Morehouse Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Morehouse Parish has experienced 35 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Morehouse Parish's highest-rated hazards are ice storm, heat wave, and hail, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 47% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (96th 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. Morehouse Parish has been designated in 35 declarations since 1977, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (17), severe storm (4), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm 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 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 35 total declarations since 1977.
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 | 48.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 59.4 | 17 | 1 | $1.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 74.5 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 79.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 68.4 | 13 | 0 | $1.6M |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 68.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 77.2 | 19 | 0 | $342K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 71.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 15.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 83.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 44.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 50.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 72.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 26.7 | 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
Morehouse Parish ranks in the 96th 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 | 96th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 95th | High |
| Household characteristics | 76th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 88th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 94th | 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 | 37th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 75.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 49 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 32 in 2016–20 vs 17 in 2021–25 (-47% — 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 Morehouse Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Morehouse Parish, Louisiana are ice storm, heat wave, and hail. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Morehouse Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Morehouse Parish has received 35 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (17 declarations).
Has Morehouse Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Morehouse Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Morehouse Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Ouachita Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and West Carroll Parish, LA has the lowest (Very Low). Morehouse Parish is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Morehouse Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Morehouse 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. Morehouse Parish's composite score of 55 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 55% of US counties.