Cullman County, Alabama: hazard risk
FEMA rates Cullman County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 81.9 of 100, higher than 81% of rated U.S. counties); 3 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by strong wind, cold wave, lightning. Its storm record holds 1,339 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 93.4 | $1.9M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 93.4 | $7.1M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 85.4 | $712K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 90.0 | $5.4M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 82.3 | $1.3M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 80.2 | $15M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 62.9 | $114K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 86.6 | $2.4M |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 79.9 | $11K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 72.8 | $576K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 65.1 | $90K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 59.6 | $205K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 54.9 | $57K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 38.4 | $126K |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 614 | 2 | $7.8M | 11th of 67 | 367th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 265 | 0 | $2.0M | 3rd of 67 | 503rd of 3,080 |
| Floods | 105 | 0 | $864K | 10th of 67 | 972nd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 99 | 11 | $364M | 2nd of 67 | 54th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 72 | 0 | $1.9M | 10th of 67 | 217th of 3,076 |
| Heat | 50 | 3 | – | 9th of 67 | 433rd of 3,076 |
| Winter storms | 46 | 1 | $3.7M | 11th of 67 | 2087th of 3,077 |
| Drought | 37 | 0 | – | 47th of 67 | 938th of 3,063 |
| High wind and dust storms | 15 | 0 | $3.4M | 16th of 67 | 1784th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 15 | 0 | $258K | 16th of 67 | 390th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 0 | – | 14th of 67 | 1285th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 3 | 0 | – | 60th of 67 | 757th of 1,849 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Cullman County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.