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Flood in Pickens County, Alabama
20 floods and flash floods events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Flood, Flash Flood, Coastal Flood, Lakeshore Flood.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Pickens County, Alabama, has 20 flood events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 9 different years.
September is the busiest month, with 7 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 10 events against 10 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 0.6% of the 3,380 flood events recorded in Alabama; its 2.3 per 100 square miles compares with 6.7 statewide.
NCEI attributes 2 deaths in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with Alabama
| Measure | Pickens County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 20 | 3,380 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 2.3 | 6.7 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 10.6 | 6.7 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 2 | 38 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | September | February | June |
By year
Seasonality
3Feb
4Mar
0Apr
1May
2Jun
2Jul
0Aug
0Sep
7Oct
0Nov
0Dec
1
Recorded events
All 20 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan 2015 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Sep 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Sep 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jan 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | 2 | 1 | County |
| 12 Jun 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Apr 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Dec 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Feb 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 May 2003 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 May 2003 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Jan 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | $5K | — | — | County |
| 30 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Pickens County had?
20 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of floods and flash floods became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded flood event in Pickens County?
3 Jan 2015 (Flash Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Pickens County?
The flash flood of 7 Jan 1998, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $50K and crop damage at $5K.
How does Pickens County compare with Alabama for flood?
2.3 events per 100 square miles against 6.7 statewide; the county holds 20 of the state's 3,380 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Flood hub and the county page.