Washington Parish, LA
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Washington Parish has experienced 41 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.
Washington Parish's highest-rated hazards are hurricane, drought, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 158% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (98th 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. Washington Parish has been designated in 41 declarations since 1965, covering 7 disaster types including hurricane (26), flood (5), coastal storm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2021 | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida |
Showing the 10 most recent of 41 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 | Relatively Low | 80 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 79 | 13 | 0 | $8.3M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 54.7 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | 83.4 | 23 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 71.6 | 7 | 0 | $70K |
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 95.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 72.4 | 3 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 69.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 48.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 61.6 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 56.5 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 72.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively High | 91.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 39.7 | 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 Parish ranks in the 98th 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 | 98th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 94th | High |
| Household characteristics | 98th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 73rd | Moderate |
| Housing type & transportation | 95th | High |
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 | 83rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 79th | Relatively High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 85.4% | — |
NOAA tracked 43 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 12 in 2016–20 vs 31 in 2021–25 (+158% — 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 Washington Parish?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Washington Parish, Louisiana are hurricane, drought, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Moderate — near the middle compared to other US counties.
Has Washington Parish received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Washington Parish has received 41 federal disaster declarations since 1965, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is hurricane (26 declarations).
Has Washington Parish had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Washington Parish include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Tropical Storm Francine (2024), Hurricane Francine (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1965.
How does Washington Parish's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, St. Tammany Parish, LA has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively High) and Walthall County, MS has the lowest (Very Low). Washington Parish is rated Relatively Moderate overall.
How is Washington Parish's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Washington 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. Washington Parish's composite score of 86 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 86% of US counties.