Enter any address in Lancaster County, Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Lancaster County experiences a mix of coastal and flash flooding events. Recent examples include coastal flooding on October 12-13, 2025, driven by strong northeast winds, and flash flooding on July 19, 2025, caused by slow-moving thunderstorms producing heavy rainfall.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows the majority of claims in Lancaster County are in Zone A, with an average payout of $13,042 and an average water depth of 2.0 feet. Zone X also has a notable number of claims, with a higher average payout of $24,297 despite a lower average water depth of 0.7 feet.
Residents in coastal areas, as well as those in Zone A and Zone X, should be particularly aware of flood risks. Properties without a Base Flood Elevation (BFE) may face higher risks.
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.
Lancaster County, Virginia has recorded 62 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 26 flash floods and 5 river or area floods. The county has received 25 federal disaster declarations, 2 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 | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 11, 2021 |
| 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 |
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 | Aug 21, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 19, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Mar 17, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Oct 12, 2025 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Oct 2, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Sep 20, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 20, 2024 | 75.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 20, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Nov 15, 2024 | 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 — Aug 21, 2025
Hurricane Erin passed well offshore and combined with high pressure to the north, resulting in a period of strong onshore winds and coastal flooding across eastern Virginia and the Virginia Eastern Shore.
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 — Mar 17, 2025
Scattered showers and thunderstorms developed ahead of a slow-moving cold front on March 16 across southeast Virginia. These showers and storms trained over the same areas into early on March 17, allowing for heavy rain and instances of flash flooding across portions of southeast Virginia on March 16 and 17.
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...
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 Lancaster 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 Lancaster 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.