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Coosa County, Alabama

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

Very Low overall risk
67th of 67highest risk in Alabama
$5Mexpected losses a year
21federal declarations
1 in 333homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Coosa County, Alabama has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 85% of US counties. It ranks 67th of 67 counties in Alabama. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and cold waves. FEMA estimates about $4.9 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $479 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (11 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). Only 18 homes here carry federal flood insurance. Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $186,000 on 10 claims here.

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

Top risks in Coosa County

$3.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 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.
$632,289 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.

Cold wave

Very Low
$208,160 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low34.3
$3M
TornadoLow37.3
$632K
Cold waveVery Low21.3
$208K
Heat waveLow39.3
$185K
Strong windLow22.7
$176K
EarthquakeVery Low37.6
$109K
HurricaneVery Low55.2
$103K
WildfireLow64.4
$97K
LightningVery Low22.5
$64K
HailVery Low7.8
$19K
DroughtVery Low20.4
$4K
Ice stormVery Low6.5
$3K
LandslideVery Low58.6
$2K
Winter weatherVery Low2.4
$1K

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 low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane10
Severe Storm7
Flood2
Drought1
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
Dec 10, 2020Hurricane ZetaMajor disaster
Sep 14, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
Jul 10, 2020Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesMajor disaster
Oct 8, 2017Hurricane NateEmergency
Sep 11, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Apr 28, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 27, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsEmergency
Show all 21
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
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
Feb 17, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 18, 1979Storms, Wind, FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 17, 1979FloodingEmergency
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

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

Storm history since 1961

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 174 storm reports in Coosa County since 1961, with 0 deaths and 12 injuries and about $4.7 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on November 17, 1968.

28tornadoes
62hail reports, largest 2 inches
78damaging thunderstorm winds
4floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Nov 17, 1968F3–0 / 0
Jan 12, 2023EF3Pentonville0 / 0
Jan 3, 1982F2–0 / 0
Feb 6, 2008EF2Marble Vly0 / 0
Nov 24, 2004F2Rockford0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Nov 17, 1968Tornado–$3M
Nov 7, 1996TornadoStewartsville$670K
Mar 24, 1994Thunderstorm Wind–$500K
Jan 3, 1982Tornado–$250K
Feb 6, 2008TornadoMarble Vly$115K
Nov 24, 2004TornadoRockford$100K

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 1852, 2 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Coosa County, 5 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Eloise (1975), with top winds near 90 mph about 59 miles away.

2hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
13tropical storms
2020most recent: Zeta

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 1975EloiseCategory 1, 90 mph59 mi
Oct 5, 1995OpalCategory 1, 75 mph59 mi
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 65 mph40 mi
Oct 3, 1893UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph58 mi
Sep 16, 2004IvanTropical storm, 55 mph60 mi
Aug 28, 1881UnnamedTropical storm, 50 mph53 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Oct 29, 2020ZetaTropical storm, 65 mph40 mi
Sep 16, 2004IvanTropical storm, 55 mph60 mi
Oct 5, 1995OpalCategory 1, 75 mph59 mi
Nov 1, 1985JuanTropical storm, 45 mph55 mi
Sep 23, 1975EloiseCategory 1, 90 mph59 mi
Aug 15, 1928UnnamedTropical 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 Coosa County

Check your address flood zone ›
0.3%of homes have federal flood insurance (18 policies)
8.4%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$186,064paid on 10 flood claims since 1978
2015costliest year, with $72,162 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 Coosa County

$115,500median home value (Alabama $209,900, US $332,700)
1985median year homes were built (Alabama 1986, US 1980)
42%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
31.6%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; 6,058 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
Shelby CountyModerate24
Elmore CountyLow22
Talladega CountyModerate23
Chilton CountyLow22
Tallapoosa CountyLow18
Clay CountyVery Low22

Common questions about Coosa County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Coosa County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Coosa County, about $3.3 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $632,289.

How many federal disasters has Coosa County had?

Coosa County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Is Coosa County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 67th 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 Coosa County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 333 homes in Coosa 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 Coosa County had?

NOAA records list 28 tornadoes in Coosa County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on November 17, 1968. The weather service has also logged 62 hail reports and 4 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Coosa County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 2 hurricanes and 13 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Coosa 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.