Enter any address in Panola County, Texas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Panola County. Over the last 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 35 flash flood events, significantly more than tropical storms or general flood events. Recent examples include heavy rainfall from thunderstorms on May 30, 2024, and May 11, 2023.
FEMA data indicates that while most flood insurance claims in Panola County are in areas with lower flood risk (Zone X_Unshaded), these still incur financial losses. Claims in unknown flood zones show higher average payouts and water depths. Homeowners in areas identified as Zone X_Unshaded or Zone Unknown, as well as those without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE) on file, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
16 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Panola County, Texas has recorded 39 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 35 flash floods and 2 river or area floods. The county has received 24 federal disaster declarations, 2 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1987–2024)
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 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Aug 30, 2011 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Apr 6, 2011 |
| Hurricane Ike | Hurricane | Sep 7, 2008 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 30, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 11, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 5, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 5, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 27, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 9, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Nov 12, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 19, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Dec 27, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 9, 2015 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — May 30, 2024
Remnants of a pre-dawn mesoscale convective system (MCS) that developed over the southern High Plains propagated downstream into the Ark-La-Tex region during the afternoon hours on May 30th. Diurnal heating and weak convective inhibition allowed for renewed development of severe thunderstorms along the leading edge of this long-lived MCS. Surface temperatures warmed into the 80s ahead of this c...
Flash Flood — May 11, 2023
An upper level low pressure system slowly ejected northeast across the piney woods of East Texas during the evening through the morning hours of May 10th-11th. A southerly low level jet present ahead of the low spilled copious amounts of low level moisture north into East Texas and Western Louisiana, with strong large scale forcing ahead of the low enhancing numerous shower and thunderstorm dev...
Flash Flood — May 5, 2022
A surface low was centered over the southern Texas Panhandle with a stationary front extending through southern Oklahoma into southern Arkansas eastward into northern Mississippi. A dry line extended southward from the surface low through west Texas into the Big Bend Country along with a cold front draped southwest from the surface low into southeast New Mexico. Aloft, an upper-level low was in...
Flash Flood — Jun 5, 2021
Scattered to numerous showers and isolated thunderstorms developed throughout the day on June 5th, ahead of a stationary cut off upper low pressure system over Central Texas. Daytime heating contributed to moderate instability within a very moist air mass in place. These showers and thunderstorms were very efficient rainfall producers as they moved slowly and often trained over the same areas ...
Tropical Storm — Aug 27, 2020
Major Hurricane Laura tracked north northwest across the Central and Northern Gulf of Mexico from the Central Carribean Sea near Cuba, making landfall in Southwest Louisiana near Cameron around 1 am on August 27th as a strong Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 150 mph, and a minimum central pressure of 938 mb. Laura remained a hurricane as it tracked north across Southwest a...
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 Panola 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 Panola 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.