268 flood insurance claims·$3.5M paid·10 federal flood & hurricane disasters
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around Chesterfield County, Virginia. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding from severe summer storms dominates the flood character of Chesterfield County, Virginia. Over the last 30 years, the NOAA Storm Events Database recorded 96 flash flood events—resulting in 1 death—alongside 9 standard flood events. A notable example occurred in July 2025, when a moist and unstable air mass produced slow-moving storms across the region in two separate rounds. This system dropped widespread rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches, causing widespread flash flooding between July 14 and July 15.
National Flood Insurance Program records indicate that flood risks extend beyond high-risk zones, making specific zone awareness essential for homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists. Properties in FEMA Zone A recorded the highest volume of claims at 132, with an average payout of $24,106 and an average recorded water depth of 12 inches. Meanwhile, properties in Zone X experienced 67 claims with an average payout of $15,268 and an average recorded water depth of 25 inches. Unshaded Zone X properties recorded 37 claims averaging $14,234 with a 9-inch average water depth, unknown zones logged 18 claims averaging $8,367 with a 5-inch average water depth, and shaded Zone X properties saw 12 claims averaging $4,174 with a 2-inch average water depth. Residents in designated high-risk flood zones and moderate-to-low risk Zone X areas should pay close attention to these historical claim patterns and water depths.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
27% of Chesterfield County’s flood insurance claims were on properties rated outside FEMA’s high-risk zones.
182 NFIP claims with a recorded rated flood zone, 1978 to date. The zone is the one FEMA used to rate that policy, which may not match today’s map. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
In flood insurance claims here that reported a flood depth, the average was 12 inches.
Drawn to scale against an 80-inch door. Even a few inches soaks flooring, the bottom of the drywall and anything plugged in near the floor.
Average of the depths reported on claims (zero and implausible values left out); FEMA’s record doesn’t say exactly where each depth was measured. Source: OpenFEMA NFIP claims.
The worst year was 2004, with 50 claims and $1.4M paid, the year of Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes Associated W Td Gaston.
Bar height is scaled by square root so ordinary years stay visible next to the worst one. NFIP claims by year of loss. Source: OpenFEMA.
26 NOAA storm reports from Chesterfield County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Virginia flood stories →
25 federal disaster declarations since 1969, 10 of them floods, coastal storms or hurricanes.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 22, 2026 |
| Severe Winter Storms | Feb 11, 2021 |
| Tropical Storm Michael | Oct 9, 2018 |
| Hurricane Florence | Sep 13, 2018 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Oct 26, 2012 |
| Hurricane Irene | Aug 26, 2011 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes Associated W Td Gaston | Aug 30, 2004 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
105 since 1996: 96 flash floods and 9 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Sep 27, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 19, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 18, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 15, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 13, 2025 | $15,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 13, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 13, 2025 | $25,000 |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2025 | $50,000 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Flash Flood · Sep 27, 2025. A moist and unstable airmass was in place on September 27. Meanwhile, a surface low lingered across south central Virginia along the North Carolina border with a stationary front extending east along the state border. This low slowly moved east-northeast through the afternoon on September 27. This allowed for rounds of heavy showers and storms to move across central and southeast Virginia beginning during the morn…
Flash Flood · Jul 19, 2025. A stationary front was anchored north of the area in Pennsylvania. Deep moisture was in place to the south of the front with precipitable water values near two inches. Strong surface heating resulted in robust instability with wind shear around 25 knots, allowing for deep, slow moving, convection capable of heavy rainfall and flash flooding during the afternoon and evening hours.
Flash Flood · Jul 18, 2025. A stationary front was draped north of the region with several embedded disturbances aloft moving across the area, resulting in heavy rainfall and flash flooding.
Flash Flood · Jul 15, 2025. A moist and unstable air mass was in place from July 14 through July 15. This allowed for widespread, slow-moving storms to move across portions of central, southern, and southeastern Virginia. These storms produced heavy rain and widespread flash flooding in two rounds. One round was from overnight convection on the night of July 14 into the morning of July 15 and the other round was during the afternoon of July…
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in Chesterfield County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.