stage for very heavy rainfall across Middle Tennessee. Showers and thunderstorms began early during the day on February 15th, and the primary threat with this first round was flooding. The most significant flooding was repor...
Flood — Apr 6, 2025
A major and historic multi-day severe weather event unfolded across Middle Tennessee during early April 2025. This event began during the afternoon hours of April 2nd and continued through April 6th. These first couple rounds of thunderstorms brought damaging winds and large hail along with a tornado risk. The corridor from southwest Middle Tennessee into the Nashville metro area was hit partic...
Flash Flood — Apr 5, 2025
A major and historic multi-day severe weather event unfolded across Middle Tennessee during early April 2025. This event began during the afternoon hours of April 2nd and continued through April 6th. These first couple rounds of thunderstorms brought damaging winds and large hail along with a tornado risk. The corridor from southwest Middle Tennessee into the Nashville metro area was hit partic...
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 Cheatham 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 Cheatham 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.