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Natural Disasters in Alabama: History & Risk Data

42,874 recorded disaster events across 613 ZIP codes.

State Statistics

42,874
Total Events
$36.3B
Total Damage
4,971
Total Deaths
613
ZIP Codes

Event Timeline

06531306195926091950: 12 events, 0 deaths, $0.2M damage19501951: 17 events, 0 deaths, $0.1M damage1952: 54 events, 35 deaths, $23.4M damage1953: 96 events, 76 deaths, $114.7M damage1954: 47 events, 6 deaths, $78.9M damage1955: 52 events, 25 deaths, $32.7M damage1956: 68 events, 350 deaths, $35.3M damage1957: 237 events, 52 deaths, $53.8M damage19571958: 154 events, 3 deaths, $10.1M damage1959: 68 events, 0 deaths, $2.5M damage1960: 66 events, 0 deaths, $3.0M damage1961: 190 events, 0 deaths, $13.5M damage1962: 112 events, 0 deaths, $5.5M damage1963: 180 events, 18 deaths, $53.5M damage1964: 162 events, 60 deaths, $13.0M damage19641965: 135 events, 0 deaths, $6.1M damage1966: 54 events, 6 deaths, $15.2M damage1967: 230 events, 39 deaths, $97.8M damage1968: 144 events, 4 deaths, $31.1M damage1969: 108 events, 2 deaths, $6.9M damage1970: 132 events, 6 deaths, $5.8M damage1971: 272 events, 39 deaths, $6.7M damage19711972: 141 events, 18 deaths, $11.4M damage1973: 408 events, 46 deaths, $1153.2M damage1974: 447 events, 384 deaths, $643.1M damage1975: 300 events, 10 deaths, $167.7M damage1976: 267 events, 0 deaths, $50.2M damage1977: 345 events, 378 deaths, $444.6M damage1978: 219 events, 0 deaths, $36.6M damage19781979: 183 events, 0 deaths, $54.8M damage1980: 248 events, 0 deaths, $23.2M damage1981: 124 events, 10 deaths, $141.5M damage1982: 367 events, 0 deaths, $23.4M damage1983: 329 events, 15 deaths, $78.0M damage1984: 545 events, 41 deaths, $254.1M damage1985: 398 events, 4 deaths, $111.2M damage19851986: 193 events, 4 deaths, $65.7M damage1987: 113 events, 3 deaths, $0.2M damage1988: 375 events, 0 deaths, $165.6M damage1989: 419 events, 214 deaths, $3846.2M damage1990: 375 events, 0 deaths, $111.8M damage1991: 189 events, 25 deaths, $14.8M damage1992: 288 events, 12 deaths, $92.8M damage19921993: 20 events, 0 deaths, $10.1M damage1994: 49 events, 132 deaths, $374.2M damage1995: 57 events, 49 deaths, $71.6M damage1996: 1940 events, 82 deaths, $592.7M damage1997: 709 events, 6 deaths, $93.5M damage1998: 1674 events, 117 deaths, $2568.3M damage1999: 490 events, 36 deaths, $9.3M damage19992000: 1341 events, 155 deaths, $259.6M damage2001: 608 events, 24 deaths, $76.7M damage2002: 696 events, 51 deaths, $77.7M damage2003: 1171 events, 8 deaths, $96.9M damage2004: 483 events, 8 deaths, $343.9M damage2005: 1871 events, 34 deaths, $46.0M damage2006: 1415 events, 4 deaths, $48.2M damage20062007: 1088 events, 218 deaths, $1463.0M damage2008: 1263 events, 22 deaths, $145.6M damage2009: 2038 events, 25 deaths, $168.4M damage2010: 1427 events, 114 deaths, $180.7M damage2011: 2609 events, 1225 deaths, $20265.6M damage2012: 2048 events, 167 deaths, $40.7M damage2013: 684 events, 0 deaths, $82.0M damage20132014: 696 events, 125 deaths, $603.4M damage2015: 845 events, 17 deaths, $50.3M damage2016: 565 events, 27 deaths, $6.5M damage2017: 1239 events, 16 deaths, $41.9M damage2018: 649 events, 0 deaths, $40.8M damage2019: 585 events, 110 deaths, $5.7M damage2020: 625 events, 22 deaths, $40.7M damage20202021: 977 events, 88 deaths, $30.6M damage2022: 766 events, 67 deaths, $3.1M damage2023: 1457 events, 36 deaths, $227.8M damage2024: 660 events, 4 deaths, $69.1M damage2025: 1266 events, 97 deaths, $47.0M damage
Events (no fatalities) Events with fatalities

Hazard Breakdown

⛈️hail
23.1K events·0 deaths·$127.5M
Low:21K
Moderate:1.8K
High:187
Severe:88
🌪️tornado
10.2K events·3,870 deaths·$31.9B
Low:6K
Moderate:2.8K
High:1K
Severe:395
🌊flood
2.7K events·149 deaths·$2.9B
Low:882
Moderate:702
High:699
Severe:450
❄️blizzard
2.5K events·261 deaths·$210.2M
Low:679
Moderate:1.1K
High:406
Severe:254
💨wind
2K events·58 deaths·$548.4M
Low:1.8K
Moderate:218
High:24
Severe:2
🌡️heat
1K events·529 deaths·$8.9M
Low:398
Moderate:61
High:247
Severe:341
🥶cold
556 events·104 deaths·$465.6M
Low:104
Moderate:11
High:433
Severe:8
🔥wildfire
556 events·0 deaths·$0
Low:510
Moderate:46
🌍earthquake
206 events·0 deaths·$0
Low:188
Moderate:18
🌀hurricane
16 events·0 deaths·$29.6M
Low:6
Moderate:10

Most Affected ZIP Codes in Alabama

35806 224 events 35808 217 events 35613 211 events 35976 200 events 35811 190 events 35758 190 events 35749 188 events 35756 186 events 35611 182 events 35057 174 events

📊 Alabama Disaster Profile

Alabama has experienced 42,874 documented natural disaster events across its 613 ZIP codes. The cumulative documented property damage stands at $36.3B. A total of 4,971 fatalities have been attributed to natural disasters in the state.

⚠️ Hazard Distribution

Hailstorms lead Alabama's disaster profile with 23,069 events (54%), causing $127.5M in property damage. Other significant hazards include tornadoes (10,198 events, $31.9B in damages), floods (2,733 events, $2.9B in damages), and blizzards (2,471 events, $210.2M in damages).

📍 Geographic Impact

The most disaster-affected areas in Alabama include ZIP 35806 (224 events, $257.9M in damages), ZIP 35808 (217 events, $268.7M in damages), and ZIP 35613 (211 events, $18M in damages).

📈 Trends Over Time

Disaster frequency in Alabama has increased markedly over time. The average annual event count in recent decades is roughly 394% higher than in earlier periods of the record. The year 2011 stands out as particularly active, with 2,609 events recorded — likely driven by a major weather system or disaster season.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions — Alabama

What natural disasters occur in Alabama?

Alabama has experienced 42,874 documented natural disaster events. The hazard types recorded include hailstorms (23,069), tornadoes (10,198), floods (2,733), blizzards (2,471), severe wind events (2,022), extreme heat events (1,047), extreme cold events (556), wildfires (556), earthquakes (206), and hurricanes (16). The most common hazard is hailstorms, accounting for 54% of all events.

What are the most disaster-prone areas in Alabama?

Based on historical records, the most disaster-affected ZIP codes in Alabama are ZIP 35806 (224 events), ZIP 35808 (217 events), ZIP 35613 (211 events), ZIP 35976 (200 events), and ZIP 35811 (190 events). These areas have the highest concentration of recorded natural disaster events in the state.

How much damage have natural disasters caused in Alabama?

Natural disasters have caused a documented $36.3B in property damage across Alabama. This total is based on records from FEMA, NOAA, and USGS, covering events from the 1950s onward. The actual figure is likely higher, as not all events have complete damage records.

About This Data

State-level data aggregated from FEMA (disaster declarations, NFIP flood claims), NOAA Storm Events Database, USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, and NIFC wildfire records. Historical coverage varies by source, with most records beginning in the 1950s–1970s. Full methodology →

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