Montgomery County, Alabama
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Montgomery County, Alabama has a moderate overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 92% of US counties. It ranks 5th of 67 counties in Alabama. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $87 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $381 per resident. Since 1975 it has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (10 major disasters). The most recent was in September 2024 (Hurricane Helene). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (725 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $6.7 million on 417 claims here, including $2.5 million for floods in 2009.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Montgomery 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.
- 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.
- Check that cooling works before summer.
- Know where the nearest cooling center is.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 94.1 | $51M | ||
| Tornado | 96.6 | $13M | ||
| Heat wave | 96.5 | $7M | ||
| Earthquake | 92.5 | $6M | ||
| Hurricane | 87.3 | $4M | ||
| Strong wind | 95.7 | $3M | ||
| Lightning | 97.0 | $2M | ||
| Hail | 76.4 | $580K | ||
| Cold wave | 21.7 | $204K | ||
| Drought | 56.8 | $182K | ||
| Ice storm | 67.5 | $152K | ||
| Wildfire | 51.6 | $41K | ||
| Winter weather | 33.5 | $28K | ||
| Landslide | 53.0 | $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 high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Montgomery County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 22
Alabama also had 11 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1956
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 528 storm reports in Montgomery County since 1956, with 11 deaths and 126 injuries and about $23.1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on May 3, 1984.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 1984 | F3 | – | 37 / 5 |
| Nov 25, 1979 | F3 | – | 20 / 0 |
| Mar 6, 1996 | F2 | Montgomery | 17 / 2 |
| Nov 30, 2022 | EF2 | Boylston | 2 / 2 |
| Jan 10, 1975 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 3, 1984 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Jan 10, 1975 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Nov 25, 1979 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| May 7, 2009 | Flash Flood | Montgomery | $2M |
| Mar 6, 1996 | Tornado | Montgomery | $2M |
| Mar 6, 1996 | Tornado | Montgomery | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 22, 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, 3 hurricanes and 21 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Montgomery County, 5 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Eloise (1975), with top winds near 105 mph about 65 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Category 2, 105 mph | 65 mi |
| Oct 5, 1995 | Opal | Category 1, 85 mph | 65 mi |
| Sep 10, 1882 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 18, 1916 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 3, 1893 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 59 mi |
| Jul 27, 1887 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 2021 | Fred | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 16, 2020 | Sally | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 58 mi |
| Oct 5, 1995 | Opal | Category 1, 85 mph | 65 mi |
| Oct 31, 1985 | Juan | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Category 2, 105 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 15, 1928 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 62 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 Montgomery 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 Montgomery 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; 106,121 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Elmore County | 22 | |
| Autauga County | 22 | |
| Pike County | 21 | |
| Macon County | 24 | |
| Crenshaw County | 27 | |
| Bullock County | 22 | |
| Lowndes County | 18 |
Cities in Montgomery County
Common questions about Montgomery County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Montgomery County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Montgomery County, about $51 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $13.3 million.
How many federal disasters has Montgomery County had?
Montgomery County has been included in 22 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1975, including 10 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
Is Montgomery County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Moderate, 5th 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 Montgomery County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 111 homes in Montgomery 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 Montgomery County had?
NOAA records list 58 tornadoes in Montgomery County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on May 3, 1984. The weather service has also logged 127 hail reports and 45 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Montgomery County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 3 hurricanes and 21 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Montgomery County. The strongest was Hurricane Eloise (1975), with winds near 105 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.