Shelby County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Shelby County has experienced 26 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Shelby County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, landslide, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 100% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (12th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Shelby County has been designated in 26 declarations since 1973, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (9), hurricane (8), flood (3).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2022 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2021 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 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 26 total declarations since 1973.
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 | 74.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 91.6 | 26 | 2 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.5 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 88.6 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 98.3 | 16 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Relatively Low | 66 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 55.3 | 19 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 78.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 29.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 64 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 86.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 91.6 | 3 | 0 | $325K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 49.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 92.9 | 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
Shelby County ranks in the 12th percentile (Very low) 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 | 12th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 7th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 25th | Low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 59th | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 18th | Very low |
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 | 74th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 70th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 57.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 66 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 22 in 2016–20 vs 44 in 2021–25 (+100% — 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 Shelby County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Shelby County, Alabama are tornado, landslide, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Shelby County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Shelby County has received 26 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (9 declarations).
Has Shelby County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Shelby County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does Shelby County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Jefferson County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Coosa County, AL has the lowest (Very Low). Shelby County is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Shelby County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Shelby 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. Shelby County's composite score of 90 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 90% of US counties.