Enter any address in Wythe County, Virginia to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding events are the most frequent type of flooding in Wythe County, VA, based on NOAA Storm Events data from the last 30 years. These events have occurred 43 times, compared to 24 instances of general flooding, which have resulted in one death. Recent examples include flash flooding on September 26, 2024, associated with Hurricane Helene's remnants, and general flooding on February 15 and 16, 2025, driven by deep moisture pooling along a warm front.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims, with an average payout of $16,540 and an average water depth of 0.9 feet. While Zone X_SHADED has had fewer claims, one claim resulted in a significantly higher average payout of $26,793 with an average water depth of 32.0 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, and those in any flood zone with a history of claims, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
31 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Wythe County, Virginia has recorded 67 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 43 flash floods and 24 river or area floods. The county has received 18 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 (1976–2026)
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 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Hurricane Florence | Hurricane | Sep 13, 2018 |
| Hurricane Sandy | Hurricane | Oct 26, 2012 |
| Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Hurricane | Aug 29, 2005 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Record/near Record Snowfall, Heavy Rain,floodind, And Mudslide | Severe Storm | Feb 15, 2003 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Feb 16, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 26, 2024 | 1.00M |
| Flash Flood | Sep 26, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 21, 2020 | 16.50K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 19, 2020 | 25.00K |
| Flood | Apr 13, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 13, 2020 | 160.50K |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 22, 2019 | 0.00K |
Flood — Feb 16, 2025
A deep upper level trough was observed exiting the southern Rockies during the morning of February 15th, with southwesterly windflow ahead of the trough allowing for a fetch of deep moisture from the western Gulf of America. This moisture pooled along a warm front situated across from Kentucky into southwest Virginia, where precipitable water values increased from 0.6 to 0.7 inches at 7 am that...
Flood — Feb 15, 2025
A deep upper level trough was observed exiting the southern Rockies during the morning of February 15th, with southwesterly windflow ahead of the trough allowing for a fetch of deep moisture from the western Gulf of America. This moisture pooled along a warm front situated across from Kentucky into southwest Virginia, where precipitable water values increased from 0.6 to 0.7 inches at 7 am that...
Flood — Sep 26, 2024
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a powerful Category 4 hurricane late Thursday, September 26, and moved quickly northward into the southeastern states, and then turned slightly northwestward towards the southern Appalachian Mountains overnight into Friday morning, weakening as it moved over land. Helene���s intensity and fast forward motion led to impacts being felt well inlan...
Flash Flood — Sep 26, 2024
An upper level low was situated in the vicinity of western Tennessee, while a strong upper ridge was positioned over the southeast coast, which helped to steer Hurricane Helene into the Florida Big Bend during the evening of September 26. Ahead of Helene, the Predecessor Rainfall Event (PRE) that developed on the 25th continued to intensify as upper level areas of low pressure rotating around t...
Flood — May 21, 2020
An upper-level low became cut-off over the southern Appalachian region for several days leading to persistent rainfall and eventually some flooding. Four-day (96-hour) rainfall amounts ending at 800 AM EDT on May 22nd ranged from 3 to over 12 inches in the most favored locations. Some of the 11-inch+, 4-day rain totals in Roanoke County were within the 200-year recurrence interval (9.78 to 11.8...
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 Wythe 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 Wythe 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.