Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 63% of US counties. It ranks 36th of 64 parishes in Louisiana. The costliest hazards here are cold waves, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $16 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $749 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 44 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (25 major disasters). The most recent was in June 2026 (Tropical Storm Arthur). About 1 in 9 homes here carry federal flood insurance (1,229 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $26 million on 1,896 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Pointe Coupee Parish
- Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
- Know how to shut off the main water valve.
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cold wave | 92.0 | $5M | ||
| Hurricane | 86.5 | $3M | ||
| Tornado | 78.8 | $2M | ||
| Inland flooding | 26.3 | $2M | ||
| Drought | 91.2 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 66.7 | $526K | ||
| Strong wind | 38.1 | $261K | ||
| Lightning | 45.7 | $135K | ||
| Earthquake | 39.3 | $99K | ||
| Ice storm | 57.6 | $81K | ||
| Hail | 22.7 | $55K | ||
| Winter weather | 10.8 | $6K | ||
| Wildfire | 11.8 | $3K | ||
| Landslide | 27.0 | $155 |
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 high in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Pointe Coupee Parish. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 44
Louisiana also had 9 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1956
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 224 storm reports in Pointe Coupee Parish since 1956, with 2 deaths and 31 injuries and about $21 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on October 15, 1957.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 15, 1957 | F3 | – | 19 / 1 |
| Nov 7, 1957 | F3 | – | 5 / 0 |
| Dec 17, 1995 | F2 | Livonia | 1 / 0 |
| May 16, 1980 | F1 | – | 1 / 1 |
| Jan 10, 2008 | EF1 | New Roads | 0 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 12, 2016 | Flash Flood | Legonier | $11M |
| Aug 13, 2016 | Flood | New Roads Arpt | $5M |
| Jan 10, 2008 | Tornado | New Roads | $2M |
| Jan 4, 2007 | Tornado | Oscar | $500K |
| Jan 24, 2024 | Flash Flood | Legonier | $500K |
| Oct 15, 1957 | Tornado | – | $250K |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 8, 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 1856, 18 hurricanes and 27 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Pointe Coupee Parish, 22 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Carmen (1974), with top winds near 115 mph about 64 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 8, 1974 | Carmen | Category 3, 115 mph | 64 mi |
| Aug 11, 1856 | Unnamed | Category 3, 115 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 21, 1909 | Unnamed | Category 3, 110 mph | 63 mi |
| Aug 26, 1992 | Andrew | Category 2, 105 mph | 59 mi |
| Sep 1, 1879 | Unnamed | Category 2, 105 mph | 63 mi |
| Oct 4, 1964 | Hilda | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 30, 2021 | Ida | Category 2, 100 mph | 62 mi |
| Oct 10, 2020 | Delta | Category 1, 75 mph | 64 mi |
| Jun 8, 2020 | Cristobal | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 29, 2012 | Isaac | Tropical storm, 65 mph | 63 mi |
| Sep 1, 2008 | Gustav | Category 2, 100 mph | 64 mi |
| Oct 3, 2002 | Lili | Category 1, 80 mph | 64 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 Pointe Coupee 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 Pointe Coupee 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; 11,096 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 |
|---|---|---|
| St. Landry Parish | 43 | |
| St. Martin Parish | 51 | |
| Avoyelles Parish | 39 | |
| Iberville Parish | 45 | |
| West Baton Rouge Parish | 35 | |
| Concordia Parish | 35 | |
| West Feliciana Parish | 41 |
Common questions about Pointe Coupee Parish
What is the biggest natural hazard in Pointe Coupee Parish?
Cold wave has the highest expected yearly losses in Pointe Coupee Parish, about $5.5 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $3.1 million.
How many federal disasters has Pointe Coupee Parish had?
Pointe Coupee Parish has been included in 44 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 25 major disasters. The most recent was Tropical Storm Arthur in June 2026.
Is Pointe Coupee Parish a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 36th 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 Pointe Coupee Parish?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 9 homes in Pointe Coupee 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 Pointe Coupee Parish had?
NOAA records list 21 tornadoes in Pointe Coupee Parish since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on October 15, 1957. The weather service has also logged 37 hail reports and 20 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Pointe Coupee Parish?
NOAA's hurricane records show 18 hurricanes and 27 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Pointe Coupee Parish, including 3 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Carmen (1974), 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 parish, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.