Lee County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Lee County has experienced 22 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Lee County's highest-rated hazards are heat wave, lightning, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 29% 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. Lee County has been designated in 22 declarations since 1975, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (8), severe storm (7), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds |
Showing the 10 most recent of 22 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 | Relatively Low | 72.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 84.7 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 81.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 92 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75.7 | 20 | 23 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 82.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 72.6 | 24 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 78.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 31.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 59 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 16.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 90.7 | 3 | 2 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 79.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 43.4 | 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
Lee County ranks in the 64th 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 | 64th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 56th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 20th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 70th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 90th | 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 | 76th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 72nd | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 60.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 58 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 34 in 2016–20 vs 24 in 2021–25 (-29% — 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 Lee County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Lee County, Alabama are heat wave, lightning, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Lee County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Lee County has received 22 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (8 declarations).
Has Lee County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Lee County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Lee County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Muscogee County, GA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Harris County, GA has the lowest (Very Low). Lee County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Lee County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Lee 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. Lee County's composite score of 80 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 80% of US counties.