Cold Wave Risk in Alabama
All Alabama counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index cold wave score
Cold Wave risk — prolonged spells of dangerously low temperatures — is rated for 67 of 67 Alabama counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Jefferson County carries the state's highest cold wave score at 98.5, with $23M in expected annual cold wave losses.
6 Alabama counties are rated High or Very High for cold wave, and expected annual losses from cold wave total roughly $153M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Cold Wave
| # | County | Cold Wave Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson County | High | 0.74 / yr | $23M | |
| 2 | Madison County | High | 1.42 / yr | $16M | |
| 3 | Limestone County | High | 1.32 / yr | $11M | |
| 4 | Lauderdale County | High | 1.26 / yr | $9M | |
| 5 | Cullman County | High | 1.26 / yr | $7M | |
| 6 | Talladega County | High | 0.63 / yr | $5M | |
| 7 | Colbert County | Medium | 1.26 / yr | $5M | |
| 8 | DeKalb County | Medium | 1.47 / yr | $4M | |
| 9 | Shelby County | Medium | 0.58 / yr | $7M | |
| 10 | Mobile County | Medium | 0.85 / yr | $5M | |
| 11 | Marshall County | Medium | 1.37 / yr | $4M | |
| 12 | Tuscaloosa County | Medium | 0.53 / yr | $4M | |
| 13 | Franklin County | Medium | 1.26 / yr | $3M | |
| 14 | Morgan County | Medium | 1.26 / yr | $4M | |
| 15 | Jackson County | Medium | 1.63 / yr | $3M | |
| 16 | Walker County | Medium | 0.84 / yr | $3M | |
| 17 | Baldwin County | Medium | 0.81 / yr | $4M | |
| 18 | Lawrence County | Medium | 1.26 / yr | $3M | |
| 19 | Etowah County | Medium | 0.89 / yr | $2M | |
| 20 | Marion County | Medium | 0.89 / yr | $2M | |
| 21 | Houston County | Medium | 2.37 / yr | $2M | |
| 22 | Calhoun County | Medium | 0.74 / yr | $2M | |
| 23 | Winston County | Medium | 0.89 / yr | $1M | |
| 24 | Dale County | Low | 2.37 / yr | $1M | |
| 25 | Blount County | Low | 0.89 / yr | $1M | |
| 26 | St. Clair County | Low | 0.89 / yr | $2M | |
| 27 | Choctaw County | Low | 1.11 / yr | $1M | |
| 28 | Coffee County | Low | 2.37 / yr | $1M | |
| 29 | Covington County | Low | 0.95 / yr | $861K | |
| 30 | Fayette County | Low | 0.89 / yr | $858K | |
| 31 | Clarke County | Low | 1.11 / yr | $883K | |
| 32 | Geneva County | Low | 2.37 / yr | $777K | |
| 33 | Cherokee County | Low | 0.89 / yr | $756K | |
| 34 | Lamar County | Low | 0.84 / yr | $806K | |
| 35 | Chilton County | Low | 0.42 / yr | $845K | |
| 36 | Henry County | Low | 2.37 / yr | $591K | |
| 37 | Sumter County | Low | 0.53 / yr | $488K | |
| 38 | Tallapoosa County | Low | 0.42 / yr | $615K | |
| 39 | Clay County | Low | 0.63 / yr | $544K | |
| 40 | Marengo County | Low | 0.42 / yr | $483K | |
| 41 | Escambia County | Low | 0.90 / yr | $507K | |
| 42 | Randolph County | Low | 0.63 / yr | $614K | |
| 43 | Washington County | Low | 1.11 / yr | $561K | |
| 44 | Dallas County | Low | 0.37 / yr | $474K | |
| 45 | Monroe County | Low | 1.11 / yr | $465K | |
| 46 | Elmore County | Low | 0.37 / yr | $647K | |
| 47 | Cleburne County | Low | 0.74 / yr | $462K | |
| 48 | Pickens County | Low | 0.58 / yr | $422K | |
| 49 | Bibb County | Low | 0.47 / yr | $483K | |
| 50 | Chambers County | Low | 0.42 / yr | $456K | |
| 51 | Wilcox County | Low | 1.11 / yr | $359K | |
| 52 | Butler County | Low | 1.05 / yr | $382K | |
| 53 | Hale County | Low | 0.47 / yr | $300K | |
| 54 | Autauga County | Low | 0.37 / yr | $380K | |
| 55 | Crenshaw County | Low | 1.05 / yr | $241K | |
| 56 | Conecuh County | Low | 1.05 / yr | $213K | |
| 57 | Perry County | Very Low | 0.42 / yr | $157K | |
| 58 | Montgomery County | Very Low | 0.37 / yr | $204K | |
| 59 | Coosa County | Very Low | 0.47 / yr | $208K | |
| 60 | Greene County | Very Low | 0.53 / yr | $118K | |
| 61 | Lee County | Very Low | 0.42 / yr | $170K | |
| 62 | Lowndes County | Very Low | 0.37 / yr | $80K | |
| 63 | Barbour County | Very Low | 0.37 / yr | $78K | |
| 64 | Pike County | Very Low | 0.37 / yr | $95K | |
| 65 | Bullock County | Very Low | 0.37 / yr | $45K | |
| 66 | Russell County | Very Low | 0.37 / yr | $50K | |
| 67 | Macon County | Very Low | 0.37 / yr | $21K |
67 Alabama counties with measurable cold wave risk. See the national cold wave ranking or all Alabama counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Alabama county has the highest cold wave risk?
Jefferson County has the highest FEMA cold wave risk score in Alabama at 98.5 (High), with $23M in expected annual losses and about 0.74 events per year.
How many Alabama counties face significant cold wave risk?
67 Alabama counties record measurable cold wave risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 6 of them are rated High or Very High.