Enter any address in Pittsylvania County, Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding and general flooding events have been the most frequent types of flood events in Pittsylvania County over the last 30 years, with 55 flash flood events and 56 flood events recorded. Two deaths have been attributed to flash flooding. Recent events include flooding in January 2024, driven by atmospheric conditions that brought significant moisture and rainfall to the region.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone X_SHADED have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $8,227 and an average water depth of 2.8 feet. While Zone X has fewer claims, the average payout is substantially higher at $40,646, though with a lower average water depth of 0.2 feet. Zone A has seen one claim with an average payout of $35,097 and 2.0 feet of water depth.
Homeowners in areas designated as Zone X_SHADED, Zone X, and Zone A should pay particular attention to flood risk. Residents with properties in these zones, especially those near waterways or in areas prone to heavy rainfall, are advised to be aware of potential flood impacts.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
55 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Pittsylvania County, Virginia has recorded 114 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 55 flash floods and 56 river or area floods. The county has received 27 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 And Flooding | Severe Storm | Feb 10, 2025 |
| Post-tropical Cyclone Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 25, 2024 |
| Tropical Storm Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 25, 2024 |
| 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 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Sep 30, 2024 | 25.00K |
| Flood | Jan 28, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jan 27, 2024 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 130.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 8, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 11, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 11, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Oct 29, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Tropical Storm | Oct 29, 2020 | 100.00K |
Flash Flood — Sep 30, 2024
Multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms associated with the remnant moisture of Tropical Storm Helene passed across the region, producing localized heavy rainfall across soils that were already moist from previous rainfall. Rainfall rates in several of the storms that developed ranged from between three and five inches per hour and, in a few cases, were higher. Creeks that were already hig...
Flood — Jan 28, 2024
An upper level low pressure system passed up the Ohio River Valley on the 28th, drawing an associated occluded front across the central Appalachians. Strong southerly windflow ahead of the front brought precipitable water values ranging from 1.2 to nearly 1.4 inches to over the Southside area of Virginia, which is between two and three standard deviations above normal per NWS climatology data....
Flood — Jan 27, 2024
An upper level low pressure system passed up the Ohio River Valley on the 28th, drawing an associated occluded front across the central Appalachians. Strong southerly windflow ahead of the front brought precipitable water values ranging from 1.2 to nearly 1.4 inches to over the Southside area of Virginia, which is between two and three standard deviations above normal per NWS climatology data....
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 — 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...
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 Pittsylvania 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 Pittsylvania 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.