Avoyelles Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Avoyelles Parish has experienced 42 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Avoyelles Parish's highest-rated hazards are drought, ice storm, and hurricane, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 36% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (97th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Avoyelles Parish has been designated in 42 declarations since 1965, covering 11 disaster types including hurricane (21), flood (7), coastal storm (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Arthur |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta |
| 2021 | Coastal Storm | Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ida |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms |
| 2021 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 42 total declarations since 1965.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 49.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 44.5 | 9 | 0 | $7.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 52.1 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 78.5 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 84.3 | 21 | 0 | $7.1M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 90 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 42.6 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 55.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 28.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 92.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 84.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 82.6 | 1 | 0 | $5K |
| Drought | Relatively High | 97.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 29.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Avoyelles Parish ranks in the 97th percentile (High) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 97th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 95th | High |
| Household characteristics | 94th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 91st | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 32nd | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 31st | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 61.7% | — |
NOAA tracked 41 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 25 in 2016–20 vs 16 in 2021–25 (-36% — frequency decreasing).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Avoyelles Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana are drought, ice storm, and hurricane. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Avoyelles Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Avoyelles Parish has received 42 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (21 declarations).
Has Avoyelles Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Avoyelles Parish include Tropical Storm Arthur (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Avoyelles Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, St. Landry Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Concordia Parish, LA has the lowest (Very Low). Avoyelles Parish is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Avoyelles Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Avoyelles Parish's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Avoyelles Parish's composite score of 73 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 73% of US counties.