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Webster Parish, Louisiana

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Relatively Low overall risk
33rd of 64highest risk in Louisiana
$18Mexpected losses a year
34federal declarations
1 in 167homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Webster Parish, Louisiana has a relatively low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is higher than 70% of US counties. It ranks 33rd of 64 parishes in Louisiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, tornadoes and ice storms. FEMA estimates about $18 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $482 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (20 major disasters). The most recent was in February 2026 (severe winter storm). Fewer than 1 in 100 homes here carry federal flood insurance (112 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $7.2 million on 223 claims here, including $4.4 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 Webster Parish

$6.7 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • 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.

Tornado

Moderate
$2.3 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 2 years.
  • 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.

Ice storm

Very High
$2.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about 2 times a year.
  • Trim branches that hang over the roof or power lines.
  • Plan for several days without power.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingLow65.0
$7M
TornadoModerate78.2
$2M
Ice stormVery High98.5
$2M
Heat waveModerate90.7
$2M
Strong windHigh94.9
$2M
HailModerate92.0
$1M
EarthquakeLow69.6
$479K
HurricaneLow70.9
$406K
Cold waveLow31.1
$280K
LightningModerate62.7
$232K
DroughtLow45.3
$64K
Winter weatherLow57.7
$53K
WildfireVery Low41.9
$18K
LandslideVery Low41.1
$447

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 low in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Webster Parish. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane15
Severe Storm5
Flood4
Severe Ice Storm3
Snowstorm2
Coastal Storm2

Most recent

Feb 18, 2026Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 10, 2024Tropical Storm FrancineEmergency
Sep 13, 2021Tropical Storm NicholasEmergency
Aug 29, 2021Hurricane IdaMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2021Tropical Storm IdaEmergency
Mar 9, 2021Severe Winter StormsMajor disaster
Feb 18, 2021Severe Winter StormEmergency
Oct 27, 2020Tropical Storm ZetaEmergency
Oct 16, 2020Hurricane DeltaMajor disaster
Show all 34
Oct 7, 2020Hurricane DeltaEmergency
Sep 14, 2020Hurricane SallyEmergency
Aug 28, 2020Hurricane LauraMajor disaster
Aug 23, 2020Tropical Storms Laura and MarcoEmergency
Jun 7, 2020Tropical Storm CristobalEmergency
Mar 13, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 10, 2009Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 2, 2008Hurricane GustavMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2008Hurricane GustavEmergency
Sep 24, 2005Hurricane RitaMajor disaster
Sep 21, 2005Hurricane RitaEmergency
Aug 29, 2005Hurricane KatrinaMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2005Hurricane KatrinaEmergency
Jan 12, 2001Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
Feb 15, 2000Severe Winter StormMajor disaster
Apr 9, 1999Severe Storms, Tornadoes and FloodingMajor disaster
Jan 21, 1999Severe Ice StormMajor disaster
Feb 28, 1994Severe Winter Ice StormMajor disaster
May 3, 1991Severe Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 23, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 17, 1989Tropical Storm AllisonMajor disaster
May 20, 1989Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Dec 6, 1978Severe Storms & TornadoesMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency

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 721 storm reports in Webster Parish since 1950, with 4 deaths and 20 injuries and about $12 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F4 tornado on February 12, 1950.

60tornadoes
253hail reports, largest 2.75 inches
329damaging thunderstorm winds
62floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Feb 12, 1950F4–0 / 0
Dec 3, 1978F3–3 / 2
Apr 25, 1982F3–1 / 0
Dec 3, 1978F3–0 / 0
May 7, 1978F2–0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
May 7, 1978Tornado–$3M
May 28, 2021TornadoMinden Webster Fld$1M
Apr 23, 2000TornadoMinden$800K
Jan 11, 2020TornadoDoyline$750K
Jul 28, 2009Flash FloodSpringhill$500K
Jul 28, 2009Flash FloodSpringhill$500K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jul 6, 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, 1 hurricane and 11 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Webster Parish, 6 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), with top winds near 80 mph about 52 miles away.

1hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
11tropical storms
2020most recent: Laura

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 27, 2020LauraCategory 1, 80 mph52 mi
Jun 27, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 65 mph60 mi
Oct 13, 1886UnnamedTropical storm, 65 mph59 mi
Aug 23, 1879UnnamedTropical storm, 60 mph56 mi
Jul 6, 1891UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph64 mi
Sep 14, 1865UnnamedTropical storm, 55 mph65 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 27, 2020LauraCategory 1, 80 mph52 mi
Jul 14, 2019BarryTropical storm, 40 mph63 mi
Jun 22, 2017CindyTropical storm, 40 mph56 mi
Aug 30, 2012IsaacTropical storm, 40 mph59 mi
Sep 24, 2005RitaTropical storm, 45 mph58 mi
Jun 27, 1957AudreyTropical storm, 65 mph60 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 Webster Parish

Check your address flood zone ›
0.6%of homes have federal flood insurance (112 policies)
24.2%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$7.2 millionpaid on 223 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $4.4 million paid

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 Webster Parish

$114,500median home value (Louisiana $216,500, US $332,700)
1973median year homes were built (Louisiana 1983, US 1980)
63%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
22.2%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

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; 18,377 housing units.

Compare in Louisiana

All 64 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
East Baton Rouge ParishHighInland flooding
Jefferson ParishHighHurricane
Orleans ParishHighHurricane
St. Tammany ParishHighHurricane
Lafayette ParishHighHurricane
Caddo ParishModerateInland flooding
Calcasieu ParishHighHurricane
Ouachita ParishModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Bossier ParishModerate33
Columbia County, ARVery Low20
Claiborne ParishVery Low32
Bienville ParishVery Low33
Lafayette County, ARVery Low19

Common questions about Webster Parish

What is the biggest natural hazard in Webster Parish?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Webster Parish, about $6.7 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Tornado is second at $2.3 million.

How many federal disasters has Webster Parish had?

Webster Parish has been included in 34 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 20 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in February 2026.

Is Webster Parish a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Relatively Low, 33rd 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 Webster Parish?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 167 homes in Webster 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 Webster Parish had?

NOAA records list 60 tornadoes in Webster Parish since 1950. The strongest was an F4 tornado on February 12, 1950. The weather service has also logged 253 hail reports and 62 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Webster Parish?

NOAA's hurricane records show 1 hurricane and 11 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Webster Parish. The strongest was Hurricane Laura (2020), 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.