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Chambers County, Alabama

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Low overall risk
46th of 67highest risk in Alabama
$11Mexpected losses a year
21federal declarations
1 in 500homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Chambers County, Alabama has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 53% of US counties. It ranks 46th of 67 counties in Alabama. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $314 per resident. Since 1970 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (13 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). Only 24 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $921,000 on 24 claims here.

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Chambers County

$6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Tornado

Moderate
$1.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.

Heat wave

Moderate
$1.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 5 times a year.
  • Check that cooling works before summer.
  • Know where the nearest cooling center is.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow57.5
$6M
TornadoModerate67.3
$2M
Heat waveModerate82.8
$1M
Cold waveLow38.7
$456K
HurricaneLow70.2
$439K
EarthquakeVery Low57.5
$294K
LightningModerate58.2
$228K
Strong windLow31.5
$223K
HailLow39.1
$125K
DroughtLow38.7
$43K
WildfireVery Low51.7
$38K
Ice stormLow39.5
$37K
Winter weatherVery Low8.8
$5K
LandslideVery Low27.0
$168

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is relatively high and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Chambers County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Severe Storm10
Hurricane8
Drought1
Flood1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
May 5, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Jan 15, 2023Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 14, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
May 21, 2020Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 11, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Jan 21, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 28, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 27, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsEmergency
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Show all 21
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 10, 2005Hurricane DennisMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
May 12, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 4, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Mar 21, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 18, 1979Storms, Wind, FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Oct 2, 1975Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 9, 1970Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster

Alabama also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1965

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 265 storm reports in Chambers County since 1965, with 2 deaths and 16 injuries and about $6.9 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on March 19, 1970.

27tornadoes
86hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
131damaging thunderstorm winds
20floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 19, 1970F3–14 / 2
Apr 27, 2011EF3Judson0 / 0
Mar 5, 1989F2–0 / 0
Jan 10, 1972F2–0 / 0
Apr 2, 1974F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 5, 1989Tornado–$3M
Apr 27, 2011TornadoJudson$2M
Mar 24, 1994TornadoLafayette$550K
Sep 17, 1994Thunderstorm WindLafayette$500K
Mar 19, 1970Tornado–$250K
Jun 18, 2023LightningTuckersburg$100K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 22, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1852, 1 hurricane and 18 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Chambers County, 4 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Eloise (1975), with top winds near 90 mph about 62 miles away.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
18tropical storms
2021most recent: Fred

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 1975EloiseCategory 1, 90 mph62 mi
Sep 10, 1882UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph63 mi
Oct 5, 1995OpalTropical storm, 65 mph53 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph57 mi
Sep 4, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph58 mi
Sep 23, 1889UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph63 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 17, 2021FredTropical storm, 35 mph59 mi
Sep 12, 2017IrmaTropical storm, 35 mph58 mi
Oct 5, 1995OpalTropical storm, 65 mph53 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseCategory 1, 90 mph62 mi
Aug 15, 1928UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph58 mi
Jul 29, 1926UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph63 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Chambers County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.2%of homes have federal flood insurance (24 policies)
13.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$921,468paid on 24 flood claims since 1978
2003costliest year, with $650,953 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Chambers County

$135,800median home value (Alabama $209,900, US $332,700)
1979median year homes were built (Alabama 1986, US 1980)
51%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
14.3%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 16,435 housing units.

Compare in Alabama

All 67 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Jefferson CountyHighInland flooding
Mobile CountyHighHurricane
Madison CountyHighInland flooding
Baldwin CountyHighHurricane
Montgomery CountyModerateInland flooding
Tuscaloosa CountyModerateInland flooding
Shelby CountyModerateInland flooding
Lee CountyLowInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Lee CountyLow20
Troup County, GALow13
Tallapoosa CountyLow18
Harris County, GAVery Low13
Randolph CountyVery Low23

Common questions about Chambers County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Chambers County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Chambers County, about $6 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Chambers County had?

Chambers County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1970, including 13 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Is Chambers County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 46th highest of 67 in Alabama. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Chambers County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 500 homes in Chambers County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Chambers County had?

NOAA records list 27 tornadoes in Chambers County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on March 19, 1970. The weather service has also logged 86 hail reports and 20 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Chambers County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 18 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Chambers County. The strongest was Hurricane Eloise (1975), with winds near 90 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.