Enter any address in Norfolk city, Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the most frequent type of flooding in Norfolk City County, VA, with 81 recorded events in the last 30 years. Coastal flooding and general flooding also occur, alongside tropical storms and hurricanes. For example, on September 16, 2025, an area of low pressure brought heavy rainfall and flooding across the region, exacerbated by higher-than-normal tides. Another instance of flash flooding occurred on September 27, 2025, due to a moist and unstable airmass and a lingering surface low.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows a significant number of claims in Zone A, with an average payout of $12,548 and an average water depth of 3.9 feet. Claims were also filed in Zone X and Zone X_UNSHADED. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in coastal areas or properties near rivers, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
29 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Norfolk city, Virginia has recorded 135 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 81 flash floods and 12 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 |
| Hurricane Florence | Hurricane | Sep 13, 2018 |
| Hurricane Matthew | Hurricane | Oct 7, 2016 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 26, 2012 |
| Hurricane Irene | Hurricane | Aug 26, 2011 |
| Severe Storms And Flooding Associated With Tropical Depression Ida And A Nor'east | Severe Storm | Nov 11, 2009 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Coastal Flood | Oct 28, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 27, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Aug 21, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Aug 21, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 18, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Sep 16, 2025 | 80.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 16, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 14, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Oct 12, 2025 | 100.00K |
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.
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 begin...
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.
Tropical Storm — Aug 21, 2025
The center of Hurricane Erin stayed several hundred miles east of the Middle Atlantic coast on August 21, 2025. However, due the extremely large size of the cyclone with an expansive wind field, tropical storm force gusts occurred over the Atlantic, Chesapeake Bay, and far eastern and southeastern Virginia.
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.
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 Norfolk 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 Norfolk 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.