Hurricanes aren't a rare occurrence in Hampton Roads so it's important for all of us to understand our flood risk. Knowing the risk of flooding on your property can help you better prepare for an upcoming storm, but it can also help you with decisions, such as the amount of insurance you need. The National Hurricane Center has published a new tool that will make it easier to assess your risk of one type of flooding-storm surge.
The storm surge risk map is completely interactive. You can zoom in on any coastline in the country, and tabs at the top allow you to see the surge potential for the varying categories of hurricanes.
The color-coded areas on the map indicate places that could potentially go underwater in a Category 1 hurricane. The blue areas could see water as high as 3 feet. Yellow areas would take on 3'-6' of water in a Category 1 storm.
It's worth mentioning that these are "worst case scenario" maps; if all the factors come together for the highest potential storm surge, this is the highest water level potential in a Category 1. In order to create the "worst case scenario", the tide would have to be at its highest, and the winds would have to be just right.
Tropical storms and hurricanes usually cause flooding from not just the storm surge, but also due to the heavy rainfall. So, the storm surge map should not be read as a "flood potential" map. Flooding from heavy rainfall is completely separate, and it's just as threatening as that from storm surge.
Storm Surge Inundation Maps
These maps show projected hurricane storm surge flooding along coastal areas.
Regional Maps
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Accomack County (also includes Town of Chincoteague)
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Phone: (757) 789-3610
Web: http://www.acdps.net/ - Town of Chincoteague Emergency Management
Phone: (757) 336-6519
E-mail: chincoes@verizon.net
Web: http://www.chincoteague-va.gov
City of Chesapeake
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Chesapeake Emergency Management
Phone: (757) 382-6504
E-mail: public@cityofchesapeake.net
Web: http://www.cityofchesapeake.net/Government/City-Departments/Departments/fire/emergman.htm
Gloucester County
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Department of Emergency Services
Phone: (804) 693-3390
Web: http://www.gloucesterva.info/
City of Hampton
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Emergency Management Office
Phone: (757) 727-1208
Email: emoffice@hampton.gov
Web: http://hampton.gov/eoc/index.html
Isle of Wight County
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Department of Emergency Services
Phone: (757) 365-3608
Web: http://www.co/isle-of-wight.va.us/emergency-services
Lancaster County
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Emergency Management
Phone: (804) 462-6010
Web: http://www.lancova.com/
Mathews County
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Emergency Services
Phone: (804) 725-7172
Web: http://www.co.mathews.va.us/departments-services/emergency-services
Middlesex County
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Emergency Management
Phone: (804)-758-4330
Web: http://www.co.middlesex.va.us/
City of Newport News
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Division of Emergency Management
Phone: (757) 269-2900
Web: http://www.nngov.com/emergency-management
City of Norfolk
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Department of Emergency Preparedness & Response
Phone: (757) 441-6100
Web: http://www.norfolk.gov/Emergency/
Northampton County
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Emergency Management
Phone: (757) 678-0411
Web: http://www.northampton-ems.org/
Northumberland County
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Emergency Management
Phone: (804) 580-7666
Web: http://www.co.northumberland.va.us/
City of Poquoson
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Fire and Rescue
Phone: (757) 868-3510
Web: http://www.ci.poquoson.va.us/city_departments/fire_rescue
City of Portsmouth
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Office of Emergency Management
Phone: (757) 393-8338
Web: http://www.portsmouthva.gov/eoc/index_eoc.asp
Richmond County
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Department of Emergency Services
Phone: (804) 333-5089
Web: http://www.co.richmond.va.us/
City of Suffolk
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Division of Emergency Management
Phone: (757) 514-4536
Web: http://www.suffolk.va.us/em
Surry County
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Emergency Services
Phone: (757) 294-5205
Web: http://www.surrycountyva.gov/departments/view/emergency-services/
City of Virginia Beach
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Officeof Emergency Management
Phone: (757) 385-8466
Web: http://www.vbgov.com/government/departments/fire/emergency-mgmt/Pages/default.aspx
Westmoreland County
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Public Safety
Phone: (804) 493-0130
Web: http://www.westmoreland-county.org/index.php?p=county&c=publicSafety
York County
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Department of Fire and Life Safety, Office of Emergency Management
Phone: (757) 890-3600
E-mail: flsafety@yorkcounty.gov
Web: http://www.yorkcounty.gov/Default.aspx?tabid=1514
