Enter any address in Fort Bend County, Texas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent type of flood event in Fort Bend County, with 56 recorded instances in the last 30 years. These events have resulted in numerous reports of impassable roads due to street flooding, as seen in October 2021 and June 2020. Tropical Storm Nicholas in September 2021 also brought widespread rainfall totals of 6 to 10 inches to the region, causing tree and structural damage, and power outages.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the highest average claim payouts and water depths, suggesting a higher risk. Homeowners in Zone X also represent the largest number of claims, though with lower average payouts and water depths. Residents in Zone A, Zone X, and those in areas 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.
20 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Fort Bend County, Texas has recorded 63 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 56 flash floods and 2 river or area floods. The county has received 28 federal disaster declarations, 6 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1983–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Beryl | Hurricane | Jul 5, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Tropical Storms Marco And Laura | Hurricane | Aug 23, 2020 |
| Hurricane Hanna | Hurricane | Jul 25, 2020 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Harvey | Hurricane | Aug 23, 2017 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | May 22, 2016 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Apr 17, 2016 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Storm | Sep 13, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | Oct 1, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 1, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 25, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 15, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 19, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 7, 2019 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 7, 2019 | 30.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 7, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 5, 2019 | 0.00K |
Tropical Storm — Sep 13, 2021
Nicholas formed on September 12 in the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico, slowly advancing northeastward along the Middle Texas Coast. It eventually made landfall 10 miles west of Sargent just after midnight on September 14, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 75 mph. Heavy rain bands associated with Nicholas brought widespread rainfall totals of 6 to 10 inches to the Southeast Texas Coast, while s...
Flash Flood — Oct 1, 2021
A cluster of showers and thunderstorms developed over SE TX during the morning of October 1, producing periods of heavy rain across the area. Heavy downpours resulted in several instances of street flooding making roads impassable.
Flash Flood — May 1, 2021
A series of thunderstorms resulted in flash flooding in Brazoria and Fort Bend counties.
Flash Flood — Jun 25, 2020
A slow-moving line of showers and thunderstorms produced heavy rain across the Houston metropolitan area. This led to instances of flash flooding to the Southwest of the city of Houston over a period of several hours.
Flash Flood — May 15, 2020
An upper low produced helped trigger scattered slow moving thunderstorms within an unstable warm and very moist air mass.
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 Fort Bend 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 Fort Bend County, Texas 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.