Federal records document 99 natural disaster events in the New Orleans, LA area (ZIP 70117). These include 30 hailstorms, 27 floods, and 18 tornadoes. Total documented property damage amounts to $177.1M. These events have resulted in 10 recorded deaths and 66 injuries.
The dominant hazard type for New Orleans is hailstorms, with 30 recorded events making up 30% of the area's disaster history. The most recent recorded hailstorm occurred on Apr 16, 2023.
There have been 27 recorded floods in this area, representing 27% of all disaster events. Of these, 7 (26%) were rated at severity level 4 or 5 — the most intense on the normalized scale. The highest recorded severity for flood-related events here is 5/5 (extreme). Flood-related events have caused a combined $6.3M in documented property damage. 2 fatalities have been attributed to floods in this area. The most recent recorded flood occurred on Apr 21, 2025.
There have been 18 recorded tornadoes in this area, representing 18% of all disaster events. Of these, 2 (11%) were rated at severity level 4 or 5 — the most intense on the normalized scale. The highest recorded severity for tornado-related events here is 4/5 (severe). Tornado-related events have caused a combined $137.7M in documented property damage. 3 fatalities have been attributed to tornadoes in this area. The most recent recorded tornado occurred on Dec 14, 2022.
There have been 17 recorded severe wind events in this area, representing 17% of all disaster events. Wind-related events have caused a combined $65K in documented property damage. The most recent recorded severe wind event occurred on May 16, 2024.
New Orleans has experienced 3 extreme heat events on record. One event reached severity level 4 or 5 on the normalized scale. The highest recorded severity for heat-related events here is 4/5 (severe). 2 fatalities have been attributed to extreme heat events in this area. The most recent recorded extreme heat event occurred on Jul 16, 2000.
New Orleans has experienced 2 hurricanes on record. Hurricane-related events have caused a combined $33M in documented property damage. The most recent recorded hurricane occurred on Aug 28, 2012.
The most significant disaster event on record for New Orleans was EF2 Tornado on Dec 14, 2022, which caused $50M in property damage. Another major event was EF2 Tornado (Dec 14, 2022), causing $50M in damages. EF3 Tornado on Mar 22, 2022 also caused significant damage ($30M).
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Based on federal and state records, ZIP code 70117 has experienced 99 natural disaster events. The hazard types affecting this area include hailstorms (30 events), floods (27 events), tornadoes (18 events), severe wind events (17 events), extreme heat events (3 events), hurricanes (2 events), blizzard (1 event), and extreme cold event (1 event). The primary hazard is hailstorms, which account for 30% of all recorded events.
Hailstorms are the most frequently recorded hazard in New Orleans, LA, with 30 events documented.
Yes, New Orleans (ZIP 70117) has 27 recorded flood events. These floods have caused $6.3M in total property damage. The most recent flood on record occurred on Apr 21, 2025.
New Orleans has 18 recorded tornado events in the historical record. The strongest tornado recorded reached severity level 4/5 on the normalized scale. Total property damage from tornadoes in this area is $137.7M. The most recent tornado was recorded on Dec 14, 2022.
The most damaging natural disaster on record for ZIP code 70117 was EF2 Tornado, which occurred on Dec 14, 2022. This event caused $50M in documented property damage. It was rated at severity level 3/5.
Natural disasters have caused a documented total of $177.1M in property damage in the New Orleans, LA area (ZIP 70117). This figure is based on historical records from FEMA, NOAA Storm Events Database, and USGS, and covers events from the 1950s through the present. Actual damages may be higher, as not all events have complete damage assessments.
Data sourced 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 →