Chambers County, Alabama
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 57.5 | $6M | ||
| Tornado | 67.3 | $2M | ||
| Heat wave | 82.8 | $1M | ||
| Cold wave | 38.7 | $456K | ||
| Hurricane | 70.2 | $439K | ||
| Earthquake | 57.5 | $294K | ||
| Lightning | 58.2 | $228K | ||
| Strong wind | 31.5 | $223K | ||
| Hail | 39.1 | $125K | ||
| Drought | 38.7 | $43K | ||
| Wildfire | 51.7 | $38K | ||
| Ice storm | 39.5 | $37K | ||
| Winter weather | 8.8 | $5K | ||
| Landslide | 27.0 | $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
Most recent
Show all 21
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.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 19, 1970 | F3 | – | 14 / 2 |
| Apr 27, 2011 | EF3 | Judson | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 5, 1989 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 10, 1972 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 2, 1974 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 5, 1989 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 27, 2011 | Tornado | Judson | $2M |
| Mar 24, 1994 | Tornado | Lafayette | $550K |
| Sep 17, 1994 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lafayette | $500K |
| Mar 19, 1970 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jun 18, 2023 | Lightning | Tuckersburg | $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.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Category 1, 90 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 10, 1882 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 5, 1995 | Opal | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 53 mi |
| Oct 3, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 57 mi |
| Sep 4, 1915 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 58 mi |
| Sep 23, 1889 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 2021 | Fred | Tropical storm, 35 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 12, 2017 | Irma | Tropical storm, 35 mph | 58 mi |
| Oct 5, 1995 | Opal | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 53 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Category 1, 90 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 15, 1928 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 58 mi |
| Jul 29, 1926 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 63 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 ›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
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 counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | Inland flooding | |
| Mobile County | Hurricane | |
| Madison County | Inland flooding | |
| Baldwin County | Hurricane | |
| Montgomery County | Inland flooding | |
| Tuscaloosa County | Inland flooding | |
| Shelby County | Inland flooding | |
| Lee County | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Lee County | 20 | |
| Troup County, GA | 13 | |
| Tallapoosa County | 18 | |
| Harris County, GA | 13 | |
| Randolph County | 23 |
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.