Lafourche Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lafourche Parish has experienced 54 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Lafourche Parish's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, tornado, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 28 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is elevated (74th 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. Lafourche Parish has been designated in 54 declarations since 1965, covering 10 disaster types including hurricane (31), flood (7), coastal storm (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Arthur |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane 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 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 54 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 | 18.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 64.6 | 6 | 0 | $4.5M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 55.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 92.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 94.5 | 6 | 0 | $250K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 97.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 63.5 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 56.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 54.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 1.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 81.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 85.7 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 86.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 24.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Insufficient Data | — | — | — | — |
| 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
Lafourche Parish ranks in the 74th 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 | 74th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 68th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 56th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 59th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 84th | 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 | 20th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 27th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 27.9% | — |
NOAA tracked 28 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 14 in 2016–20 vs 14 in 2021–25 (0% — relatively stable).
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 Lafourche Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana are hurricane, tornado, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Lafourche Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lafourche Parish has received 54 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (31 declarations).
Has Lafourche Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Lafourche Parish include Tropical Storm Arthur (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024), Hurricane Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Lafourche Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jefferson Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and St. James Parish, LA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Lafourche Parish is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Lafourche Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lafourche 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. Lafourche Parish's composite score of 91 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 91% of US counties.