Enter any address in El Paso County, Texas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms dominates the historical flood profile of El Paso County, TX, supported by 145 flash flood events and 6 deaths recorded over the last 30 years compared to only 5 general flood events.
Recent events illustrate this pattern, such as July 2025 storms that produced rapid 1 to 2-inch rainfall totals causing flash flooding around downtown and northeast El Paso, as well as slow-moving storms in July 2025 that brought heavy rainfall and flash flooding to the Anthony and Socorro areas.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties in Zone A, which accounts for the vast majority of National Flood Insurance Program claims with 551 filings averaging $15,292 per payout and an average recorded water depth of 6 inches. Properties in Zone X_UNSHADED and Zone X also warrant close attention, recording average water depths of 21 inches and average payouts of $25,266 and $19,456 respectively, demonstrating that significant flood risks exist outside of traditional high-risk zones.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
30 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
El Paso County, Texas has recorded 150 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 145 flash floods and 5 river or area floods. The county has received 16 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 (1974–2021)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Ike | Hurricane | Sep 7, 2008 |
| Hurricane Gustav | Hurricane | Aug 27, 2008 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Mar 14, 2008 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Jul 27, 2006 |
| Extreme Wildfire Threat | Fire | Nov 27, 2005 |
| Hurricane Rita | Hurricane | Sep 23, 2005 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 29, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 28, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 28, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 27, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 22, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 20, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 19, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 18, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 12, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 8, 2025 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Aug 29, 2025
An upper high over the Permian Basin brought deep monsoonal moisture into far west Texas. Early evening thunderstorms developed over the Fabens area and brought over 2 inches of rain and flash flooding to the area.
Flash Flood — Sep 28, 2025
A late season monsoonal moisture push into the Rio Grande Valley combined with an upper trough moving northeast through the Four Corners region brought heavy rain and flash flooding to the Hueco Tanks area.
Flash Flood — Jul 28, 2025
A large upper high over the lower Mississippi Valley setup a deep southeast flow off the Gulf bringing above average moisture into far west Texas. Very heavy rain occurred for several hours and resulted in flash flooding over parts of Hudspeth and far northeastern El Paso counties.
Flash Flood — Jul 27, 2025
Several storms trained over downtown and central El Paso which brought upwards of an inch and a half of rain to the area. Significant flash flooding was reported with several roads closed, walls knocked over and a sinkhole formed.
Flash Flood — Jul 22, 2025
A strong upper high over the southeast US and a trough approaching the west coast streamed deep moisture into the Borderland with a low level surface trough located through far west Texas into eastern New Mexico. Slow moving storms brought heavy rainfall and flash flooding to the Anthony and Socorro areas.
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 El Paso County, Texas:
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 El Paso County, Texas that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender, or a federally backed loan, 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.