Enter any address in Smith County, Texas to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Smith County. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 151 flash flood events, far exceeding other flood types. Recent examples include flash flooding on May 1st, 2025, and May 6th, 2025, both linked to weather systems bringing heavy rainfall to the region.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $12,446 and an average water depth of 2.1 feet. However, properties in Zone X, while fewer in number, have seen higher average payouts ($16,953) and significantly deeper water (5.4 feet). Homeowners in Zone A and Zone X, as well as those in areas with unknown flood zone designations, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
92 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Smith County, Texas has recorded 168 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 151 flash floods and 16 river or area floods. The county has received 33 federal disaster declarations, 5 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1965–2024)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding | Flood | Apr 17, 2016 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Oct 22, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds And Flooding | Severe Storm | May 4, 2015 |
| Wildfires | Fire | Aug 30, 2011 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Apr 30, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 26, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Nov 24, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 11, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 6, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 4, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 4, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 1, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 30, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Apr 30, 2025
A weak cold front slowly advanced southeast into portions of Northeast Texas, Southeast Oklahoma, into Western Arkansas and Southern Missouri on April 30th, and focused a warm, very moist, and unstable air mass in place across much of East Texas, North Louisiana, and Southwest Arkansas during the afternoon through the evening hours. Meanwhile, an upper low pressure area ejected northeast from ...
Flash Flood — May 26, 2025
A weak surface frontal boundary drifted south to near the I-20 corridor of East Texas and North Louisiana during the early morning hours of May 26th, with a warm and moist air mass along and south of the front yielding adequate instability along and south of the front. While scattered strong to severe thunderstorms over portions of extreme Northeast Texas, Southeast Oklahoma, and Southwest Arka...
Flash Flood — Nov 24, 2025
A mature linear thunderstorm complex developed across the Middle Red River Valley on November 24th and extended from Southwest Arkansas south-southwestward into East Texas and Northwest Louisiana. This thunderstorm complex was slow in its forward propagation eastward while producing areas of 0.5-1 inch/hour rain rates. An outflow boundary from this activity also extended farther westward from L...
Flash Flood — Jun 11, 2025
Numerous thunderstorms developed along and ahead of a persistent MCS in East Texas during the afternoon of June 11th. Thunderstorms began training ahead of the MCS, and the overlapping segments of heavy rainfall resulted in scattered flash flooding across parts of Smith County and Harrison County. Hourly rainfall rates within this activity were estimated at nearly 3 inches per hour. The uptick ...
Flash Flood — May 6, 2025
An upper level low pressure system over the Desert Southwest shifted east through the Intermountain West on May 6th, inducing surface low development over West Texas. This also resulted in a tightening pressure gradient across the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley, with increased southerly low level winds allowing for a warm front to shift north to the I-20 corridor of East Texas and...
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 Smith 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 Smith 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.