Coffee County, Alabama
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Coffee County, Alabama has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 83% of US counties. It ranks 16th of 67 counties in Alabama. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $43 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $806 per resident. Since 1975 it has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (17 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (151 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $18 million on 591 claims here, including $13 million for floods in 1998.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Coffee 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.
- Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
- Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
- 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.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 84.4 | $21M | ||
| Hurricane | 92.9 | $11M | ||
| Tornado | 90.3 | $6M | ||
| Cold wave | 60.0 | $1M | ||
| Strong wind | 70.0 | $831K | ||
| Lightning | 85.5 | $816K | ||
| Heat wave | 64.7 | $616K | ||
| Earthquake | 58.7 | $359K | ||
| Drought | 55.1 | $177K | ||
| Ice storm | 56.9 | $99K | ||
| Hail | 29.2 | $98K | ||
| Wildfire | 56.5 | $58K | ||
| Winter weather | 32.1 | $28K | ||
| Landslide | 71.7 | $6K |
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 moderate 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 Coffee County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 28
Alabama also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1954
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 594 storm reports in Coffee County since 1954, with 17 deaths and 95 injuries and about $398 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an EF4 tornado on March 1, 2007 near Enterprise Muni Arpt.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2007 | EF4 | Enterprise Muni Arpt | 50 / 9 |
| Dec 29, 1973 | F3 | – | 11 / 0 |
| Nov 25, 1986 | F3 | – | 3 / 0 |
| May 16, 1983 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Sep 17, 1971 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2007 | Tornado | Enterprise Muni Arpt | $250M |
| Mar 8, 1998 | Flash Flood | Elba | $105M |
| Sep 28, 1998 | Flash Flood | Elba | $18M |
| Oct 8, 2008 | Tornado | Enterprise | $4M |
| Oct 16, 1955 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Apr 18, 1973 | Tornado | – | $3M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 10, 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, 11 hurricanes and 28 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Coffee County, 14 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Eloise (1975), with top winds near 115 mph about 41 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Category 3, 115 mph | 41 mi |
| Sep 10, 1882 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 29, 1917 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 4, 1995 | Opal | Category 2, 95 mph | 62 mi |
| Jul 7, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 1, 95 mph | 51 mi |
| Aug 31, 1856 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 64 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 2021 | Fred | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 16, 2020 | Sally | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 62 mi |
| May 28, 2018 | Alberto | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Aug 23, 2008 | Fay | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 6, 2001 | Barry | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 64 mi |
| Sep 22, 2000 | Helene | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 55 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 Coffee 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 Coffee 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; 24,656 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dale County | 31 | |
| Covington County | 31 | |
| Pike County | 21 | |
| Geneva County | 31 | |
| Crenshaw County | 27 |
Cities in Coffee County
Common questions about Coffee County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Coffee County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Coffee County, about $21.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $11.2 million.
How many federal disasters has Coffee County had?
Coffee County has been included in 28 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1975, including 17 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
Is Coffee County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 16th 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 Coffee County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Coffee 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 Coffee County had?
NOAA records list 42 tornadoes in Coffee County since 1950. The strongest was an EF4 tornado on March 1, 2007 near Enterprise Muni Arpt. The weather service has also logged 55 hail reports and 45 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Coffee County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 11 hurricanes and 28 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Coffee County, including 2 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Eloise (1975), with winds near 115 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.