Enter any address in Danville city, Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from intense rainfall events is the dominant flood character in Danville City County. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 42 flood events and 19 flash flood events, which have resulted in two fatalities. For example, a slow-moving storm on August 2, 2024, dropped three to four inches of rain in two hours across the eastern side of Danville, with rainfall rates exceeding four inches per hour at times. Persistent rainfall from an upper-level low also led to flooding in May 2020, with some areas receiving over 12 inches of rain in 96 hours.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $41,704 and an average water depth of 3.4 feet. However, properties in Zone X_SHADED have seen the deepest average water levels at 10.9 feet, despite fewer claims. Homeowners in Zone A and Zone X_SHADED, as well as those in any flood zone, should pay particular attention to their flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
22 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Danville city, Virginia has recorded 64 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 19 flash floods and 42 river or area floods. The county has received 18 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 |
| 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 |
| Tropical Storm Michael | Hurricane | Oct 9, 2018 |
| Hurricane Florence | Hurricane | Sep 13, 2018 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 26, 2012 |
| Severe Storms And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
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 2, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Aug 5, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 29, 2020 | 100.00K |
| Flood | May 21, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Aug 21, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Nov 12, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 23, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Dec 29, 2018 | 0.00K |
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 2, 2024
Numerous showers and some storms developed within an unstable and moist airmass in advance of an approaching front. A few of these storms increased to severe levels and produced damaging wind gusts. One slow-moving storm developed across the eastern side of the City of Danville and produced three to locally four inches of rain during a two-hour period between 3:20 pm and 5:20 PM EDT. Rainfall...
Flood — Aug 5, 2022
An upper level disturbance crossed the region during the peak heating of the day. The timing of these two events helped yield a generous coverage of showers and storms across the area, with a couple of storms becoming severe. Those that became severe produced damaging wind gusts. Lightning was also known to have struck a house and also a chimney.
Tropical Storm — Oct 29, 2020
Winds associated with Tropical Storm Zeta caused damage and power outages in southwestern Virginia, concentrated close to border with North Carolina. Wind gusts reached 30-40 knots during the peak of the storm. Numerous trees were blown down by Tropical Storm Zeta, with many falling on homes, power lines, and blocking roadways. A thunderstorm closely following Zeta contributed to some of the wi...
Flood — May 21, 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...
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 Danville city, 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 Danville city, 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.