States › Alabama › Winston County
Winston County, Alabama
Recorded hazard history: storm events since 1950, federal disaster declarations since 1953, flood insurance claims since 1978, and FEMA's risk index.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. NCEI storm records through 30 Jun 2026; OpenFEMA declarations refreshed 29 Sep 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Winston County, Alabama, has 527 weather events in the NCEI Storm Events record since 1950, most of them damaging wind.
That is 86.0 events per 100 square miles, in line with the Alabama figure of 87.3, and 222.8 per 10,000 residents against 87.8 statewide.
11 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 7 deaths and 120 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $22M and crop damage at $1.1M.
FEMA has designated the county in 25 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Hurricane Helene (emergency, 26 Sep 2024).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 11 claims since 1978, of which 4 were paid, totalling $130K (about $32K per paid claim). FEMA counts 30 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively Low" and its expected annual loss as "Very Low" ($12M a year across 18 hazards).
16 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 0 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Alabama and the United States
| Measure | Winston County | Alabama | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 527 | 44,232 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 86.0 | 87.3 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 222.8 | 87.8 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 11 | 1,348 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 7 | 941 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $22M | $12B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 0.5 | 8.9 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $32K | $34K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 23.3 | 21.5 | 16.1 |
County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county. State and US rows include events recorded only by forecast zone. Rates use 2021 Census population and land area.
Events by decade
Trend: 293 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 200 in the 20 years before. Reporting practice changed in 1996 and again with automated reports in the 2000s, so decade totals measure the record as much as the weather.
Events by type
Hazard pages exist for hail, tornado, flood, wind and winter where the county has at least 10 recorded events. "Other" covers heavy rain, debris flow, dust, funnel clouds and similar reports.
Largest recorded events
| Date | Event type | Group | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Apr 1974 | Tornado | Tornado | F5 | — | — | 5 | 22 | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $200K | — | 1 | 15 | County |
| 21 May 1987 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $25K | — | 1 | — | County |
| 27 Apr 2011 | Tornado | Tornado | EF3 | $12M | — | — | 25 | County |
| 20 Apr 1995 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $450K | — | — | 17 | County |
| 24 Nov 2001 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $800K | — | — | 13 | County |
| 25 Mar 1964 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $250K | — | — | 7 | County |
| 20 Mar 1976 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $250K | — | — | 6 | County |
| 10 Nov 2002 | Tornado | Tornado | F3 | $300K | — | — | 5 | County |
| 8 Aug 2007 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | — | 3 | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 63 mph | $60K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 Apr 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 69 mph | $60K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 2 Apr 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | Wind | 58 mph | $10K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 16 Jun 2011 | Lightning | Lightning | — | $5K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 Apr 1996 | Lightning | Lightning | — | $2K | — | — | 1 | County |
| 3 May 2002 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 11 Apr 2013 | Tornado | Tornado | EF1 | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 20 Feb 1989 | Tornado | Tornado | F2 | $2.5M | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 1996 | Cold/Wind Chill | Cold | — | — | $1.0M | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Aug 2005 | Tropical Storm | Tropical | — | $1.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
Ranked by deaths, then injuries, then NCEI's damage estimate. Deaths and injuries are NCEI counts (direct plus indirect); no personal details are recorded here.
Federal disaster declarations
| Declared | Number | Type | Incident | Title | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Sep 2024 | EM-3618 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Helene | Public assistance |
| 14 Sep 2020 | EM-3545 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally | Public assistance |
| 29 Mar 2020 | DR-4503 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3472 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 17 Apr 2019 | DR-4426 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 11 Sep 2017 | EM-3389 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Irma | Public assistance |
| 21 Jan 2016 | DR-4251 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Public assistance |
| 28 Apr 2011 | DR-1971 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 27 Apr 2011 | EM-3319 | Emergency | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds | Public assistance |
| 30 Aug 2008 | EM-3292 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav | Public assistance |
| 10 Sep 2005 | EM-3237 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation | Public assistance |
| 29 Aug 2005 | DR-1605 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina | Public assistance |
| 15 Sep 2004 | DR-1549 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 14 Nov 2002 | DR-1442 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 7 Dec 2001 | DR-1399 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 15 Jan 1999 | DR-1261 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Riv-Severe Winter Wx 12/23/98 | Public assistance |
| 23 Feb 1996 | DR-1104 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Ice And Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 21 Apr 1995 | DR-1047 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding And Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 3 Mar 1994 | DR-1013 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Freezing, Flooding | Public assistance |
| 15 Mar 1993 | EM-3096 | Emergency | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall, Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 4 Jan 1991 | DR-890 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 20 Jul 1977 | EM-3045 | Emergency | Drought | Drought | Public assistance |
| 14 Mar 1975 | DR-458 | Major disaster | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 4 Apr 1974 | DR-422 | Major disaster | Tornado | Tornadoes | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 27 Mar 1973 | DR-369 | Major disaster | Tornado | Tornadoes & Flooding | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
Declarations in which FEMA designated this county, from the OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2). DR: major disaster; EM: emergency; FM: fire management assistance. Programs show whether individual or public assistance was made available.
Flood insurance claims
| Year of loss | Claims | Paid claims | Amount paid | Average paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7 | 3 | $84,638 | $28,213 |
| 2015 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 2008 | 1 | 0 | $0 | — |
| 1979 | 1 | 1 | $45,000 | $45,000 |
OpenFEMA NFIP claims (v3, as of 8 Sep 2026), aggregated by year of loss; amounts are building, contents and increased-cost-of-compliance payments as recorded. Repetitive-loss counts from the NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (2 Aug 2026); policies in force from the NFIP Residential Penetration Rates file (3 Aug 2026).
National Risk Index
| Hazard (NRI) | Risk rating | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flooding | $6,350,762 | |
| Tornado | $2,258,870 | |
| Earthquake | $1,122,146 | |
| Cold wave | $1,114,168 | |
| Strong wind | $483,285 | |
| Heat wave | $392,814 | |
| Lightning | $350,995 | |
| Hurricane | $167,673 | |
| Hail | $48,074 | |
| Ice storm | $47,417 | |
| Wildfire | $47,105 | |
| Landslide | $18,974 | |
| Winter weather | $9,662 | |
| Drought | $8,945 |
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. Ratings are FEMA's relative comparison of counties; expected annual loss is FEMA's modelled estimate of average yearly building, population and agriculture loss. See how to read the NRI.
Hurricane and tropical storm passes
| Storm | Year | Closest approach | Max wind while within 100 mi |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zeta | 2020 | 94 mi | 69 mph |
| Katrina | 2005 | 71 mi | 46 mph |
| Opal | 1995 | 94 mi | 58 mph |
| Juan | 1985 | 59 mi | 40 mph |
| Frederic | 1979 | 38 mi | 52 mph |
| Baker | 1950 | 71 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1934 | 78 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1932 | 66 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1916 | 47 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1916 | 22 mi | 52 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1915 | 67 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1892 | 62 mi | 40 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1881 | 67 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1879 | 79 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1860 | 88 mi | 46 mph |
| Unnamed Atlantic storm | 1855 | 96 mi | 46 mph |
HURDAT2 best-track positions at tropical-storm strength (34 kt) or more, measured from the county's Census centre point; through the 2025 season. Distance from a track is not the same as the extent of the storm's wind, rain or surge.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Winston County, AL?
NCEI records 119 hail events in Winston County since 1950, in 35 different years; that is about 1.5 recorded events a year. 21 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Winston County had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 42 tornadoes in Winston County since 1950, 16 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 7.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Winston County?
26 Sep 2024: Hurricane Helene, a emergency declaration for hurricane. The county appears in 25 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Winston County, and how much was paid?
11 NFIP claims since 1978, 4 of them paid, for $130K in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Winston County in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively Low" for overall risk, "Very Low" for expected annual loss, "Very High" for social vulnerability and "Very Low" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Winston County compare with the rest of Alabama?
86.0 recorded events per 100 square miles against 87.3 statewide, and 0.5 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 8.9. The comparison table on this page shows each measure beside the state and national figures.
Provenance
Storm events: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026 (public domain). Declarations: OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, refreshed 29 Sep 2026. Flood claims: OpenFEMA NfipClaims v3 as of 8 Sep 2026; NfipMultipleLossProperties v1 (2 Aug 2026); NfipResidentialPenetrationRates v1 (3 Aug 2026). Risk index: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Hurricane tracks: NHC HURDAT2 through 2025. Population and area: US Census Bureau, 2021 vintage. Built 30 Sep 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.