7 flood insurance claims·$97,639 paid·3 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Zapata County, Texas. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from heavy rain events dominates the flood history of Zapata County, accounting for 29 out of 40 recorded flood events over the last 30 years, alongside 11 standard flood events. Recent activity includes slow-moving showers and thunderstorms that caused flash flooding through the night of July 9 and into July 10, 2024. Additionally, a supercell thunderstorm on May 22, 2022, produced prolific rain rates and street flooding, while a separate thunderstorm complex impacted the area on May 23 and 24, 2022.
National Flood Insurance Program records show claims filed in both moderate-to-low risk and high-risk areas. Properties located in Zone X recorded 5 claims with an average payout of $14,258 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches. Properties in Zone A recorded 2 claims with an average payout of $20,303 and an average recorded water depth of 2 inches.
Homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists should pay the most attention to properties situated in Zone A, where rising water depths are documented during flood events, as well as properties in Zone X that remain vulnerable to localized flash flooding from intense storms.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 2 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2002, with 2 claims and $35,811 paid.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
6 NOAA storm reports from Zapata County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Texas flood stories →
15 federal disaster declarations since 1967, 3 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Hurricane Hanna | Jul 25, 2020 |
| Hurricane Alex | Jun 30, 2010 |
| Tropical Storm Alex | Jun 27, 2010 |
| Wildfires | Mar 14, 2008 |
| La Perla Fire | Mar 3, 2008 |
| Extreme Wildfire Threat | Nov 27, 2005 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
40 since 1996: 29 flash floods and 11 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2024 | — |
| Flash Flood | May 23, 2022 | $300,000 |
| Flood | May 22, 2022 | — |
| Flood | May 21, 2020 | — |
| Flood | Jun 18, 2020 | — |
| Flood | Sep 28, 2017 | $20,000 |
| Flash Flood | May 21, 2017 | — |
| Flash Flood | Aug 21, 2016 | $75,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Jul 9, 2024. Heavy rain associated with slow moving showers and thunderstorms resulted in flash flooding over Zapata County on the night of July 9, which extended into the overnight hours on July 10, 2024.
Flash Flood · May 23, 2022. A strong 500mb shortwave aided in the development of two thunderstorm complexes that impacted Deep South Texas and the Rio Grande Valley on May 23rd and 24th. The first complex began shortly after 6 PM in Zapata County and inched southeastward across the region before becoming nearly stationary in Cameron and Willacy Counties around 2 AM on the morning of the 24th. This lead to numerous reports of flooding and sev…
Flood · May 22, 2022. One lone supercell thunderstorm moved from north to south across Zapata and western Starr County early in the afternoon of May 22nd. This storm produced prolific rain rates and caused some street flooding and also produced sub-severe hail up to the size of a penny.
Flood · May 21, 2020. Convection from northeastern Mexico moved into northwestern edge of Zapata County around 6:45 AM CDT and then moved southeastward across the entire county through the morning bringing very heavy rain, flooding and strong thunderstorm winds.
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Zapata County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.