Louisiana heat wave risk
Caddo Parish has the highest heat wave risk in Louisiana, scoring 98.7 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded heat wave events across Louisiana have increased 173% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
NOAA events 2016–2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Caddo Parish | 98.7 | Relatively High | 85 |
| 2 | East Baton Rouge Parish | 98.1 | Relatively High | 25 |
| 3 | Bossier Parish | 97.9 | Relatively High | 84 |
| 4 | Jefferson Parish | 97.5 | Relatively High | 0 |
| 5 | Orleans Parish | 97.2 | Relatively High | 25 |
| 6 | Ouachita Parish | 96.6 | Relatively High | 83 |
| 7 | St. Tammany Parish | 96.3 | Relatively Moderate | 26 |
| 8 | Terrebonne Parish | 93.7 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 9 | Lafayette Parish | 93.1 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 10 | Tangipahoa Parish | 93.1 | Relatively Moderate | 25 |
| 11 | Livingston Parish | 92.2 | Relatively Moderate | 26 |
| 12 | Lafourche Parish | 92.1 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 13 | Rapides Parish | 91.5 | Relatively Moderate | 2 |
| 14 | Ascension Parish | 91.2 | Relatively Moderate | 28 |
| 15 | Webster Parish | 90.7 | Relatively Moderate | 81 |
| 16 | Lincoln Parish | 89.3 | Relatively Moderate | 78 |
| 17 | Calcasieu Parish | 88.5 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 18 | St. Landry Parish | 88 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 19 | Natchitoches Parish | 85.8 | Relatively Moderate | 81 |
| 20 | Iberia Parish | 83.5 | Relatively Moderate | 1 |
| 21 | Washington Parish | 83.4 | Relatively Moderate | 23 |
| 22 | De Soto Parish | 82.4 | Relatively Moderate | 83 |
| 23 | Acadia Parish | 80.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 24 | Morehouse Parish | 79.6 | Relatively Moderate | 0 |
| 25 | St. Martin Parish | 78.7 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 26 | Avoyelles Parish | 78.5 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 27 | St. Charles Parish | 78.5 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 28 | Vermilion Parish | 77 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 29 | Union Parish | 76.8 | Relatively Low | 79 |
| 30 | Sabine Parish | 76.5 | Relatively Low | 76 |
| 31 | St. Mary Parish | 74.9 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 32 | Franklin Parish | 74.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 33 | Richland Parish | 74 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 34 | St. John the Baptist Parish | 73.9 | Relatively Low | 24 |
| 35 | Concordia Parish | 73.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 36 | Vernon Parish | 73.6 | Relatively Low | 2 |
| 37 | Claiborne Parish | 73.1 | Relatively Low | 79 |
| 38 | Grant Parish | 72.6 | Relatively Low | 78 |
| 39 | Iberville Parish | 71.9 | Relatively Low | 24 |
| 40 | Winn Parish | 71.4 | Relatively Low | 78 |
| 41 | Bienville Parish | 71.3 | Relatively Low | 83 |
| 42 | Jackson Parish | 71 | Relatively Low | 80 |
| 43 | Evangeline Parish | 69 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 44 | St. Bernard Parish | 68.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 45 | Assumption Parish | 66.9 | Relatively Low | 22 |
| 46 | Pointe Coupee Parish | 66.7 | Relatively Low | 24 |
| 47 | East Feliciana Parish | 64.6 | Relatively Low | 23 |
| 48 | St. James Parish | 64.4 | Relatively Low | 24 |
| 49 | Madison Parish | 63.6 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 50 | Plaquemines Parish | 62.9 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 51 | LaSalle Parish | 62.8 | Relatively Low | 78 |
| 52 | Beauregard Parish | 61.5 | Relatively Low | 2 |
| 53 | West Baton Rouge Parish | 59.2 | Relatively Low | 24 |
| 54 | West Carroll Parish | 58.7 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 55 | Catahoula Parish | 58.1 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 56 | Red River Parish | 57 | Relatively Low | 82 |
| 57 | Caldwell Parish | 56.3 | Relatively Low | 80 |
| 58 | East Carroll Parish | 55 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 59 | St. Helena Parish | 54.5 | Relatively Low | 23 |
| 60 | West Feliciana Parish | 53.2 | Relatively Low | 24 |
| 61 | Jefferson Davis Parish | 52.2 | Relatively Low | 1 |
| 62 | Allen Parish | 51.9 | Relatively Low | 2 |
| 63 | Tensas Parish | 47.4 | Relatively Low | 0 |
| 64 | Cameron Parish | 19 | Very Low | 1 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Heat Wave risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Louisiana:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest heat wave risk county in Louisiana?
Caddo Parish, LA has the highest heat wave risk in Louisiana, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 98.7 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes heat wave risk in Louisiana?
Heat is consistently the leading cause of weather-related mortality in the US, yet it remains underrepresented in federal disaster declarations relative to its actual impact. High scores reflect a combination of extreme temperature exposure, population vulnerability (elderly, outdoor workers), and limited access to cooling infrastructure.