Does Mission Beach flood?
Mission Beach, San Diego, CA · ZIP code 92109: the ZIP code on 74 of the 74 flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Mission Beach have filed flood claims. About 79% of Mission Beach’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk zones such as AE and VE). NFIP flood insurance records list 74 claims from the Census block groups that cover Mission Beach, from 1982 through 2023. 51 of them received a payment, totaling $337,137 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1988 (32 claims), 1983 (10 claims), 1998 (5 claims).
What this page counts as Mission Beach
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Mission Beach, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Mission Beach 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 Mission Beach (feature 1661041), 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 Mission Beach. 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 Mission Beach
Neighborhood figures are averages. Our address check looks up the FEMA flood zone and California’s fire hazard severity zone at one address, from the same public maps: check if your address is in a flood zone.
Flood zones street by street in Mission Beach
The named streets in Mission Beach, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Mission Beach lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Mission Beach; 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mission Blvd | 1.9 mi | 25% | X (unshaded, minimal) (75%) |
| W Mission Bay Dr | 1.8 mi | 25% | X (unshaded, minimal) (74%) |
| Ocean Front Walk | 1.6 mi | 100% | VE (100%) |
| Ingraham St | 1.3 mi | 19% | X (unshaded, minimal) (80%) |
| Strand Way | 1.3 mi | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Bayside Ln | 1.2 mi | 99% | AE (99%) |
| Gleason Rd | 4,250 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Quivira Rd | 4,050 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Quivira Way | 3,600 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Riviera Dr | 3,540 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Dana Landing Rd | 3,310 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Mariners Way | 2,630 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Quivira Ct | 2,580 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Buena Vista St | 2,420 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Promontory St | 2,200 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Sunset Cliffs Blvd | 2,150 ft | 53% | AE (53%) |
| Bayonne Dr | 2,070 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| El Carmel Pl | 1,410 ft | 13% | X (unshaded, minimal) (87%) |
| Santa Clara Pl | 1,360 ft | 31% | X (unshaded, minimal) (69%) |
| Sea World Dr | 1,100 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| San Fernando Pl | 1,030 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (98%) |
| Isthmus Ct | 1,020 ft | 81% | AE (78%) |
| Island Ct | 1,010 ft | 74% | AE (71%) |
| La Mancha Dr | 1,010 ft | 0.0% | X (unshaded, minimal) (100%) |
| Jamaica Ct | 950 ft | 66% | AE (62%) |
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 Mission Beach
Share of Mission Beach’s mapped area (about 7.857 km²) in each FEMA flood zone, from FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Mapped base flood elevations inside the neighborhood range from 8 to 20 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (06073C1592H, 06073C1594H, 06073C1611H, 06073C1613H): December 20, 2019.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| AE | 63% |
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 21% |
| VE | 16% |
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 Mission Beach. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 44 | $138,380 |
| 1990s | 8 | $121,438 |
| 2000s | 11 | $57,598 |
| 2010s | 10 | $19,719 |
| 2020s | 1 | $0 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Flooding: 44 claims
- Pineapple Express - Southern: 4 claims
- Winter storm: 3 claims
- California Atmospheric River: 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): 49
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 12
- Not reported: 11
- V/VE (coastal high hazard): 2
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Extreme heat in Mission Beach
Trees shade streets and buildings and cool the air around them (U.S. EPA: Using Trees and Vegetation to Reduce Heat Islands). In the USDA Forest Service’s 2025 satellite-based tree canopy map, trees cover about 1.2% of Mission Beach’s area on average, compared with 7.1% for San Diego as a whole (the 45 San Diego areas on this site combined) (USDA Forest Service. 2026. USFS NLCD Percent Tree Canopy CONUS v2025-6 (2025 map). Salt Lake City, UT).
During a heat advisory, follow the National Weather Service: Heat Safety guidance. Neighborhood averages cannot tell you how hot a particular home, block or unit gets.
Fire hazard severity zones in Mission Beach
California’s 2025 Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps do not place any of Mission Beach in a moderate, high or very high zone (CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones). Wildfire smoke and wind-blown embers can still reach areas outside the zones.
Fire hazard data: CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal. CAL FIRE does not endorse this site.
Before you rent or buy in Mission Beach
- 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 Mission Beach
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Mission Beach with other San Diego neighborhoods on more than flooding, see San Diego on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Mission Beach flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Mission Beach have filed flood claims. About 79% of Mission Beach’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk zones such as AE and VE). NFIP flood insurance records list 74 claims from the Census block groups that cover Mission Beach, from 1982 through 2023. 51 of them received a payment, totaling $337,137 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 1988 (32 claims), 1983 (10 claims), 1998 (5 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Mission Beach in a flood zone?
About 79% of Mission Beach’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk zones such as AE and VE). Shares by zone: AE 63%; X (unshaded, minimal) 21%; VE 16%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect December 20, 2019.
Which streets in Mission Beach are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of Ocean Front Walk, Bayside Ln, Sunset Cliffs Blvd, Isthmus Ct, Island Ct and Jamaica Ct lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Less than 10% of Strand Way, Gleason Rd, Quivira Rd, Quivira Way, Riviera Dr, Dana Landing Rd, Mariners Way and Quivira Ct does. Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Mission Beach in?
Mission Beach is in San Diego, CA. ZIP code 92109: the ZIP code on 74 of the 74 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 Pacific Beach flood?
- Does Ocean Beach flood?
- Morena
- Roseville
- Does Mission Hills flood?
- Five Points
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 San Diego County (county code 06073), 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: 060730076006, 060730076003, 060730076002, 060730076007, 060730077012. 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. Tree canopy: the mean of the 2025 NLCD Tree Canopy Cover values (0–100%, 30 m cells in an equal-area projection) for cells whose center lies inside the polygon. Fire hazard severity zones: the 2025 zone polygons (Local and State Responsibility Areas) intersected with the neighborhood polygon in an equal-area projection; the share of area in each class. 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.
- USDA Forest Service. 2026. USFS NLCD Percent Tree Canopy CONUS v2025-6 (2025 map). Salt Lake City, UT (30 m cells; read October 30, 2026).
- National Weather Service: Heat Safety.
- U.S. EPA: Using Trees and Vegetation to Reduce Heat Islands.
- CAL FIRE Office of the State Fire Marshal, Fire Hazard Severity Zones (2025 maps; read October 30, 2026).
- 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); hazard data computed October 30, 2026. Page last updated October 30, 2026.