Enter any address in Essex County, Vermont to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the dominant flood character in Essex County. In July 2024, remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl combined with deep tropical moisture and a stationary front produced multiple rounds of heavy showers and storms, leading to numerous reports of flash flooding across the region, including Essex County. Another event in July 2024 saw nearly stationary thunderstorms produce rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches in parts of Essex County, resulting in severe flash flooding in areas like Morgan.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $2,391 and an average water depth of -1.7 feet. Properties in Zone X_Unshaded have also seen claims, with one instance averaging a payout of $3,054 and a water depth of 0.0 feet. Residents in areas identified as Zone A, and those in lower-lying areas or near waterways, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
22 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Essex County, Vermont has recorded 28 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 18 flash floods and 10 river or area floods. The county has received 30 federal disaster declarations, 8 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Depression Debby | Tropical Storm | Aug 8, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Jul 29, 2024 |
| Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Jul 9, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Storm | Jan 9, 2024 |
| Severe Storm And Flooding | Severe Storm | Dec 18, 2023 |
| Flooding | Flood | Jul 9, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Jul 7, 2023 |
| Severe Storm And Flooding | Severe Storm | Dec 22, 2022 |
| Tropical Storm Henri | Hurricane | Aug 22, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2025 | 125.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2024 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 11, 2024 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2024 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2023 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 7, 2023 | 25.00K |
| Flood | Nov 1, 2019 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2017 | 7.00K |
| Flood | Apr 15, 2014 | 175.00K |
| Flood | Apr 15, 2014 | 50.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 10, 2025
A weak cold front slowly moved across northern NY and VT during the afternoon and evening hours of July 10th. Several rounds of tropical showers and thunderstorms traversed the area with a few storms pulsing to severe limits and localized excessive rainfall (4-5+ inches) in NE VT leading to localized flash flooding.
Flash Flood — Jul 30, 2024
A cluster of nearly stationary thunderstorms affected portions of Caledonia, Essex and Orleans Counties in northeastern Vermont during the early to mid morning hours of July 30, 2024. This produced rainfall amounts from 4 to as much as 8 inches in these areas which led to severe, and in some cases catastrophic flash flooding. The department of highways, state/local emergency management, and NWS...
Flash Flood — Jul 11, 2024
The remnants of TS Beryl combined with deep tropical moisture and a stationary front draped across the region produced multiple rounds of heavy showers and storms. This led to numerous reports of flash flooding, some locally severe across a roughly 50 mile swath through Chittenden, Washington, Lamoille, Caledonia, Orleans and Essex Counties.
Flash Flood — Jul 10, 2024
The remnants of TS Beryl combined with deep tropical moisture and a stationary front draped across the region produced multiple rounds of heavy showers and storms. This led to numerous reports of flash flooding, some locally severe across a roughly 50 mile swath through Chittenden, Washington, Lamoille, Caledonia, Orleans and Essex Counties.
Flash Flood — Jul 10, 2023
Multiple rounds of heavy rainfall affected Vermont from late afternoon of the 9th through the early morning hours on the 11th. During the roughly 36-hour period, 4 to as much as 9 inches of rain fell across much of the Green Mountains, leading to devastating flash and riverine flooding.||Major river flooding was observed in the Winooski, Lamoille and Otter Creek basins with moderate to major f...
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 Essex County, Vermont:
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 Essex County, Vermont 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.