St. Charles Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
St. Charles Parish has experienced 52 federally declared disasters since 1965, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
St. Charles Parish's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, coastal flooding, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 94% 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. St. Charles Parish has been designated in 52 declarations since 1965, covering 9 disaster types including hurricane (31), flood (6), coastal storm (5).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tropical Storm | Tropical Storm Arthur |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine |
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane 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 Zeta |
Showing the 10 most recent of 52 total declarations since 1965.
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 | 18.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 54 | 39 | 0 | $54.6M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very High | 95.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 35 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 78.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 77.2 | 6 | 1 | $320K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 96 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 46.4 | 8 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 20.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 31 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 14.5 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 58.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 67.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 53 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11.7 | 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
St. Charles Parish ranks in the 45th percentile (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 | 45th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 36th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 82nd | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 16th | 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 | 26th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 36th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 14.2% | — |
NOAA tracked 53 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 18 in 2016–20 vs 35 in 2021–25 (+94% — 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 St. Charles Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana are hurricane, coastal flooding, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has St. Charles Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. St. Charles Parish has received 52 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (31 declarations).
Has St. Charles Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for St. Charles Parish include Tropical Storm Arthur (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024), Hurricane Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does St. Charles 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. James Parish, LA has the lowest (Relatively Low). St. Charles Parish is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is St. Charles Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
St. Charles 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. St. Charles Parish's composite score of 85 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 85% of US counties.