Enter any address in Amherst County, Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from intense thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Amherst County. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 26 flash flood events and 19 flood events, with two tropical storm events also recorded. For example, heavy rains from a cold front on April 13, 2020, dropped between 1.5 and 4 inches of rain across the area. More recently, the remnants of Hurricane Debbie contributed to downed trees and power lines on August 8, 2024, due to strong winds and saturated soils.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $11,992 and an average water depth of 3.7 feet. However, properties in Zone X_SHADED have seen higher average payouts ($18,388) with a significant average water depth of 9.2 feet, and Zone X_UNSHADED properties have the highest average payout ($29,291) despite a lower average water depth of 0.3 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in Zone X_SHADED and Zone X_UNSHADED, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
19 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Amherst County, Virginia has recorded 47 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 26 flash floods and 19 river or area floods. The county has received 23 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1969–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 22, 2026 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Florence | Hurricane | Sep 13, 2018 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 26, 2012 |
| Severe Storms And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Snowstorm | Dec 18, 2009 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Hurricane Isabel | Hurricane | Sep 18, 2003 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Severe Storm | Jan 25, 2000 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 8, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 13, 2020 | 95.38K |
| Flood | Nov 11, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Dec 28, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 27, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 11, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 15, 2014 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 7, 2013 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 27, 2011 | 1.50K |
Flood — Jan 9, 2024
A deep, negatively tilted upper level trough and associated occluded front passed from the central Mississippi River Valley on January 9th toward the lower New England region by the morning of the 10th. Strong southerly wind flow ahead of the upper trough carried deep moisture from the Gulf of Mexico northward into the Carolinas and the lower Mid-Atlantic. Precipitable water values ranged fro...
Flash Flood — Aug 8, 2024
The remnants of Hurricane Debbie moved north toward the area on August 8th, 2024. A strong southeast flow of wind on the system's northern extent, along with wet soils due to heavy rainfall, helped to cause downed trees and power lines over portions of Virginia. Winds gusted to at least 40 to 45 mph over parts of the region. The strong winds continued into the morning hours of August 9th, 2024....
Flash Flood — Apr 13, 2020
A strong cold front extending from a complex surface low pressure system, brought intense thunderstorms which produced damaging winds and very heavy rain on April 12-13. The heavy rains resulted from a deep plume of tropical moisture lifted northward ahead of the cold front. Heavy rain began during the evening of April 12th and exited the region shortly after sunrise on the 13th, lasting rough...
Flood — Nov 11, 2020
One of the most significant flooding events in years occurred during November 11th and 12th, given both the amounts of rainfall and the footprint where flooding occurred. In the wake of high pressure passing east off the mid-Atlantic coast, a plume of deep tropical moisture was rapidly carried inland to the central Appalachians ahead of a slow-moving cold front. Though this plume was of tropi...
Flood — Dec 28, 2018
A third late December significant rainfall event developed after Christmas as the active southern jet stream helped to spin up another complex area of low pressure which slowly moved through the southeast and Mid-Atlantic December 27-29. Rainfall over the 2-day period ending at 12z (7 AM EST) on the 29th was approximately 1 to 3 inches across the region with isolated higher amounts up to 3.5 in...
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 Amherst County, Virginia:
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 Amherst County, Virginia 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.