Enter any address in James City County, Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Coastal flooding and flash flooding are the most frequent types of flooding in James City County, VA, each occurring 17 times in the last 30 years. Recent events include coastal flooding on October 12-13, 2025, caused by strong northeast winds, and flash flooding on July 31, 2025, due to slow-moving thunderstorms.
National Flood Insurance Program data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $17,245 and an average water depth of 1.7 feet. Properties in Zone X have seen higher average payouts ($19,448) and deeper water (4.1 feet), despite fewer claims. Homeowners in coastal areas and those located near tidal rivers should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
18 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
James City County, Virginia has recorded 46 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 17 flash floods and 5 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Hurricane Isabel | Hurricane | Sep 18, 2003 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 18, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Oct 12, 2025 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Oct 1, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Nov 15, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 4, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Oct 1, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Sep 27, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Sep 23, 2023 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 31, 2025
A front was located north of the region and gradually moved south in response to an approaching mid level disturbance. To the south of the front, robust heating of a moist low level airmass resulted in increasing instability by the afternoon and evening hours. Strong, slow moving, convection resulted in areas of strong winds, heavy rainfall, and flash flooding during the late afternoon and even...
Flash Flood — Aug 18, 2025
Moisture and instability pooled along a nearly stationary frontal boundary across southeast Virginia on August 18. Slow-moving showers and storms trained over the lower Virginia Peninsula region, with flash flooding occurring in the late afternoon and evenings hours.
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...
Coastal Flood — Oct 1, 2025
Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda were located well offshore of the Eastern Seaboard on October 1, with high pressure over the Great Lakes and southern Canada. The combination of elevated winds and long-period swell led to coastal flooding. A few locations along the Virginia tidal rivers reached moderate flood stage from later October 1 into early October 3.
Coastal Flood — Nov 15, 2024
An area of low pressure moved across the Outer Banks and out to sea on the night of November 14 into November 15. Winds became northeast ahead of the low and northwest behind the low as it moved offshore on November 15. The result was a surge of water from the Chesapeake Bay with moderate coastal flooding reported across several areas.
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 James 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 James 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.