Russell County, Alabama: hazard risk
FEMA rates Russell County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 54.7 of 100, higher than 54% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning. Its storm record holds 372 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | 84.1 | $725K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 76.3 | $601K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 77.3 | $1.1M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 75.2 | $824K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 69.8 | $5K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 66.9 | $9.4M |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 58.7 | $1.4M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 45.3 | $177K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 30.2 | $27K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 25.9 | $200K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 55.7 | $53K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 53.7 | $268K |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 12.9 | $8K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 8.8 | $50K |
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 | 130 | 0 | $708K | 44th of 67 | 1749th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 88 | 0 | $504K | 36th of 67 | 1833rd of 3,080 |
| Drought | 64 | 0 | – | 7th of 67 | 309th of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 32 | 2 | $90M | 40th of 67 | 928th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 23 | 0 | $744K | 34th of 67 | 1858th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 11 | 0 | $66K | 36th of 67 | 2735th of 3,077 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 0 | $119K | 16th of 67 | 456th of 1,849 |
| Heat | 5 | 1 | – | 54th of 67 | 1639th of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 4 | 0 | $1.9M | 45th of 67 | 2152nd of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 4 | 0 | $495K | 48th of 67 | 2595th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $69K | 57th of 67 | 2057th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Russell County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.