Pike County, Alabama
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Pike County, Alabama has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 56% of US counties. It ranks 50th of 67 counties in Alabama. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $325 per resident. Since 1975 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 12 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 Pike 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 | 47.6 | $5M | ||
| Hurricane | 83.6 | $2M | ||
| Tornado | 57.7 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 76.3 | $951K | ||
| Strong wind | 50.5 | $428K | ||
| Lightning | 66.2 | $330K | ||
| Earthquake | 57.0 | $303K | ||
| Drought | 51.4 | $122K | ||
| Cold wave | 13.1 | $95K | ||
| Hail | 24.7 | $70K | ||
| Ice storm | 22.3 | $15K | ||
| Wildfire | 33.9 | $14K | ||
| Winter weather | 11.0 | $7K | ||
| Landslide | 64.0 | $3K |
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 moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Pike County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 21
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 245 storm reports in Pike County since 1954, with 0 deaths and 22 injuries and about $5.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on December 19, 1974.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 19, 1974 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 2, 1971 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 3, 1971 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 19, 1974 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
| Nov 15, 2006 | F2 | Hamilton Xrds | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 5, 1989 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Nov 15, 2006 | Tornado | Hamilton Xrds | $500K |
| Apr 18, 1969 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Jul 3, 1972 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Dec 19, 1974 | Tornado | – | $250K |
| Nov 26, 1986 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 19, 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, 5 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Pike County, 7 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Eloise (1975), with top winds near 105 mph about 38 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Category 2, 105 mph | 38 mi |
| Sep 10, 1882 | Unnamed | Category 2, 100 mph | 59 mi |
| Jul 7, 1896 | Unnamed | Category 1, 90 mph | 65 mi |
| Oct 5, 1995 | Opal | Category 1, 85 mph | 54 mi |
| Sep 29, 1917 | Unnamed | Category 1, 85 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 14, 1903 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 63 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 17, 2021 | Fred | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 16, 2020 | Sally | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 60 mi |
| Oct 5, 1995 | Opal | Category 1, 85 mph | 54 mi |
| Oct 31, 1985 | Juan | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 23, 1975 | Eloise | Category 2, 105 mph | 38 mi |
| Jun 15, 1965 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 58 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 Pike 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 Pike 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; 16,238 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | 22 | |
| Coffee County | 28 | |
| Dale County | 31 | |
| Barbour County | 26 | |
| Crenshaw County | 27 | |
| Bullock County | 22 |
Common questions about Pike County
What is the biggest natural hazard in Pike County?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Pike County, about $4.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $2.4 million.
How many federal disasters has Pike County had?
Pike County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1975, including 11 major disasters. The most recent was Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
Is Pike County a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 50th 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 Pike County?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 1000 homes in Pike 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 Pike County had?
NOAA records list 53 tornadoes in Pike County since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on December 19, 1974. The weather service has also logged 47 hail reports and 15 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Pike County?
NOAA's hurricane records show 5 hurricanes and 22 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Pike 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.