Colbert County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Colbert County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Colbert County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, earthquake, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 26% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Colbert County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (10), hurricane (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 28.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 76.5 | 72 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 92 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.1 | 75 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 87.6 | 16 | 0 | $608K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 60 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 27.9 | 23 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 96.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 31.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 58.9 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 85.4 | 2 | 0 | $47K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 60.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 41.2 | 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
Colbert County ranks in the 45th percentile (Low) 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 | 45th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 49th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 70th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 56th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 16th | Very low |
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 | 46th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 42nd | Relatively Moderate |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 55.1% | — |
NOAA tracked 185 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 82 in 2016–20 vs 103 in 2021–25 (+26% — frequency increasing).
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 Colbert County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Colbert County, Alabama are strong wind, earthquake, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Colbert County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Colbert County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Colbert County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Colbert County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Colbert County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Lauderdale County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Tishomingo County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Colbert County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Colbert County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Colbert County'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. Colbert County's composite score of 81 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 81% of US counties.