Washington County, AL
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Washington County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1975, most recently Hurricane Helene in 2024. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Washington County's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, tornado, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 19% 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. Washington County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1975, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (15), severe storm (6), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta |
| 2020 | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2018 | Hurricane | Hurricane Nate |
| 2017 | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma |
| 2014 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 total declarations since 1975.
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 | 65.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 38.4 | 8 | 0 | $1.7M |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 21.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 46 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 52.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 66.3 | 7 | 0 | $70K |
| Hurricane | Relatively Moderate | 86.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 30.3 | 13 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 63.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Very Low | 19.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 19.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 43.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 54 | 1 | 0 | $10K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 45.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 33.1 | 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
Washington County ranks in the 32nd 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 | 32nd | Low |
| Socioeconomic status | 60th | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 12th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 72nd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 11th | 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 | 80th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 77th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 95.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 29 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 16 in 2016–20 vs 13 in 2021–25 (-19% — 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 Washington County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Washington County, Alabama are hurricane, tornado, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Washington County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Washington County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1975, including declarations in 2024. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (15 declarations).
Has Washington County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Washington County include Hurricane Helene (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1975.
How does Washington County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Choctaw County, AL has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Perry County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Washington County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Washington County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Washington 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. Washington County's composite score of 46 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 46% of US counties.