Enter any address in Orange County, Vermont to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from summer thunderstorms and heavy rainfall events dominates the flood profile of Orange County, Vermont, accounting for 20 out of 33 recorded flood events over the last 30 years alongside 13 general flood events.
Significant historical events illustrate this risk, including torrential downpours from clusters of showers and thunderstorms that caused considerable flash flooding across the region on July 7, 2023. Earlier, a storm system on December 18, 2023, delivered 1.5 to 3-plus inches of rainfall combined with mild temperatures and snowmelt, resulting in general flooding.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate that homeowners in Special Flood Hazard Area Zone A should pay the most attention, as this zone accounts for the majority of claims (55 claims averaging $27,510 with an average recorded water depth of 10 inches). However, properties in Zone X and unshaded Zone X also face risk, having logged 20 combined claims with average water depths of 8 to 10 inches and average payouts reaching up to $71,293.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
28 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Orange County, Vermont has recorded 33 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 20 flash floods and 13 river or area floods. The county has received 34 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tropical Depression Debby | Tropical Storm | Aug 8, 2024 |
| Severe Storm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Jul 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 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storm And Flooding | Severe Storm | Oct 31, 2019 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2024 | 250.00K |
| Flood | Dec 18, 2023 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 7, 2023 | 50.00K |
| Flood | Feb 25, 2017 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 1, 2017 | 1.90M |
| Flood | Apr 15, 2014 | 300.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2013 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2013 | 200.00K |
| Flood | Aug 28, 2011 | 5.00M |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2011 | 32.50M |
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.
Flood — Dec 18, 2023
A very deep trough across the eastern seaboard allowed a deep, mild, moist flow from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic ocean to feed into the northeast United States, including VT and NY on December 17th and 18th.||Surface low pressure across Florida on December 17th moved north along the eastern seaboard into New England on December 18th. Mild, moist air delivered 1.5 to 3+ inches of rainfal...
Flash Flood — Jul 7, 2023
Clusters of showers and thunderstorms crossed the Green Mountain state on July 7, 2023. Torrential downpours were frequent with some storms repeatedly training over the southern and central Green Mountains as well in portions of northeastern Vermont where, in some cases, considerable flash flooding occurred.
Flood — Feb 25, 2017
Warm temperatures the last week of February started snow melt, and 1/2 to 1 inch of rainfall ahead of a cold front on Saturday 2/25 caused significant river rises and ice break up. Ice jam flooding closed roads, and river flooding had minor impacts. In addition, A potent storm traveling across the Northern Great Lakes, Ontario and Quebec delivered very warm temperatures into the 70s across Verm...
Flash Flood — Jul 1, 2017
Heavy rainfall of 3 to 4 inches during the past 3-4 days had pre-saturated the soils across much of central Vermont. During the afternoon of July 1st, a series of heavy rain showers and thunderstorms moved across central VT delivering very heavy localized rainfall that caused some scattered flash flooding. A few of these thunderstorms had strong winds to topple a few trees as well.
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 Orange 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 Orange County, Vermont that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with a mortgage from a federally regulated or insured lender, or a federally backed loan, 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.