FEMA Flood Zone Lookup in Alabama

Alabama faces significant flood risk from both riverine and coastal flooding, sitting at the intersection of multiple vulnerable river basins. The Tennessee River valley in the northern part of the state is particularly prone to flooding, while coastal counties along Mobile Bay and the Gulf of Mexico face hurricane-driven storm surge threats. In 2020, Hurricane Sally brought catastrophic flooding to the Alabama coast with storm surge reaching 9 feet in some areas. The state experiences an average of 7-10 significant flood events per year according to the National Weather Service. Major river systems including the Alabama, Tombigbee, and Coosa rivers regularly overflow their banks during heavy rain events. Mobile County and Baldwin County are consistently among the most flood-damaged areas in the Southeast. FEMA designates large portions of the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta as Special Flood Hazard Areas, and many communities along the Black Warrior River system carry repeated flood loss histories. The state has received over $500 million in FEMA disaster declarations related to flooding in the past two decades. Urban development in the Birmingham metropolitan area has increased impervious surfaces, worsening flash flood risks in Jefferson and Shelby counties.