Does El Monte flood?
El Monte, Mobile, AL · ZIP code 36609: the ZIP code on 42 of the 42 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around El Monte have filed flood claims. About 0.9% of El Monte’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area; the rest is in moderate or minimal-hazard Zone X. NFIP flood insurance records list 42 claims from the Census block groups that cover El Monte, from 1979 through 2020. 36 of them received a payment, totaling $408,171 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1998 (12 claims), 1979 (8 claims), 1981 (6 claims).
What this page counts as El Monte
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for El Monte, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, El Monte means the 2010 Census block groups whose center lies within 1.6 km (1.0 miles) of the U.S. Geological Survey (GNIS) map point for El Monte (feature 143312), each block group going to the nearest of the places we cover. Every number below is for exactly those block groups (listed in “How these numbers were made”), so the edges are approximate and may include or leave out a few blocks people would call El Monte. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names.
Past claims do not predict future flooding, and a neighborhood figure cannot tell you about one building. Look up the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and get flood insurance quotes before you sign a lease or a contract.
Check a specific address in El Monte
Neighborhood figures are averages. Our address check looks up the FEMA flood zone at one address, from the same public maps: check if your address is in a flood zone.
Flood zones street by street in El Monte
The named streets in El Monte, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside El Monte lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside El Monte; the main zone is the FEMA zone covering most of that length. A street can cross several zones, so the zone at one address can differ from the street’s main zone: check the address above for that. 34 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| S University Blvd | 2.2 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Cottage Hill Rd | 1.5 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Raines Dr | 4,650 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Knollwood Dr | 4,060 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Panorama Blvd | 4,020 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Wildwood Pl | 2,720 ft | 1.5% | X (unshaded, minimal) (97%) |
| Oakland Dr | 2,690 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Via Alta Dr | 2,100 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Ynestra Dr | 1,960 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Merritt Dr | 1,890 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Kasserine Pass | 1,800 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Grelot Rd | 1,780 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| S Lancewood Dr | 1,670 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Cortez Dr | 1,640 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Wilshire Rd | 1,600 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Zack Logan Ave W | 1,540 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Palmdale Dr | 1,520 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| S Vista Bonita Dr | 1,430 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Tamworth Dr | 1,400 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Regency Oaks Dr N | 1,390 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Regency Oaks Dr S | 1,380 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Ridgedale Rd | 1,330 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| W Lancewood Dr | 1,270 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Rebecca Rd | 1,260 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Regency Oaks Dr W | 1,240 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
Streets: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads). Flood zones: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels, retrieved October 25, 2026. Each street is clipped to the area boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in El Monte
Share of El Monte’s mapped area (about 2.668 km²) in each FEMA flood zone, from FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (01097C0541L, 01097C0543L, 01097C0544L): June 5, 2020.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 98% |
| AE | 0.9% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 0.7% |
What the zones mean
- Zone AE (and A, AH, AO)
- High-risk: part of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), the area FEMA maps as having a 1-percent chance of flooding in any given year (the “100-year” or base flood). AE areas have a mapped base flood elevation.
- Zone VE (and V)
- High-risk coastal areas, also in the SFHA, where the base flood is expected to bring additional hazards from storm waves.
- Zone X (shaded)
- Moderate hazard: between the limits of the 1-percent and the 0.2-percent-annual-chance (“500-year”) flood.
- Zone X (unshaded)
- Minimal hazard: outside the SFHA and higher than the 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood elevation. Minimal is not zero: flood claims are filed from X zones too.
Source: FEMA Glossary: Flood Zones.
Flood insurance claims over time
Claims filed under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) from the 2010 Census block groups that cover El Monte. This area is made of whole block groups, so every claim counted here comes from inside it. Only insured properties appear, so these counts understate total flooding.
By decade
| Decade | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 8 | $38,966 |
| 1980s | 10 | $73,913 |
| 1990s | 13 | $148,713 |
| 2000s | 6 | $40,147 |
| 2010s | 4 | $27,222 |
| 2020s | 1 | $79,211 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Flooding: 18 claims
- Hurricane Frederic: 5 claims
- Mid-spring storms: 1 claims
- Hurricane Ivan: 1 claims
- Hurricane Elena: 1 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 33
- V/VE (coastal high hazard): 4
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 3
- Other (D): 2
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Before you rent or buy in El Monte
- Look up the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center; a neighborhood can mix high-risk and minimal-hazard zones.
- Ask the landlord or seller about past flooding and flood insurance claims at the property.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: new NFIP policies usually take 30 days to start (FloodSmart (NFIP): Buy a Flood Insurance Policy).
- Ask which floor the unit is on and where parking, storage and mechanical equipment sit.
Living in El Monte
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare El Monte with other Mobile neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Mobile on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does El Monte flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around El Monte have filed flood claims. About 0.9% of El Monte’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area; the rest is in moderate or minimal-hazard Zone X. NFIP flood insurance records list 42 claims from the Census block groups that cover El Monte, from 1979 through 2020. 36 of them received a payment, totaling $408,171 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1998 (12 claims), 1979 (8 claims), 1981 (6 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is El Monte in a flood zone?
About 0.9% of El Monte’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area; the rest is in moderate or minimal-hazard Zone X. Shares by zone: X (unshaded, minimal) 98%; AE 0.9%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 0.7%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect June 5, 2020.
Which streets in El Monte are in a high-risk flood zone?
No street listed here has most of its length in FEMA high-risk zones. Less than 10% of S University Blvd, Cottage Hill Rd, Raines Dr, Knollwood Dr, Panorama Blvd, Wildwood Pl, Oakland Dr and Via Alta Dr does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is El Monte in?
El Monte is in Mobile, AL. ZIP code 36609: the ZIP code on 42 of the 42 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines. Check the specific address for its own flood zone.
Do renters need flood insurance?
Standard renters policies usually do not cover flood. Renters in a community that participates in the NFIP can buy contents-only flood coverage, up to $100,000 for belongings.
How long does a new flood policy take to start?
A new NFIP policy generally takes effect 30 days after purchase. Exceptions include no wait when the policy is bought while making, increasing, extending or renewing a mortgage, and a one-day wait in a newly designated high-risk zone within 12 months of the map change.
How much coverage can NFIP provide?
For a one-to-four family home, NFIP building coverage goes up to $250,000 and contents coverage up to $100,000. You can buy flood insurance even if you are not in a high-risk zone, as long as your community participates in the NFIP.
FAQ sources: FloodSmart (NFIP): Buy a Flood Insurance Policy; FEMA Fact Sheet: Think you don’t need flood insurance? Think again (Jan. 21, 2025); 44 CFR 61.11, Effective date and time of coverage.
Nearby neighborhoods
- Does Regency flood?
- Does Jackson Heights flood?
- Oakwood Estates
- Does Rolling Acres flood?
- Does Cottage Hill flood?
- Timbers
How these numbers were made
Area: the census-based definition above, using U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names. Flood zone shares: the area polygon intersected with FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels, area computed in an equal-area projection; retrieved October 25, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for Mobile County (county code 01097), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved October 25, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 010970032022, 010970037071. Neighboring pages can share a block group, so their counts can overlap. Paid totals add building, contents and Increased Cost of Compliance payments and are not adjusted for inflation; a claim whose FEMA record shows a negative payment (an adjustment) counts as zero. See the methodology.
Sources
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims - v3. Retrieved on October 25, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on October 25, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names.
- FEMA Glossary: Flood Zones.
- FloodSmart (NFIP): Buy a Flood Insurance Policy.
- FEMA Fact Sheet: Think you don’t need flood insurance? Think again (Jan. 21, 2025).
- 44 CFR 61.11, Effective date and time of coverage.
- OpenFEMA Terms and Conditions.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads).
Data as of September 8, 2026 (FEMA claims) and October 25, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated October 25, 2026.