Jefferson County, Alabama: hazard risk
FEMA rates Jefferson County's overall risk Relatively High (score 97.6 of 100, higher than 97% of rated U.S. counties); 7 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by tornado, lightning, cold wave. Its storm record holds 1,814 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 | Very High | 99.6 | $56M |
| Lightning | Very High | 99.5 | $5.4M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 98.5 | $23M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | 98.1 | $143M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 97.6 | $11M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 97.6 | $4.1M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 87.7 | $665K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 96.1 | $17M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 94.9 | $113K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | $182K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 79.1 | $330K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 76.6 | $1.1M |
| Hail | Very Low | 32.1 | $116K |
| Drought | Very Low | 26.8 | $15K |
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 | 805 | 5 | $9.0M | 10th of 67 | 361st of 3,080 |
| Hail | 490 | 0 | $2.9M | 1st of 67 | 257th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 163 | 2 | $1.6B | 5th of 67 | 546th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 111 | 111 | $1.7B | 8th of 67 | 152nd of 3,080 |
| Heat | 50 | 4 | $135K | 11th of 67 | 579th of 3,076 |
| Drought | 39 | 0 | – | 53rd of 67 | 1234th of 3,063 |
| High wind and dust storms | 35 | 2 | $16M | 10th of 67 | 1574th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 26 | 1 | $1.9M | 13th of 67 | 1042nd of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 26 | 1 | $37K | 2nd of 67 | 444th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 26 | 1 | $201K | 29th of 67 | 2652nd of 3,077 |
| Lightning | 22 | 0 | $930K | 14th of 67 | 372nd of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 0 | $9.7M | 45th of 67 | 642nd of 1,849 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 0 | – | 4th of 67 | 354th 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 Jefferson County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.