Jackson County, Alabama: hazard risk
FEMA rates Jackson County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 79.0 of 100, higher than 79% of rated U.S. counties); 3 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by tornado, lightning, strong wind. Its storm record holds 1,211 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively High | 92.4 | $6.4M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 88.9 | $810K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 88.0 | $1.3M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 83.4 | $829K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.3 | $3.3M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 80.2 | $155K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 78.7 | $13M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 66.4 | $132K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85.6 | $2.2M |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 74.9 | $7K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 59.4 | $140K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 53.7 | $324K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 47.3 | $172K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 61.2 | $67K |
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 | 654 | 0 | $4.3M | 33rd of 67 | 1174th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 133 | 0 | $453K | 39th of 67 | 2040th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 86 | 0 | $2.6M | 25th of 67 | 1552nd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 77 | 0 | $1.9M | 11th of 67 | 372nd of 3,076 |
| Winter storms | 71 | 0 | $3.7M | 10th of 67 | 2064th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 64 | 12 | $60M | 43rd of 67 | 1039th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 51 | 0 | – | 49th of 67 | 1024th of 3,063 |
| Heat | 26 | 0 | – | 12th of 67 | 922nd of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 22 | 1 | $6.0M | 19th of 67 | 1836th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 10 | 0 | $92K | 13th of 67 | 1176th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 10 | 1 | $246K | 30th of 67 | 770th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 3 | 0 | $1K | 66th of 67 | 853rd of 1,849 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 0 | $26K | 3rd of 67 | 352nd of 2,278 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Jackson County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.