Enter any address in Orleans County, Vermont to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from intense rainfall events is the primary flood hazard in Orleans County. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 30 flash flood events and 29 flood events. Recent examples include severe flash flooding in July 2024, where heavy rainfall caused catastrophic flooding in towns like Morgan, and another event in July 2024 attributed to the remnants of Tropical Storm Beryl, which led to numerous flash flood reports across 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 $31,263 for 2.1 feet of water depth. However, properties in Zone X_SHADED and Zone X_UNSHADED have also seen significant claims, with average payouts of $9,173 and $24,962 respectively, and notably higher average water depths of 9.8 feet and 8.0 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in areas with higher recorded water depths in Zones X_SHADED and X_UNSHADED, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
47 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Orleans County, Vermont has recorded 59 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 30 flash floods and 29 river or area floods. The county has received 33 federal disaster declarations, 9 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 30, 2024 | 400.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2024 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2024 | 1.00M |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2024 | 100.00K |
| Flood | Dec 18, 2023 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2023 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2023 | 250.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2023 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2023 | 500.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 20, 2019 | 5.00K |
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 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 16, 2023
Scattered thunderstorms, some with torrential rainfall affected scattered areas across Vermont on July 14. Two to locally four inches of rain fell in a some areas, leading to a few reports of flash flooding and road washouts.
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 Orleans 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 Orleans 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.