Morehouse Parish, Louisiana
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Morehouse Parish, Louisiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 55% of US counties. It ranks 41st of 64 parishes in Louisiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and heat waves. FEMA estimates about $11 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $439 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (17 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 71 homes here carry federal flood insurance (155 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $6.9 million on 239 claims here, including $4.8 million for floods in 2016.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Morehouse Parish
- 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 | 59.4 | $5M | ||
| Tornado | 68.4 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 79.6 | $907K | ||
| Earthquake | 74.5 | $674K | ||
| Strong wind | 71.9 | $627K | ||
| Cold wave | 44.6 | $474K | ||
| Hail | 77.2 | $461K | ||
| Drought | 72.7 | $371K | ||
| Ice storm | 83.8 | $337K | ||
| Hurricane | 68.2 | $310K | ||
| Lightning | 50.3 | $144K | ||
| Wildfire | 48.3 | $26K | ||
| Winter weather | 15.8 | $8K | ||
| Landslide | 26.7 | $139 |
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 moderate in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Morehouse Parish. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 32
Louisiana also had 9 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1953
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 517 storm reports in Morehouse Parish since 1953, with 4 deaths and 42 injuries and about $64.6 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on April 1, 1983.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 1, 1983 | F4 | – | 20 / 2 |
| Nov 27, 1968 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Dec 3, 1973 | F2 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 25, 2019 | EF2 | Duty | 0 / 0 |
| Apr 20, 1995 | F2 | Bastrop | 3 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 3, 2008 | Flash Flood | Bastrop | $38M |
| Apr 1, 1983 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Nov 20, 1973 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Dec 3, 1973 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Oct 16, 2006 | Flash Flood | Oak Ridge | $2M |
| May 3, 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Bastrop | $2M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through May 23, 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 1888, 1 hurricane and 14 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Morehouse Parish, 8 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1909, with top winds near 80 mph about 57 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21, 1909 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 57 mi |
| Aug 20, 1888 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 64 mi |
| Jun 28, 1957 | Audrey | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 60 mi |
| Sep 10, 1965 | Betsy | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 61 mi |
| Oct 16, 1923 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 55 mph | 59 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 10, 2020 | Delta | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 30, 2012 | Isaac | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 61 mi |
| Oct 4, 2002 | Lili | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 46 mi |
| Sep 2, 1985 | Elena | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 16, 1985 | Danny | Tropical storm, 45 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 Morehouse Parish
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 Morehouse Parish
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; 11,898 housing units.
Compare in Louisiana
All 64 ›| Largest counties | Overall risk | Top hazard |
|---|---|---|
| East Baton Rouge Parish | Inland flooding | |
| Jefferson Parish | Hurricane | |
| Orleans Parish | Hurricane | |
| St. Tammany Parish | Hurricane | |
| Lafayette Parish | Hurricane | |
| Caddo Parish | Inland flooding | |
| Calcasieu Parish | Hurricane | |
| Ouachita Parish | Inland flooding |
Neighboring counties
| County | Overall risk | Declarations |
|---|---|---|
| Ouachita Parish | 41 | |
| Union County, AR | 19 | |
| Union Parish | 34 | |
| Richland Parish | 34 | |
| Ashley County, AR | 13 | |
| Chicot County, AR | 16 | |
| West Carroll Parish | 29 |
Common questions about Morehouse Parish
What is the biggest natural hazard in Morehouse Parish?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Morehouse Parish, about $5.4 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.5 million.
How many federal disasters has Morehouse Parish had?
Morehouse Parish has been included in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 17 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.
Is Morehouse Parish a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 41st highest of 64 in Louisiana. 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 Morehouse Parish?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 71 homes in Morehouse Parish 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 Morehouse Parish had?
NOAA records list 48 tornadoes in Morehouse Parish since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on April 1, 1983. The weather service has also logged 153 hail reports and 52 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Morehouse Parish?
NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 14 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Morehouse Parish. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1909, with winds near 80 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 parish, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.