Flood Information


Palm Beach Shores Flood INFORMATION

Flooding in Palm Beach Shores is caused by heavy rainfall that occurs in short periods of time, as is common during summer thunderstorms. However, the greatest flood threats come from the excessive amounts of rainfall that accompany coastal storms, tropical storms and hurricanes. Residents should be aware that Palm Beach Shores is linked to the Palm Beach County Emergency Operations Center. Palm Beach County has an Emergency Management Plan (EMP) that includes a number of warning systems, outlined in the attached.


Know the Flood Hazard

Flooding in Palm Beach Shores is caused by heavy rainfall that occurs in short period of time, as is common during summer thunderstorms.  However, the greatest flood threats come from the excessive amounts of rainfall that accompanies coastal storms, tropical storms, and hurricanes.  Hurricane season runs from June 1st through November 30th.

Call the Town at (561) 844-3457 to find out if your property is located in a FEMA Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) designated by FEMA and to view the Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) for our Town.  You can also find out if the property is susceptible to coastal erosion, if it is in an area that has flooded previously, or if your property is near an area that should be protected due to its natural floodplain functions.       

Why You Need Flood Insurance For Your Home and Business

Floods can happen anywhere it rains.  Everyone lives in a flood zone.  In high-risk areas, you have a 1 in 4 chance of experiencing a flood over the life of a 30-year mortgage.  However, nearly 25 percent of flood insurance claims come from moderate-to-low-risk areas.  Floods are the most common natural disaster in the United States, yet most homeowners’ insurance does not cover flood damage.  For many people, their homes and its contents represent their greatest investment.  Protect your building and/or contents (RENTERS take note!) by purchasing a flood insurance policy today.  Don’t wait until a flood is imminent.  It takes 30 days after purchase for a policy to take effect.  For more information and to find an agent call (800) 427-2419 or go to the www.FloodSmart.gov website.

Protect Your Property

There are some simple things you can do to protect your property:

  • Raise furniture off the floor or move it to upper floors
  • Board up or shutter windows and doors
  • Raise your electrical components (switches, sockets, circuit breakers, and wiring), water heater, air conditioner, washer and dryer at least 12 inches above your home’s projected flood elevation.

Retrofitting helps protect your home from flooding.  Techniques include flood panels, berms, flood walls (constructed barriers of compacted soil or manmade materials like concrete or masonry to block floodwaters), and elevating a structure above flood levels.  For more information floodproofing your structure, order the Homeowner’s Guide to Retrofitting, Publication 312 by calling FEMA at (800) 480-2520 or visit FEMA’s website at www.fema.gov/homeowners-guide-retrofitting .

Town staff members are available to provide flood-related property protection consultations, including site visits and drainage evaluations.  Call (561) 844-3457 for more information about these services.

Build Responsibly

Remember, ANY development in the floodplain requires a building permit.  Always check with the Town Building Department before you alter, re-grade, or bring fill onto your property to ensure that projects do not cause drainage problems for you or your neighbors.  If you suspect that illegal development is occurring, call the Town Clerk at (561) 844-3457.

Flood and Hurricane Warning System

Residents should be aware that Palm Beach Shores is linked to Palm Beach County Department of Emergency Management, which will advise our community of impending storms and flood threats.  Stay tuned to local television and radio stations and the Weather Channel for up-to-the-minute information:

NOAA Weather Radio Frequency 162.425 MHz
AM Radio Channels  850  -  1230   -  1290
FM Radio Channels  92.7  -  97.9  -  98.7  -   105.5   -  107.9
TV Channels 5, 12, 20, 25, 29

The Palm Beach Shores Emergency Management Department has an emergency and mass notification system that will allow the town to send urgent messages to those who sign-up for the service.  CodeRED will be used to alert subscribers of natural disasters and alerts.  You can choose your notification preferences and the method of delivery (voice mail, email, text, TDD/TTY defined) and there is a mobile App for smartphones.  Go to the Town’s website at www.palmbeachshoresfl.us/CodeRed to subscribe to CodeRed, or call Town Hall at (561) 844-3457.

The Town of Palm Beach Shores emergency number is (561) 844-3456.  Town Emergency Management staff will provide detailed and site specific information regarding storm conditions and flood threats and will issue updates, warnings, and evacuation notices door-to-door as needed.

The Town of Palm Beach Shores falls within the Category 2 Hurricane Evacuation Zone.  This means that residents should evacuate when a category 2 hurricane or greater is expected.  Palm Beach County evacuates for storm surge, not for wind.  Our evacuation zone is based on this principle.  The Palm Beach County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) website has evacuation maps and routes, and a list of all of the shelters in the County.  Visit the Palm Beach County website at www.pbcgov.com/dem and www.pbcgov.com/dem/knowurzone/The website has information about an established Special Needs Program to provide for citizens with certain medical conditions during a major emergency, including special transportation assistance.  Pre-register now.  Go to the County website for details.  You can also call (561) 712-6400.

Flood Safety Measures

Advance planning and preparation is important to help ensure your safety during flooding and hurricane season.  After a major disaster, it is unlikely that emergency response services will be able to immediately respond to everyone’s needs, so it is important to be prepared to take care of yourself and your family.  Knowing what to do is your best protection AND your responsibility.

  • You should be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least three days.  Visit the County’s website for important  information about being prepared for flooding at
  • http://www.pbcgov.com/dem/floodawareness
  • Keep flashlights and a radio that has weather radio capability on hand with fresh batteries.
  • Do not walk through flowing water.  Currents can be deceptive; six inches of moving water can knock you off your feet.  If you must walk in standing water, use a pole or stick to see how deep the water is.
  • Do not drive through a flooded area.  Do not drive around road barriers.  Roadways may be indistinguishable from canals or other water bodies.
  • Stay away from power lines and electrical wires.  Electrical currents will travel through water.

Natural Functions of Floodplains

Florida’s beaches are important to many user groups, from commercial fishers to wildlife watchers to the millions of vacationers that visit the state each year.  In the Town of Palm Beach Shores the beach and dune system is our first line of defense against storms because it acts as a buffer between the storm waves and coastal development.  During hurricanes, storm waves encounter the beach and dunes before crashing into upland structures.  You can help to keep our beautiful beach in its natural condition by observing the following rules:

  • Sea oats and other beach plants help stabilize our sand dunes.  Enjoy them, but don’t pick them.
  • Observe our waterfront wildlife from a distance.
  • It is unlawful to throw or deposit litter on any public or private premises, beach, pavement or street, parkways or walkways, except in public or private receptacles for collection
  • Pets are not permitted on the public beach

Areas in our Town that are kept in a natural state provide many benefits, including flood protection.  These natural areas:

  • Provide storage for floodwaters
  • Reduce flood water velocity
  • Filter impurities from stormwater runoff to help maintain good water quality
  • Maintain integrity of ecosystems