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Coffee County, Alabama

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

Relatively Moderate overall risk
16th of 67highest risk in Alabama
$43Mexpected losses a year
28federal declarations
1 in 167homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

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

$21.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 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.

Hurricane

Moderate
$11.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 6 years.
  • 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.
$6.3 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingModerate84.4
$21M
HurricaneModerate92.9
$11M
TornadoHigh90.3
$6M
Cold waveLow60.0
$1M
Strong windModerate70.0
$831K
LightningHigh85.5
$816K
Heat waveLow64.7
$616K
EarthquakeVery Low58.7
$359K
DroughtLow55.1
$177K
Ice stormLow56.9
$99K
HailVery Low29.2
$98K
WildfireVery Low56.5
$58K
Winter weatherLow32.1
$28K
LandslideLow71.7
$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

Hurricane13
Severe Storm11
Flood2
Drought1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 20, 2020Hurricane SallyMajor disaster
Sep 14, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
Jul 10, 2020Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Oct 12, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Oct 8, 2017Hurricane NateEmergency
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
Show all 28
Dec 31, 2009Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 28, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes & Straight-LineMajor disaster
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Mar 3, 2007Severe Storms and TornadoesMajor disaster
Sep 10, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Jul 10, 2005Hurricane DennisMajor disaster
Sep 15, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Sep 30, 1998Hurricane Georges - 18 Sep 98Major disaster
Sep 28, 1998Hurricane GeorgesEmergency
Mar 9, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 4, 1995Hurricane OpalMajor disaster
Jul 8, 1994Severe Storms and Flooding (Tropical Storm Alberto)Major disaster
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Mar 21, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Oct 2, 1975Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 1975Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 14, 1975Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster

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.

42tornadoes
55hail reports, largest 2 inches
437damaging thunderstorm winds
45floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Mar 1, 2007EF4Enterprise Muni Arpt50 / 9
Dec 29, 1973F3–11 / 0
Nov 25, 1986F3–3 / 0
May 16, 1983F3–1 / 0
Sep 17, 1971F3–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Mar 1, 2007TornadoEnterprise Muni Arpt$250M
Mar 8, 1998Flash FloodElba$105M
Sep 28, 1998Flash FloodElba$18M
Oct 8, 2008TornadoEnterprise$4M
Oct 16, 1955Tornado–$3M
Apr 18, 1973Tornado–$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.

11hurricanes
2major hurricanes (Category 3+)
28tropical storms
2021most recent: Fred

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 1975EloiseCategory 3, 115 mph41 mi
Sep 10, 1882UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph63 mi
Sep 29, 1917UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph63 mi
Oct 4, 1995OpalCategory 2, 95 mph62 mi
Jul 7, 1896UnnamedCategory 1, 95 mph51 mi
Aug 31, 1856UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph64 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 17, 2021FredTropical storm, 50 mph55 mi
Sep 16, 2020SallyTropical storm, 60 mph62 mi
May 28, 2018AlbertoTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Aug 23, 2008FayTropical storm, 45 mph63 mi
Aug 6, 2001BarryTropical storm, 70 mph64 mi
Sep 22, 2000HeleneTropical storm, 40 mph55 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 ›
0.6%of homes have federal flood insurance (151 policies)
20.1%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$17.7 millionpaid on 591 flood claims since 1978
1998costliest year, with $13.2 million 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 Coffee County

$188,600median home value (Alabama $209,900, US $332,700)
1987median year homes were built (Alabama 1986, US 1980)
41%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
12.1%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; 24,656 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
Dale CountyLow31
Covington CountyModerate31
Pike CountyLow21
Geneva CountyLow31
Crenshaw CountyVery Low27

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.