How do I find my Lee County flood zone? How to prepare before Tropical Storm Helene

Lee County is under a state of emergency as Tropical Storm Helene makes its way toward Florida. Parts of Fort Myers have been issued a storm surge watch as the coast braces for impact later this week.

With the amount of uncertainty storm systems bring, it's good to have a flood plan in case of an emergency.

In order to plan, you need to know how high-risk your area is.

Here's our guide to flood zones in Lee County and how to prepare.

What's the latest update on Tropical Storm Helene?

Lee County is under a tropical storm watch with the forecast calling for 3 to 5 feet of storm surge along the coast on Wednesday and Thursday.

There's no mandatory evacuation notices yet, but Sanibel officials say locals who feel that their homes aren't safe from potential impacts should consider finding another place to stay.

Lee County officials are on high alert, considering we're only days away from the two year anniversary of Hurricane Ian's devastating impact on the area.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for Lee County, as did local government. County offices will be closed Thursday, but are expected to reopen on Friday.

Keep up with live updates online here .

More: Live updates: Watching Tropical Storm Helene developing and potential impact for Lee County

What are flood zones?

There's a few different types of flood hazard areas defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency .

• Special Flood Hazard Area: An area that is at a high risk of being inundated by a flood event.
  • There's at least a one in four chance of flooding within a 30-year mortgage
  • Marked as A or V on flood maps
• Non-Special Flood Hazard Areas: Moderate to low risk areas where the risk of flooding is reduced, but not completely removed.
  • These areas usually submit more than 20% of National Flood Insurance Program claims and receive one-third of federal disaster assistance for flooding
  • Marked as B, C, or X on flood maps
• Possible, but undetermined flood hazards: Areas where flooding is possible but haven't been studied
  • Marked as D on flood maps

It's important to note that floods can happen anywhere in the right conditions.

Is Lee County a flood zone?

Fort Myers and Lee County are very susceptible to flooding from major rain events and storm surge because of how close they are to the Gulf of Mexico.

The FEMA flood map indicates coastal areas of Fort Myers and Lee County are high-risk flood areas .

How do I know if my property is in a flood zone?

You can find out if you live in a flood zone by using the FEMA interactive flood map. You can type in an address and check the map to see what kind of flood risk matches.

Special Flood Hazard Areas are shaded zones that begin with A or V. Non-Special Flood Hazard Areas are moderate to low risk areas that begin with B, C, or X.

Blue shaded areas on the map are high-risk flood zones and moderate-risk flood zones are shaded in orange.

If you're having trouble reading the map, you can read through the FEMA flood map guide.

How do I prepare for a flood?

• If you live in a floodprone area, elevate any electric features on your floor
• Know your hurricane evacuation level and evacuation routes
• Keep a go-bag with all essential medications and toiletries
• Make sure you have battery-operated flashlights, radios, and televisions
• If you know your home will be flooded, turn off your water, gas, and electricity
• Make a plan to keep your pets safe whether it's having a friend keep them for a while or taking them to a kennel

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: How do I find my Lee County flood zone? How to prepare before Tropical Storm Helene