Mobile County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Mobile County has experienced 40 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.
Mobile County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 35% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (83rd 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. Mobile County has been designated in 40 declarations since 1970, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (25), severe storm (9), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2019 | Hurricane | Hurricane Michael |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
Showing the 10 most recent of 40 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 Moderate | 93.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 95.9 | 89 | 0 | $215K |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively High | 90.6 | 10 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.8 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 96 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 94.6 | 45 | 0 | $75K |
| Hurricane | Very High | 99.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 83.2 | 26 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 80.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 81.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 80.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 85.9 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.4 | 3 | 1 | $20K |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 86.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 72.6 | 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
Mobile County ranks in the 83rd percentile (High) 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 | 83rd | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 86th | High |
| Household characteristics | 62nd | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 82nd | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 71st | 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 | 88th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 86th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 64.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 167 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 71 in 2016–20 vs 96 in 2021–25 (+35% — 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 Mobile County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Mobile County, Alabama are hurricane, lightning, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Mobile County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Mobile County has received 40 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (25 declarations).
Has Mobile County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Mobile County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1970.
How does Mobile County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Baldwin County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Greene County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Mobile County is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Mobile County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Mobile 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. Mobile County's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.