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West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana

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

Very Low overall risk
49th of 64highest risk in Louisiana
$10Mexpected losses a year
41federal declarations
1 in 50homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 65% of US counties. It ranks 49th of 64 parishes in Louisiana. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, cold waves and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $9.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $631 per resident. Since 1965 it has been included in 41 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (23 major disasters). The most recent was in January 2026 (severe winter storm). About 1 in 50 homes here carry federal flood insurance (88 policies). Since 1978, federal flood insurance has paid about $4.3 million on 370 claims here, including $1.4 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 West Feliciana Parish

$3.2 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • 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.

Cold wave

Moderate
$1.9 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once a year.
  • Insulate pipes in outside walls, crawl spaces and garages.
  • Know how to shut off the main water valve.

Tornado

Moderate
$1.8 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 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.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low31.5
$3M
Cold waveModerate71.1
$2M
TornadoModerate64.9
$2M
HurricaneLow78.2
$1M
Strong windModerate51.9
$508K
Heat waveLow53.2
$379K
DroughtLow60.4
$253K
LightningLow32.0
$102K
HailVery Low15.2
$45K
Ice stormLow37.8
$41K
EarthquakeVery Low25.0
$39K
WildfireVery Low37.6
$19K
Winter weatherVery Low4.7
$3K
LandslideVery Low48.5
$1K

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 moderate 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 West Feliciana Parish. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane23
Flood8
Coastal Storm5
Severe Ice Storm2
Severe Storm1
Snowstorm1

Most recent

Jan 24, 2026Severe Winter StormEmergency
Sep 16, 2024Hurricane FrancineMajor disaster
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
Jan 12, 2021Hurricane ZetaMajor disaster
Oct 27, 2020Tropical Storm ZetaEmergency
Show all 41
Oct 16, 2020Hurricane DeltaMajor disaster
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
Sep 19, 2019FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 27, 2019Hurricane BarryMajor disaster
Jul 11, 2019Tropical Storm BarryEmergency
May 29, 2019FloodingEmergency
Aug 14, 2016Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Feb 5, 2016FloodingEmergency
Jul 13, 2015Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Aug 29, 2012Hurricane IsaacMajor disaster
Oct 28, 2011Tropical Storm LeeMajor disaster
Aug 18, 2011FloodingMajor disaster
May 6, 2011FloodingEmergency
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
Sep 15, 2004Hurricane IvanMajor disaster
Oct 3, 2002Hurricane LiliMajor disaster
Jun 11, 2001Tropical Storm AllisonMajor disaster
Aug 26, 1992Hurricane AndrewMajor disaster
Feb 22, 1977Drought & FreezingEmergency
Jun 6, 1975Heavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingMajor disaster
Apr 27, 1973Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Sep 10, 1965Hurricane BetsyMajor disaster

Louisiana also had 9 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1954

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 129 storm reports in West Feliciana Parish since 1954, with 2 deaths and 5 injuries and about $6.8 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on February 19, 1954.

9tornadoes
24hail reports, largest 1.75 inches
83damaging thunderstorm winds
10floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Feb 19, 1954F2–4 / 1
Nov 21, 1992F2–0 / 0
Apr 10, 2024EF2Beechwood0 / 0
Apr 3, 2000F1St Francisville0 / 0
Apr 10, 2024EF1St Francisville0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Aug 12, 2016Flash FloodRetreat$5M
Mar 13, 1999Flash FloodCountywide$750K
Nov 21, 1992Tornado–$250K
Apr 3, 2000TornadoSt Francisville$200K
Apr 3, 2000Thunderstorm WindSt Francisville$50K
May 5, 2011FloodAngola$50K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Apr 25, 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, 15 hurricanes and 26 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of West Feliciana Parish, 20 of them since 1950. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1909, with top winds near 105 mph about 51 miles away.

15hurricanes
0major hurricanes (Category 3+)
26tropical storms
2021most recent: Ida

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 21, 1909UnnamedCategory 2, 105 mph51 mi
Aug 30, 2021IdaCategory 2, 100 mph61 mi
Sep 1, 1879UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph58 mi
Oct 2, 1860UnnamedCategory 2, 100 mph64 mi
Aug 26, 1992AndrewCategory 2, 95 mph61 mi
Sep 1, 2008GustavCategory 1, 95 mph64 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Aug 30, 2021IdaCategory 2, 100 mph61 mi
Oct 10, 2020DeltaTropical storm, 65 mph60 mi
Jun 8, 2020CristobalTropical storm, 45 mph62 mi
Aug 29, 2012IsaacTropical storm, 65 mph62 mi
Sep 1, 2008GustavCategory 1, 95 mph64 mi
Oct 3, 2002LiliTropical storm, 70 mph64 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 West Feliciana Parish

Check your address flood zone ›
2%of homes have federal flood insurance (88 policies)
0%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$4.3 millionpaid on 370 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $1.4 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 West Feliciana Parish

$245,700median home value (Louisiana $216,500, US $332,700)
1991median year homes were built (Louisiana 1983, US 1980)
35%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
20.7%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; 5,162 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
Avoyelles ParishLow39
West Baton Rouge ParishVery Low35
Pointe Coupee ParishLow44
East Feliciana ParishLow38
Concordia ParishVery Low35
Wilkinson County, MSVery Low30

Common questions about West Feliciana Parish

What is the biggest natural hazard in West Feliciana Parish?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in West Feliciana Parish, about $3.2 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Cold wave is second at $1.9 million.

How many federal disasters has West Feliciana Parish had?

West Feliciana Parish has been included in 41 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1965, including 23 major disasters. The most recent was Severe Winter Storm in January 2026.

Is West Feliciana Parish a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 49th 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 West Feliciana Parish?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 50 homes in West Feliciana 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 West Feliciana Parish had?

NOAA records list 9 tornadoes in West Feliciana Parish since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on February 19, 1954. The weather service has also logged 24 hail reports and 10 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit West Feliciana Parish?

NOAA's hurricane records show 15 hurricanes and 26 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of West Feliciana Parish. The strongest was an unnamed hurricane in 1909, 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 parish, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.