Jefferson County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Jefferson County has experienced 39 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Jefferson County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, lightning, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 37% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (73rd 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. Jefferson County has been designated in 39 declarations since 1970, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (18), hurricane (10), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2012 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 39 total declarations since 1970.
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 | Relatively Low | 79.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 98.1 | 56 | 2 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 96.1 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 97.6 | 3 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Very High | 99.6 | 17 | 1 | $5.0M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 76.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 32.1 | 50 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 97.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 79.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 87.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 98.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 99.5 | 3 | 0 | $100K |
| Drought | Very Low | 26.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 94.9 | 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
Jefferson County ranks in the 73rd 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 | 73rd | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 68th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 61st | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 88th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 60th | 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 | 67th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 62nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 43.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 121 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 51 in 2016–20 vs 70 in 2021–25 (+37% — 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 Jefferson County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Jefferson County, Alabama are tornado, lightning, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Jefferson County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Jefferson County has received 39 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (18 declarations).
Has Jefferson County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Jefferson County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1970.
How does Jefferson County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Shelby County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Bibb County, AL has the lowest (Very Low). Jefferson County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Jefferson County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Jefferson 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. Jefferson County's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.