Enter any address in Craig County, Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Craig County. Recent events include flash flooding on May 13, 2025, and June 16, 2025, where thunderstorms produced heavy rainfall over the county and surrounding basins. Flooding from persistent rainfall also occurred, such as in May 2020, when several days of rain led to river flooding.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that while Zone A properties have experienced flooding, Zone X properties have had more claims with higher average payouts and water depths. Homeowners in Zone X, as well as those in Zone A and Zone Unknown, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
13 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Craig County, Virginia has recorded 23 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 13 flash floods and 9 river or area floods. The county has received 26 federal disaster declarations, 3 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 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Flooding | Severe Storm | Feb 10, 2025 |
| Post-tropical Cyclone Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 25, 2024 |
| Tropical Storm Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 25, 2024 |
| 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 Storms And Snowstorms | Snowstorm | Feb 5, 2010 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jun 16, 2025 | 100.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 13, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 20, 2020 | 50.00K |
| Flood | Jun 17, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 13, 2020 | 12.00K |
| Flood | Sep 17, 2018 | 9.65K |
| Flood | May 25, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 20, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 2, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 12, 2014 | 20.00K |
Flash Flood — Jun 16, 2025
A line of thunderstorms developed over eastern Craig County at around 4:00 PM EDT and quickly spread eastward over the Catawba Creek basin in neighboring Botetourt County. Multiple cells trained over this area through around 6:45 PM EDT before exiting to the south. These storms formed along a stationary front situated across central Virginia. Convergence along the front provided focus for init...
Flash Flood — May 13, 2025
An upper low positioned over the Tennessee Valley, with numerous shortwaves rotating through it, brought several rounds of showers and thunderstorms to the area for a few days. Surface low pressure over the Midwest also helped to prompt the development of thunderstorms. A plume of moisture pushed northward into the area from the Carolinas, and helped convective initiation, despite some dry air ...
Flood — May 20, 2020
An upper-level low became cut-off over the southern Appalachian region for several days leading to persistent rainfall and eventually some flooding. Four-day (96-hour) rainfall amounts ending at 800 AM EDT on May 22nd ranged from 3 to over 12 inches in the most favored locations. Some of the 11-inch+, 4-day rain totals in Roanoke County were within the 200-year recurrence interval (9.78 to 11.8...
Flood — Jun 17, 2020
A broad closed upper low drifted across South Carolina and northwest back into southwest Virginia and West Virginia bringing persistent rainfall that eventually led to flooding. There were repeated rounds of heavy rainfall with widespread amounts of 2 to 5 inches, with isolated totals over 10 inches in a 3-day period in parts of Halifax County, VA.
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...
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 Craig 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 Craig 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.