Californians are bracing for floods as an atmospheric river bears down upon the Golden State. While the whole Bay Area is likely to see some rain, forecasters expect that the storm center will hit Santa Cruz and move toward the Sierra this weekend.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency tracks areas vulnerable to a 100-year flood, or a flood that has a 1 percent chance of occurring in any given year.
If you live in a 100-year flood zone FEMA requires you to purchase flood insurance. The agency's data show that populated areas around the state are at risk. A much broader swath of the state is vulnerable in a 500-year flood, but insurance isn't required in those areas.
Currently, the maps for San Francisco, Humboldt and Placer counties are preliminary. We do not currently have maps available for Alpine County.
Enter your address or location below to see whether you live in a flood zone. Go to FEMA's website to see all mapped flood zones and learn more about flood mapping and insurance.
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