Why A 100 Year Flood Can Happen Often

A 100-year flood does not mean it happens once a century. Instead, it is simply a statistical term for a flood with a one percent chance of occurring in any single year, meaning you could technically experience two in a row.

The term confuses many people because it sounds like a calendar event rather than a probability. Because each year is an independent event, the odds reset every January regardless of what happened previously. This means these massive floods can occur multiple times in a single decade. Understanding this distinction is vital for homeowners mapping out their true long-term risks.