Covington County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Covington County has experienced 33 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Covington County's highest-rated hazards are lightning, hurricane, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 35% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (71st 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. Covington County has been designated in 33 declarations since 1975, covering 6 disaster types including hurricane (15), severe storm (13), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
Showing the 10 most recent of 33 total declarations since 1975.
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 | 49.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 69 | 5 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 54.2 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 69.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 83.7 | 8 | 0 | $250K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 95.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 17.6 | 15 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 42 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 30.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 33.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 57.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 96.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 55.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 51.1 | 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
Covington County ranks in the 71st percentile (Moderate) 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 | 71st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 75th | High |
| Household characteristics | 78th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 48th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 51st | Moderate |
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 | 65th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 63rd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 84.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 28 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 17 in 2016–20 vs 11 in 2021–25 (-35% — 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 Covington County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Covington County, Alabama are lightning, hurricane, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Covington County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Covington County has received 33 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (15 declarations).
Has Covington County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Covington County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Covington County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Escambia County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Conecuh County, AL has the lowest (Very Low). Covington County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Covington County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Covington 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. Covington County's composite score of 82 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 82% of US counties.