Enter any address in Shenandoah County, Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from slow-moving thunderstorms dominates Shenandoah County's flood events. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 136 flood events and 49 flash flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding on July 16th, 2025, and May 14th, 2025, where localized rainfall of one to five inches from stalled or training thunderstorms caused rapid inundation.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that while Zone A areas have the highest claim volume, properties in Zone X (unshaded and shaded) and Zone X have also experienced significant payouts and water depths. Homeowners in areas designated as Zone A, as well as those in Zone X (unshaded and shaded), should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
57 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Shenandoah County, Virginia has recorded 185 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 49 flash floods and 136 river or area floods. The county has received 24 federal disaster declarations, 4 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 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm | Snowstorm | Jan 22, 2016 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 26, 2012 |
| Severe Storms And Straight-line Winds | Severe Storm | Jun 29, 2012 |
| Severe Winter Storms And Snowstorms | Snowstorm | Feb 5, 2010 |
| 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 16, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 14, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 14, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 14, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jan 9, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 4, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 4, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 9, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 4, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 4, 2021 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 16, 2025
An anomalously moist airmass with tropical moisture resided over much of Virginia on July 16th. This comes after several days of showers and thunderstorms, which left some areas with suppressed flash flood guidance. Slow moving thunderstorms developed on remnant boundaries and terrain circulations before propagating eastward. These storms produced localized rainfall amounts of two to five inches.
Flash Flood — May 14, 2025
Underneath an upper level low, slow moving thunderstorms trained over central Virginia producing a quick one to three inches of rain resulting in flash flooding. This comes a day after a few inches of rain had just fallen.
Flood — May 14, 2025
A slow moving closed upper level low originating from the Gulf of America brought anomalous moisture into the area bringing localized heavy rain and a long duration moderate rain event.
Flash Flood — Jun 14, 2025
A weak area of low pressure interacted with an anomalously moist airmass and stalled frontal boundary. This spawned showers and thunderstorms that resulted in localized amounts of one to five inches of rain. The higher amounts were where storms trained or stalled.
Flood — Jan 9, 2024
An area of low pressure tracked through the Ohio River Valley and up through the Great Lakes Region. A strong low level jet enhanced moisture flow into the low pressure system leading to an extended period of moderate rain that caused widespread minor flooding with isolated moderate 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 Shenandoah 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 Shenandoah 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.