St. Clair County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
St. Clair County has experienced 30 federally declared disasters since 1973, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
St. Clair County's highest-rated hazards are tornado, landslide, and inland flooding, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 36 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (26th 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. St. Clair County has been designated in 30 declarations since 1973, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (12), hurricane (8), flood (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2016 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 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 30 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 | 71.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 75.9 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 74.9 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 71.7 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively High | 91.8 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 56.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 30.9 | 17 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 73.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 18.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 40.8 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 62.4 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 70.8 | 2 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 44.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85.1 | 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
St. Clair County ranks in the 26th 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 | 26th | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 30th | Low |
| Household characteristics | 19th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 44th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 33rd | 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 | 75th | Relatively High |
| Risk to homes | 71st | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 83.0% | — |
NOAA tracked 36 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 17 in 2016–20 vs 19 in 2021–25 (+12% — 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. Clair County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in St. Clair County, Alabama are tornado, landslide, and inland flooding. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has St. Clair County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. St. Clair County has received 30 federal disaster declarations since 1973, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (12 declarations).
Has St. Clair County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for St. Clair County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1973.
How does St. Clair 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 Blount County, AL has the lowest (Relatively Low). St. Clair County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is St. Clair County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
St. Clair 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. St. Clair County's composite score of 72 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 72% of US counties.