Sabine Parish, Louisiana
Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.
Sabine Parish, Louisiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 61% of US counties. It ranks 37th of 64 parishes in Louisiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and strong wind. FEMA estimates about $14 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $631 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (14 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (96 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $698,000 on 40 claims here.
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.
Top risks in Sabine 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.
- Secure outdoor furniture and trash bins before storms.
- Have trees near the house checked.
All 18 hazards
What the ratings mean ›| Hazard | Rating | Score | Expected loss a year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | 66.5 | $7M | ||
| Tornado | 72.0 | $2M | ||
| Strong wind | 92.5 | $2M | ||
| Hurricane | 80.3 | $1M | ||
| Heat wave | 76.5 | $787K | ||
| Lightning | 77.0 | $405K | ||
| Hail | 68.1 | $325K | ||
| Ice storm | 74.9 | $181K | ||
| Cold wave | 22.9 | $172K | ||
| Drought | 54.0 | $124K | ||
| Wildfire | 67.4 | $90K | ||
| Earthquake | 37.1 | $80K | ||
| Winter weather | 44.0 | $33K | ||
| Landslide | 61.6 | $2K |
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 very low in FEMA's measures.
Federal disaster history
Recent disasters nationwide ›Declarations by decade
Federal declarations for natural events that included Sabine Parish. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.
By type
Most recent
Show all 30
Louisiana also had 9 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.
Storm history since 1950
Tornado risk by county ›The National Weather Service has logged 488 storm reports in Sabine Parish since 1950, with 13 deaths and 60 injuries and about $22.5 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F3 tornado on February 12, 1950.
Strongest tornadoes
| Date | Strength | Near | Hurt / killed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 12, 1950 | F3 | – | 25 / 5 |
| Mar 20, 1974 | F3 | – | 5 / 1 |
| Oct 27, 1980 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| May 19, 1983 | F3 | – | 0 / 0 |
| Nov 16, 1957 | F3 | – | 1 / 0 |
Most damaging storms
| Date | Type | Near | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 14, 1993 | Tornado | Many To | $6M |
| Feb 10, 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Converse | $5M |
| Mar 20, 1974 | Tornado | – | $3M |
| Mar 30, 2008 | Flash Flood | Pleasant Hill | $2M |
| Jan 9, 2022 | Tornado | Peason Dam | $2M |
| May 3, 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Loring | $1M |
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 15, 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 1865, 5 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Sabine Parish, 10 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), with top winds near 115 mph about 59 miles away.
Strongest storms nearby
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Category 3, 115 mph | 59 mi |
| Jun 27, 1957 | Audrey | Category 1, 85 mph | 51 mi |
| Aug 23, 1879 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 65 mi |
| Aug 6, 1918 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 56 mi |
| Oct 13, 1886 | Unnamed | Category 1, 80 mph | 55 mi |
| Sep 14, 1865 | Unnamed | Tropical storm, 70 mph | 53 mi |
Most recent storms
| Date | Storm | Strength | Closest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 27, 2020 | Laura | Category 3, 115 mph | 59 mi |
| Jul 14, 2019 | Barry | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 60 mi |
| Aug 30, 2017 | Harvey | Tropical storm, 40 mph | 62 mi |
| Jun 22, 2017 | Cindy | Tropical storm, 45 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 2, 2008 | Gustav | Tropical storm, 60 mph | 62 mi |
| Sep 13, 2007 | Humberto | Tropical storm, 50 mph | 60 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 Sabine 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 Sabine 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; 13,711 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Vernon Parish | 36 | |
| Natchitoches Parish | 38 | |
| De Soto Parish | 30 | |
| Shelby County, TX | 24 | |
| Newton County, TX | 28 | |
| Sabine County, TX | 23 |
Common questions about Sabine Parish
What is the biggest natural hazard in Sabine Parish?
Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Sabine Parish, about $7.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $1.7 million.
How many federal disasters has Sabine Parish had?
Sabine Parish has been included in 30 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 14 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.
Is Sabine Parish a high-risk place to live?
Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 37th 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 Sabine Parish?
Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 125 homes in Sabine 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 Sabine Parish had?
NOAA records list 43 tornadoes in Sabine Parish since 1950. The strongest was an F3 tornado on February 12, 1950. The weather service has also logged 171 hail reports and 58 floods here.
How many hurricanes have hit Sabine Parish?
NOAA's hurricane records show 5 hurricanes and 16 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Sabine Parish, including 1 major hurricane (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), 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.