Tuscaloosa County, Alabama: hazard risk
FEMA rates Tuscaloosa County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 90.8 of 100, higher than 90% 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 994 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 | 97.5 | $18M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 94.5 | $2.6M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 88.1 | $968K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 95.6 | $6.1M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 92.6 | $7.2M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.6 | $41M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.9 | $4.2M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 75.6 | $268K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 81.1 | $2.0M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 72.5 | $559K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 67.5 | $4K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 50.6 | $58K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 43.2 | $79K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 57.1 | $64K |
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 | 391 | 3 | $6.1M | 38th of 67 | 1453rd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 264 | 0 | $1.2M | 25th of 67 | 1353rd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 96 | 67 | $2.3B | 35th of 67 | 662nd of 3,080 |
| Floods | 68 | 4 | $4.5M | 28th of 67 | 1619th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 44 | 0 | – | 54th of 67 | 1272nd of 3,063 |
| Lightning | 31 | 0 | $1.3M | 12th of 67 | 328th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 27 | 1 | $169K | 14th of 67 | 985th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 20 | 1 | $2.9M | 24th of 67 | 2049th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 19 | 1 | $128K | 41st of 67 | 2787th of 3,077 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 1 | $1.9M | 18th of 67 | 1716th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 1 | – | 16th of 67 | 1408th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 4 | 0 | $8.6M | 64th of 67 | 836th of 1,849 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 0 | $14K | 5th of 67 | 375th 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 Tuscaloosa County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.