Enter any address in Liberty County, Texas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent flood event in Liberty County, TX. This was evident on May 16, 2024, when a derecho brought widespread flash flooding to the region, and again on January 8, 2022, when heavy rainfall from scattered thunderstorms caused flash flooding. Tropical storms and hurricanes have also impacted the county, with Tropical Storm Nicholas bringing 6 to 10 inches of rain to the Southeast Texas Coast in September 2021.
Analysis of National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims shows that properties in Zone X have experienced the highest number of claims, with an average payout of $41,194 for 2.2 feet of water depth. While Zone A also has a significant number of claims, Zone X_SHADED has seen fewer claims but with a substantially higher average payout and water depth. Homeowners in Zone X, Zone A, and particularly those in Zone X_SHADED, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
23 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Liberty County, Texas has recorded 66 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 38 federal disaster declarations, 11 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1973–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane Beryl | Hurricane | Jul 5, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Flood | Apr 26, 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 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Tropical Storm Imelda | Flood | Sep 17, 2019 |
| Hurricane Harvey | Hurricane | Aug 23, 2017 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | May 22, 2016 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 16, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 8, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 17, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Sep 13, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | Sep 19, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 19, 2019 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 19, 2019 | 95.00M |
| Flash Flood | Jul 8, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 29, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2017 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — May 16, 2024
On the evening of May 16, a derecho moved into SE TX. This resulted in extensive wind damage across much of the Greater Houston area, including much of Downtown Houston. Maximum wind gusts were estimated to have reached over 100 mph. Additionally, the system produced two tornadoes and widespread flash flooding. Power outages resulting from the derecho lasted multiple days for hundreds of thousa...
Flash Flood — Jan 8, 2022
Scattered thunderstorms associated with the approach of an offshore low pressure system produced several tornadoes on the evening of January 8 and the early morning of January 9. These tornadoes resulted in several instances of property and tree damage across the Greater Houston Area. Some non-tornadic storms also produced strong, damaging wind gusts. Later, heavy rainfall associated with conti...
Flash Flood — May 17, 2021
Thunderstorms producing heavy rain resulted in flash flooding across portions of SE TX.
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 — Sep 19, 2019
A weak surface low pressure system strengthened into Tropical Storm Imelda just after noon on September 17th around 15 miles south southwest of Freeport. Imelda moved onshore near Freeport and quickly weakened to a tropical depression. Imelda moved very slowly to the north-northwest then north-northeast over the next few days and produced a few heavy rain bands that caused devastating flooding ...
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 Liberty 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 Liberty 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.