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Cleburne County, Alabama

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

Very Low overall risk
62nd of 67highest risk in Alabama
$6Mexpected losses a year
20federal declarations
1 in 1000homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Cleburne County, Alabama has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 72% of US counties. It ranks 62nd of 67 counties in Alabama. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $6.0 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $402 per resident. Since 1974 it has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). Only 3 homes here carry federal flood insurance.

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

Top risks in Cleburne County

$2.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • 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.
$462,160 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 1 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow37.2
$3M
TornadoModerate70.0
$2M
Cold waveLow41.3
$462K
HurricaneLow65.4
$245K
EarthquakeVery Low47.2
$159K
Strong windLow24.0
$148K
Heat waveVery Low35.3
$121K
WildfireLow67.3
$93K
DroughtLow48.5
$86K
HailVery Low27.7
$72K
LightningLow24.0
$56K
Ice stormVery Low17.9
$9K
Winter weatherVery Low7.0
$3K
LandslideLow67.4
$3K

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 very high and community resilience is very low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane8
Severe Storm6
Tornado2
Flood2
Drought1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 14, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
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
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 10, 2005Hurricane DennisMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Show all 20
May 12, 2003Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Nov 14, 2002Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Oct 4, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Feb 17, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
May 11, 1984Severe Storms & TornadoesEmergency
Mar 17, 1979FloodingEmergency
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Mar 14, 1975Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 4, 1974TornadoesMajor disaster

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

Storm history since 1957

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 180 storm reports in Cleburne County since 1957, with 1 death and 13 injuries and about $4.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on April 28, 1964.

21tornadoes
50hail reports, largest 4.25 inches
94damaging thunderstorm winds
11floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 28, 1964F3–8 / 0
May 3, 1984F2–0 / 0
May 3, 1984F2–0 / 0
Aug 25, 2008EF2Chulafinnee0 / 0
Apr 3, 1974F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 11, 2008TornadoHeflin$2M
Mar 27, 1994HailHeflin$500K
Jan 10, 1975Tornado–$250K
May 3, 1984Tornado–$250K
May 3, 1984Tornado–$250K
Nov 22, 1992Tornado–$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 1, 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 1859, 0 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Cleburne County, 3 of them since 1950. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), with top winds near 70 mph about 48 miles away.

0hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
12tropical storms
2020most recent: Zeta

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 70 mph48 mi
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 65 mph39 mi
Oct 5, 1995OpalTropical storm, 60 mph51 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph61 mi
Sep 4, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph56 mi
Oct 3, 1898UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph61 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 65 mph39 mi
Oct 5, 1995OpalTropical storm, 60 mph51 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseTropical storm, 70 mph48 mi
Jul 8, 1916UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph65 mi
Sep 4, 1915UnnamedTropical storm, 45 mph56 mi
Jun 13, 1906UnnamedTropical storm, 40 mph61 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 Cleburne County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.1%of homes have federal flood insurance (3 policies)
2.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 0 flood claims since 1978
n/acostliest year

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 Cleburne County

$165,600median home value (Alabama $209,900, US $332,700)
1989median year homes were built (Alabama 1986, US 1980)
38%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
26.1%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; 6,874 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
Carroll County, GALow21
Calhoun CountyModerate21
Talladega CountyModerate23
Polk County, GALow16
Haralson County, GAVery Low16
Cherokee CountyLow23
Randolph CountyVery Low23
Clay CountyVery Low22

Common questions about Cleburne County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Cleburne County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Cleburne County, about $2.9 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.7 million.

How many federal disasters has Cleburne County had?

Cleburne County has been included in 20 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1974, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Is Cleburne County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 62nd 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 Cleburne County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Cleburne 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 Cleburne County had?

NOAA records list 21 tornadoes in Cleburne County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on April 28, 1964. The weather service has also logged 50 hail reports and 11 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Cleburne County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 0 hurricanes and 12 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Cleburne County. The strongest was Tropical Storm Eloise (1975), with winds near 70 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.