Key facts: Baton Rouge
- Baton Rouge averages 61.94 inches of precipitation a year, among the wettest totals of any U.S.
- Rain peaked at 31.39 inches in Watson, northeast of the city, and eight rivers reached record levels.[2]
- Gustav struck on September 1, 2008, with winds above 100 mph, and falling trees opened roofs in the Garden District, along Highland Road and in Goodwood.[1]
August 2016 reset the local map
Rain peaked at 31.39 inches in Watson, northeast of the city, and eight rivers reached record levels.[2] Plenty of homes that flooded had not been considered high risk. If your house took water then, ask a contractor to look for what a rushed rebuild may have left behind.
A closer look in Baton Rouge
Trees and roofs in a hurricane
Gustav struck on September 1, 2008, with winds above 100 mph, and falling trees opened roofs in the Garden District, along Highland Road and in Goodwood.[1] Tarp only if it is safe, and keep receipts: Louisiana's insurance department publishes claim guidance worth reading before you sign anything.[3]
Flood claims recorded in East Baton Rouge Parish
Baton Rouge sits in East Baton Rouge Parish. FEMA publishes every National Flood Insurance Program claim with personal details removed, which gives a plain record of where water has reached insured buildings here.
| Measure | Count |
|---|---|
| Flood insurance claims on record | 22,575 |
| Year with the most claims | 2016 (11,647) |
| Largest named event | Mid-Summer Severe Storms (11,508) |
| Claims outside high-risk A and V zones | 21% |
| Claims on buildings built before 1975 | 37% |
County-wide counts of insured claims only. Uninsured losses, burst pipes and appliance leaks are not in this data.
What the Baton Rouge claim record shows
For Baton Rouge homes, the local precedents are the events behind the most East Baton Rouge Parish claims: Mid-Summer Severe Storms (11,508 claims), Flooding (3,497 claims) and 2021 Mid-Spring Severe Storms (1,273 claims).
Around Baton Rouge, about 79% of county claims with a recorded zone came from the high-risk A and V zones, so checking your address on the FEMA flood map tells you a lot here.
A newer Baton Rouge home is not exempt: 63% of claims with a known build date involved homes built in 1975 or later.
Federal disaster history for East Baton Rouge Parish
FEMA lists 47 federal declarations covering East Baton Rouge Parish. The most common types are hurricane (26), flood (10) and coastal storm (4). The latest are Severe Winter Storm in 2021, Hurricane Francine in 2024 and Tropical Storm Francine in 2024. Federal aid can open after a declaration, so Baton Rouge owners should look it up before discarding damaged items.
Baton Rouge weather and your home
Weather records for Baton Rouge from 2015 through 2024 average 62 inches of precipitation a year, and August and April are the wettest months. The area averages 14.5 days a year with an inch or more.
Freezing nights are rare, at about 6 a year in Baton Rouge, so the bigger concerns are storms, plumbing failures and humidity.
When rain falls in Baton Rouge
Seasonal averages for Baton Rouge, 2015 through 2024. Plan roof, gutter and sump pump checks before the wettest stretch.
| Season | Average | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| January to March | 14.5 in | 23% |
| April to June | 16.5 in | 27% |
| July to September | 18.0 in | 29% |
| October to December | 12.8 in | 21% |
Modeled from Open-Meteo historical weather data. Precipitation includes rain and melted snow.
Baton Rouge home checklist from these records
- Treat flood risk as current. 61% of East Baton Rouge Parish claims date from 2015 or later.
- Test any sump pump before August, since Baton Rouge averages 15 days a year with an inch or more.
- Keep dated photos of each room. After Mid-Summer Severe Storms, 11,508 insured East Baton Rouge Parish owners filed claims at about the same time.
What to tell the Baton Rouge contractor
- Whether the home flooded in 2016
- Whether a tree or roof is involved
- How close you are to the Comite or Amite
Services Baton Rouge callers ask about
Questions
Baton Rouge water damage questions
My home flooded in 2016. Could problems be hidden?
Possibly. A new leak can reveal old staining or insulation left in place, so ask for meter readings instead of judging by smell.
Is East Baton Rouge one permit office?
Baton Rouge is a consolidated city-parish, so start with the city-parish offices for permits.[1]