Heat Wave Risk in Alabama
All Alabama counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index heat wave score
Heat Wave risk — prolonged periods of extreme heat that threaten health and infrastructure — is rated for 67 of 67 Alabama counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Jefferson County carries the state's highest heat wave score at 97.6, with $11M in expected annual heat wave losses.
2 Alabama counties are rated High or Very High for heat wave, and expected annual losses from heat wave total roughly $91M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Heat Wave
| # | County | Heat Wave Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jefferson County | High | 7.89 / yr | $11M | |
| 2 | Montgomery County | High | 9.79 / yr | $7M | |
| 3 | Mobile County | Medium | 9.98 / yr | $7M | |
| 4 | Tuscaloosa County | Medium | 10.00 / yr | $6M | |
| 5 | Madison County | Medium | 7.58 / yr | $6M | |
| 6 | Baldwin County | Medium | 9.29 / yr | $4M | |
| 7 | Lee County | Medium | 6.42 / yr | $4M | |
| 8 | Shelby County | Medium | 7.74 / yr | $3M | |
| 9 | Morgan County | Medium | 7.58 / yr | $2M | |
| 10 | Elmore County | Medium | 9.00 / yr | $2M | |
| 11 | Greene County | Medium | 10.21 / yr | $1M | |
| 12 | Autauga County | Medium | 9.53 / yr | $2M | |
| 13 | Walker County | Medium | 8.74 / yr | $1M | |
| 14 | Lauderdale County | Medium | 8.89 / yr | $2M | |
| 15 | Tallapoosa County | Medium | 6.26 / yr | $1M | |
| 16 | Escambia County | Medium | 8.04 / yr | $1M | |
| 17 | Chambers County | Medium | 5.16 / yr | $1M | |
| 18 | Cullman County | Medium | 7.11 / yr | $1M | |
| 19 | Dallas County | Medium | 10.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 20 | Talladega County | Medium | 6.11 / yr | $1M | |
| 21 | Lawrence County | Medium | 8.53 / yr | $1M | |
| 22 | Colbert County | Medium | 8.95 / yr | $1M | |
| 23 | Marshall County | Medium | 5.32 / yr | $1M | |
| 24 | Houston County | Medium | 5.05 / yr | $1M | |
| 25 | Pickens County | Medium | 10.11 / yr | $947K | |
| 26 | Calhoun County | Low | 4.63 / yr | $1M | |
| 27 | Etowah County | Low | 4.63 / yr | $1M | |
| 28 | Russell County | Low | 8.32 / yr | $1M | |
| 29 | Pike County | Low | 8.95 / yr | $951K | |
| 30 | Lowndes County | Low | 9.74 / yr | $595K | |
| 31 | Limestone County | Low | 7.63 / yr | $1M | |
| 32 | St. Clair County | Low | 5.74 / yr | $1M | |
| 33 | Marengo County | Low | 10.21 / yr | $587K | |
| 34 | Franklin County | Low | 8.74 / yr | $593K | |
| 35 | Covington County | Low | 7.26 / yr | $610K | |
| 36 | Blount County | Low | 5.89 / yr | $688K | |
| 37 | Barbour County | Low | 8.95 / yr | $516K | |
| 38 | Chilton County | Low | 8.53 / yr | $748K | |
| 39 | Sumter County | Low | 10.11 / yr | $473K | |
| 40 | Fayette County | Low | 9.16 / yr | $590K | |
| 41 | Marion County | Low | 8.16 / yr | $480K | |
| 42 | Dale County | Low | 4.89 / yr | $550K | |
| 43 | Clarke County | Low | 7.65 / yr | $587K | |
| 44 | Coffee County | Low | 5.00 / yr | $616K | |
| 45 | DeKalb County | Low | 4.00 / yr | $516K | |
| 46 | Winston County | Low | 8.00 / yr | $393K | |
| 47 | Bibb County | Low | 9.47 / yr | $421K | |
| 48 | Macon County | Low | 8.68 / yr | $374K | |
| 49 | Monroe County | Low | 7.28 / yr | $369K | |
| 50 | Hale County | Low | 10.11 / yr | $357K | |
| 51 | Butler County | Low | 6.37 / yr | $324K | |
| 52 | Jackson County | Low | 4.05 / yr | $324K | |
| 53 | Geneva County | Low | 5.32 / yr | $286K | |
| 54 | Washington County | Low | 8.67 / yr | $315K | |
| 55 | Lamar County | Low | 9.16 / yr | $283K | |
| 56 | Bullock County | Low | 8.95 / yr | $222K | |
| 57 | Conecuh County | Low | 7.21 / yr | $225K | |
| 58 | Perry County | Low | 9.79 / yr | $210K | |
| 59 | Crenshaw County | Low | 6.32 / yr | $228K | |
| 60 | Choctaw County | Low | 7.58 / yr | $216K | |
| 61 | Randolph County | Low | 4.37 / yr | $234K | |
| 62 | Wilcox County | Low | 6.47 / yr | $171K | |
| 63 | Cherokee County | Low | 4.53 / yr | $198K | |
| 64 | Henry County | Low | 4.84 / yr | $178K | |
| 65 | Clay County | Low | 4.63 / yr | $154K | |
| 66 | Coosa County | Low | 6.89 / yr | $185K | |
| 67 | Cleburne County | Very Low | 4.05 / yr | $121K |
67 Alabama counties with measurable heat wave risk. See the national heat wave ranking or all Alabama counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Alabama county has the highest heat wave risk?
Jefferson County has the highest FEMA heat wave risk score in Alabama at 97.6 (High), with $11M in expected annual losses and about 7.89 events per year.
How many Alabama counties face significant heat wave risk?
67 Alabama counties record measurable heat wave risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 2 of them are rated High or Very High.