Marshall County, Alabama: hazard risk
FEMA rates Marshall County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 87.3 of 100, higher than 87% of rated U.S. counties); 3 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by tornado, strong wind, lightning. Its storm record holds 1,137 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 | 97.8 | $17M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 97.1 | $2.9M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 88.6 | $828K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 85.8 | $3.9M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 85.3 | $20M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 81.0 | $167K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80.8 | $1.2M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 73.6 | $203K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 87.7 | $2.8M |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 69.5 | $4K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 69.0 | $402K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 57.1 | $259K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 54.1 | $149K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 63.2 | $79K |
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 | 503 | 2 | $4.7M | 8th of 67 | 224th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 202 | 0 | $618K | 6th of 67 | 665th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 89 | 2 | $1.7M | 8th of 67 | 799th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 76 | 6 | $87M | 1st of 67 | 49th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 69 | 0 | $1.9M | 4th of 67 | 153rd of 3,076 |
| Winter storms | 57 | 1 | $309K | 3rd of 67 | 1614th of 3,077 |
| Drought | 40 | 0 | – | 27th of 67 | 626th of 3,063 |
| High wind and dust storms | 29 | 3 | $2.6M | 5th of 67 | 993rd of 3,080 |
| Heat | 27 | 2 | – | 10th of 67 | 562nd of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 25 | 1 | $8.5M | 5th of 67 | 157th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 8 | 1 | $92K | 8th of 67 | 953rd of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 3 | 0 | $2K | 50th of 67 | 688th 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 Marshall County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.