Enter any address in Charles City County, Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall is the most frequent type of flood event in Charles City County, with 11 recorded instances in the last 30 years. Other flood types, including coastal flooding and tropical storms, have also occurred. For example, heavy rain caused flash flooding on January 9, 2024, and again on August 4, 2024. Coastal flooding has also impacted the area, with events noted on October 12, 2025, and October 28, 2025, driven by strong northeast winds and tidal anomalies.
While Zone X areas have seen fewer claims, they have incurred higher average payouts ($10,066) compared to Zone A areas ($5,122). Homeowners in coastal areas, as well as those residing in Zone A or properties without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE), should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
3 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Charles City County, Virginia has recorded 21 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 11 flash floods and 5 river or area floods. The county has received 19 federal disaster declarations, 1 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1972–2026)
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 |
| Hurricane Irene | Hurricane | Aug 26, 2011 |
| Tropical Depression Ernesto, Severe Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Aug 29, 2006 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes Associated W Td Gaston | Severe Storm | Aug 30, 2004 |
| Hurricane Isabel | Hurricane | Sep 18, 2003 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flood | Oct 28, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Oct 12, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 4, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 8, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 7, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 19, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 18, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Oct 12, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 3, 2018 | 0.00K |
Coastal Flood — Oct 28, 2025
Low pressure off the Mid-Atlantic coast combined with high pressure in Canada, resulting in a lengthy period of northeasterly onshore flow. Increasing tidal anomalies resulted in moderate to locally major tidal flooding over an extended period.
Coastal Flood — Oct 12, 2025
A coastal low formed off of the Southeast coast on October 11 and slowly tracked north into October 13 before moving offshore. Meanwhile, a strong 1035mb area of high pressure lingered over the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. This resulted in a prolonged period of strong northeast to north winds across the Chesapeake Bay and coastal waters, which allowed for widespread moderate to major coastal floodin...
Flash Flood — Jan 9, 2024
Strong low pressure and an associated cold front moving across the Mid Atlantic Region produced heavy rain which caused flash flooding across portions of central, south central and southeast Virginia.
Flash Flood — Aug 4, 2024
Scattered thunderstorms along a frontal boundary produced heavy rain which caused flash flooding across portions of eastern Virginia.
Flash Flood — Jul 8, 2021
The center of Tropical Storm Elsa tracked north just inland of the Middle Atlantic Coast from Thursday morning through Thursday night, July 8th. The Tropical Storm produced heavy rain which caused flash flooding across portions of central and south central Virginia, and the Virginia Northern Neck.
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 Charles City 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 Charles City 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.