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Crenshaw County, Alabama

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

Very Low overall risk
56th of 67highest risk in Alabama
$7Mexpected losses a year
27federal declarations
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Crenshaw County, Alabama has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 66% of US counties. It ranks 56th of 67 counties in Alabama. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $7.2 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $546 per resident. Since 1975 it has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (16 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 Crenshaw County

$2.5 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
$2.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 9 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.
$1.3 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 floodingVery Low33.6
$3M
HurricaneModerate84.6
$2M
TornadoLow63.2
$1M
Strong windLow37.5
$248K
Cold waveLow27.6
$241K
Heat waveLow48.4
$228K
LightningModerate57.7
$202K
EarthquakeVery Low36.3
$79K
HailVery Low14.6
$32K
DroughtLow36.4
$31K
WildfireVery Low25.2
$7K
Winter weatherVery Low5.6
$3K
Ice stormVery Low8.0
$3K
LandslideVery Low41.1
$464

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 relatively low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

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

By type

Hurricane13
Severe Storm11
Flood1
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
May 21, 2020Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 12, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Oct 8, 2017Hurricane NateEmergency
Sep 11, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
Jan 21, 2016Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
May 2, 2014Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Show all 27
Apr 28, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 27, 2011Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsEmergency
Dec 31, 2009Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 28, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes & Straight-LineMajor disaster
Aug 30, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
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
Mar 15, 1993Severe Snowfall, Winter StormEmergency
Mar 21, 1990Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency
Oct 2, 1975Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Mar 14, 1975Severe Storms & FloodingMajor 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 247 storm reports in Crenshaw County since 1957, with 0 deaths and 30 injuries and about $6.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 18, 1969.

31tornadoes
38hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
158damaging thunderstorm winds
19floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Apr 18, 1969F4–0 / 0
Jan 4, 2015EF2Theba0 / 0
Sep 29, 1965F2–2 / 0
May 18, 1969F2–0 / 0
Nov 20, 1973F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Jan 25, 1990Tornado–$3M
Apr 3, 2017Thunderstorm WindLuverne$1M
Mar 8, 1998Flash FloodCountywide$300K
Nov 17, 2014TornadoBlackrock$285K
Apr 18, 1969Tornado–$250K
Nov 7, 1996Thunderstorm WindHighland Home$250K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Aug 21, 2025. 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, 7 hurricanes and 27 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Crenshaw County, 9 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Eloise (1975), with top winds near 115 mph about 62 miles away.

7hurricanes
1major hurricanes (Category 3+)
27tropical storms
2021most recent: Fred

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 23, 1975EloiseCategory 3, 115 mph62 mi
Sep 10, 1882UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph60 mi
Oct 4, 1995OpalCategory 1, 90 mph58 mi
Sep 29, 1917UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph64 mi
Jul 7, 1896UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph62 mi
Oct 18, 1916UnnamedCategory 1, 80 mph58 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 17, 2021FredTropical storm, 45 mph61 mi
Sep 16, 2020SallyTropical storm, 65 mph60 mi
Aug 6, 2001BarryTropical storm, 55 mph53 mi
Sep 22, 2000HeleneTropical storm, 35 mph60 mi
Oct 4, 1995OpalCategory 1, 90 mph58 mi
Jul 3, 1994AlbertoTropical storm, 45 mph60 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 Crenshaw County

Check your address flood zone ›
0%of homes have federal flood insurance (3 policies)
3.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$0paid on 2 flood claims since 1978
1998costliest 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 Crenshaw County

$114,000median home value (Alabama $209,900, US $332,700)
1982median year homes were built (Alabama 1986, US 1980)
47%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
24.5%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; 6,583 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
Montgomery CountyModerate22
Coffee CountyModerate28
Covington CountyModerate31
Pike CountyLow21
Butler CountyLow26
Lowndes CountyVery Low18

Common questions about Crenshaw County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Crenshaw County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Crenshaw County, about $2.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $2.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Crenshaw County had?

Crenshaw County has been included in 27 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1975, including 16 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.

Is Crenshaw County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 56th 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 Crenshaw County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Crenshaw County had?

NOAA records list 31 tornadoes in Crenshaw County since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 18, 1969. The weather service has also logged 38 hail reports and 19 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Crenshaw County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 7 hurricanes and 27 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Crenshaw County, including 1 major hurricane (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.