Orleans Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Orleans Parish has experienced 39 federally declared disasters since 1998, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Orleans Parish's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, lightning, and cold wave, with its top risk rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 795% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (84th 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. Orleans Parish has been designated in 39 declarations since 1998, covering 8 disaster types including hurricane (26), coastal storm (4), severe ice storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Francine |
| 2023 | Other | Seawater Intrusion |
| 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 Zeta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 39 total declarations since 1998.
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 | 48.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively High | 93.5 | 170 | 1 | $6.2M |
| Coastal Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 81.2 | 3 | 0 | $1.0M |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 80.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 97.2 | 25 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 71.6 | 7 | 0 | $51.8M |
| Hurricane | Very High | 99.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 92.8 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 46.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 84.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 64.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 97.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very High | 98.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 56.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 18.4 | 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
Orleans Parish ranks in the 84th 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 | 84th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 91st | High |
| Household characteristics | 36th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 96th | High |
| Housing type & transportation | 74th | 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 | 49th | Relatively Moderate |
| Risk to homes | 67th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 1.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 209 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 21 in 2016–20 vs 188 in 2021–25 (+795% — 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 Orleans Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Orleans Parish, Louisiana are hurricane, lightning, and cold wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively High — higher risk than most US counties.
Has Orleans Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Orleans Parish has received 39 federal disaster declarations since 1998, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (26 declarations).
Has Orleans Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Orleans Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024), Hurricane Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1998.
How does Orleans 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. Bernard Parish, LA has the lowest (Relatively Low). Orleans Parish is rated Relatively High overall.
How is Orleans Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Orleans 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. Orleans Parish's composite score of 98 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 98% of US counties.