Enter any address in Portsmouth city, Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rain events is the most frequent type of flooding in Portsmouth City County, VA, with 29 such events recorded in the last 30 years. Coastal flooding is also a significant concern, with 25 events in the same period. For example, coastal flooding occurred on October 12, 2025, due to strong northeast winds, and again on September 16, 2025, from a coastal low. Tropical storms have also impacted the area, with Hurricane Erin bringing tropical storm force gusts on August 21, 2025.
Homeowners in Zone A, which has seen the highest number of National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims (1081) with an average water depth of 3.8 feet, should pay particular attention. Properties in Zone X, especially those designated X_UNSHADED, have also experienced substantial claims with higher average payouts and water depths, suggesting that flood risk extends beyond the most commonly identified high-risk areas.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
2 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Portsmouth city, Virginia has recorded 80 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 29 flash floods and 9 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 | — |
| Coastal Flood | Sep 16, 2025 | 80.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Oct 12, 2025 | 100.00K |
| Coastal Flood | Sep 10, 2025 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 28, 2023 | 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.
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.
Coastal Flood — Sep 16, 2025
A coastal low lingered near the North Carolina and Virginia coastline on September 16, slowly moving northwest into the Chesapeake Bay by the evening of September 16. This low brought a prolonged period of elevated northerly winds across the Chesapeake Bay, resulting in widespread moderate to locally major coastal flooding across portions of eastern Virginia.
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 Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth 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.