Shelby County, Alabama: hazard risk
FEMA rates Shelby County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 90.3 of 100, higher than 90% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by tornado, lightning. Its storm record holds 865 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 | 98.3 | $32M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 91.6 | $1.6M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 92.9 | $103K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.6 | $56M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.6 | $3.3M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.5 | $6.7M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 78.5 | $1.5M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 64.0 | $197K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.5 | $3.3M |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 74.3 | $302K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 66.0 | $478K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 55.3 | $398K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 49.1 | $166K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 29.6 | $36K |
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 | 409 | 0 | $3.0M | 21st of 67 | 742nd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 196 | 0 | $1.4M | 9th of 67 | 789th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 77 | 3 | $2.3M | 11th of 67 | 1050th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 52 | 11 | $194M | 28th of 67 | 531st of 3,080 |
| Drought | 51 | 0 | – | 31st of 67 | 693rd of 3,063 |
| Winter storms | 20 | 0 | $75K | 26th of 67 | 2604th of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 18 | 0 | $2.1M | 14th of 67 | 1721st of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 13 | 0 | $1.3M | 22nd of 67 | 480th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 10 | 0 | – | 28th of 67 | 1275th of 3,076 |
| Extreme cold | 7 | 0 | $1.9M | 35th of 67 | 1875th of 3,076 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 7 | 0 | $4.8M | 25th of 67 | 517th of 1,849 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 0 | $20K | 20th of 67 | 1500th 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 Shelby County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.