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Orleans Parish, Louisiana
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 1 Oct 2026; NFIP claims as of 8 Sep 2026.
Orleans Parish, Louisiana, has 545 weather events in the NCEI Storm Events record since 1950, most of them floods and flash floods.
That is 321.5 events per 100 square miles, above the Louisiana figure of 75.6, and 14.5 per 10,000 residents against 70.7 statewide.
11 events fall in the 12 months to 30 Jun 2026. NCEI attributes 652 deaths and 139 injuries to events in the county, with property damage estimated at $22B.
FEMA has designated the county in 39 federal disaster declarations since 1953; the most recent is Severe Winter Storm (emergency, 24 Jan 2026).
National Flood Insurance Program policyholders in the county filed 127,255 claims since 1978, of which 104,112 were paid, totalling $7.3B (about $70K per paid claim). FEMA counts 56,109 residential flood policies in force.
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the county's overall risk as "Relatively High" and its expected annual loss as "Relatively High" ($304M a year across 18 hazards).
104 tropical storm or hurricane tracks in the HURDAT2 record passed within 100 miles of the county's centre at tropical-storm strength or more, 15 of them within 50 miles at hurricane strength.
Compared with Louisiana and the United States
| Measure | Orleans Parish | Louisiana | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Recorded events since 1950 | 545 | 32,679 | 1,977,440 |
| Events per 100 square miles | 321.5 | 75.6 | 56.0 |
| Events per 10,000 residents | 14.5 | 70.7 | 59.6 |
| Events in the last 12 months | 11 | 1,099 | 62,008 |
| Deaths recorded by NCEI | 652 | 1,332 | 26,435 |
| Property damage (NCEI estimates) | $22B | $96B | $575B |
| NFIP claims per 1,000 residents | 337.6 | 105.0 | 8.1 |
| Average paid NFIP claim | $70K | $54K | $43K |
| Claims per 100 policies in force, last 10 years | 8.6 | 10.0 | 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: 316 events in the 20 years to 2025 against 131 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Aug 2005 | Hurricane (Typhoon) | Tropical | — | $3.6B | — | 638 | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Aug 2005 | Storm Surge/Tide | Tropical | — | $18B | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Dec 2011 | Dense Fog | Fog | — | — | — | 2 | 62 | Forecast zone |
| 4 Jun 2000 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | 2 | — | County |
| 3 Jan 2008 | Cold/Wind Chill | Cold | — | — | — | 2 | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Feb 2007 | Tornado | Tornado | EF2 | $1.0M | — | 1 | 10 | County |
| 28 Oct 2020 | Hurricane (Typhoon) | Tropical | — | $25M | — | 1 | 1 | Forecast zone |
| 17 Apr 1996 | Lightning | Lightning | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 16 Jul 2000 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Jul 2000 | Heat | Heat | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Dec 2009 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 17 Jan 2018 | Winter Weather | Winter | — | — | — | 1 | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Aug 2021 | Flash Flood | Flood | — | — | — | 1 | — | County |
| 7 Feb 2017 | Tornado | Tornado | EF3 | — | — | — | 33 | County |
| 13 Feb 2007 | Tornado | Tornado | EF2 | $2.0M | — | — | 15 | County |
| 14 Dec 2022 | Tornado | Tornado | EF2 | $50M | — | — | 4 | County |
| 28 Aug 2012 | Storm Surge/Tide | Tropical | — | $63M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jul 1977 | Tornado | Tornado | F1 | $25K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 28 Aug 2012 | Hurricane (Typhoon) | Tropical | — | $27M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Oct 2020 | Storm Surge/Tide | Tropical | — | $25M | — | — | — | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jan 2026 | EM-3638 | Emergency | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 16 Sep 2024 | DR-4817 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Francine | Public assistance |
| 10 Sep 2024 | EM-3614 | Emergency | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Francine | Public assistance |
| 27 Sep 2023 | EM-3600 | Emergency | Other | Seawater Intrusion | Public assistance |
| 13 Sep 2021 | EM-3574 | Emergency | Coastal Storm | Tropical Storm Nicholas | Public assistance |
| 29 Aug 2021 | DR-4611 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Ida | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 27 Aug 2021 | EM-3568 | Emergency | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Ida | Public assistance |
| 9 Mar 2021 | DR-4590 | Major disaster | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms | Public assistance |
| 18 Feb 2021 | EM-3556 | Emergency | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm | Public assistance |
| 12 Jan 2021 | DR-4577 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Zeta | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 27 Oct 2020 | EM-3549 | Emergency | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Zeta | Public assistance |
| 16 Oct 2020 | DR-4570 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta | Public assistance |
| 7 Oct 2020 | EM-3547 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Delta | Public assistance |
| 14 Sep 2020 | EM-3543 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Sally | Public assistance |
| 28 Aug 2020 | DR-4559 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Laura | Public assistance |
| 23 Aug 2020 | EM-3538 | Emergency | Hurricane | Tropical Storms Laura And Marco | Public assistance |
| 7 Jun 2020 | EM-3527 | Emergency | Coastal Storm | Tropical Storm Cristobal | Public assistance |
| 24 Mar 2020 | DR-4484 | Major disaster | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 13 Mar 2020 | EM-3459 | Emergency | Biological | Covid-19 | Public assistance |
| 27 Aug 2019 | DR-4458 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Barry | Public assistance |
| 11 Jul 2019 | EM-3416 | Emergency | Coastal Storm | Tropical Storm Barry | Public assistance |
| 6 Oct 2017 | EM-3392 | Emergency | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Nate | Public assistance |
| 11 Feb 2017 | DR-4300 | Major disaster | Tornado | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Straight-Line Winds | Individual assistance |
| 29 Aug 2012 | DR-4080 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Isaac | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 27 Aug 2012 | EM-3347 | Emergency | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isaac | Public assistance |
| 13 Sep 2008 | DR-1792 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Ike | Individual assistance |
| 2 Sep 2008 | DR-1786 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 29 Aug 2008 | EM-3289 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Gustav | Public assistance |
| 23 Feb 2007 | DR-1685 | Major disaster | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Tornadoes | Individual assistance |
| 24 Sep 2005 | DR-1607 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita | Public assistance |
| 21 Sep 2005 | EM-3260 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Rita | Public assistance |
| 29 Aug 2005 | DR-1603 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 27 Aug 2005 | EM-3212 | Emergency | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina | Public assistance |
| 15 Sep 2004 | DR-1548 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Ivan | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 1 Feb 2003 | EM-3172 | Emergency | Other | Loss Of Space Shuttle Columbia | Public assistance |
| 3 Oct 2002 | DR-1437 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Lili | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 27 Sep 2002 | DR-1435 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Tropical Storm Isidore | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 11 Jun 2001 | DR-1380 | Major disaster | Coastal Storm | Tropical Storm Allison | Individual assistance, Public assistance |
| 23 Sep 1998 | DR-1246 | Major disaster | Hurricane | Hurricane Georges/Ts Frances | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 39 | 20 | $897,451 | $44,873 |
| 2025 | 49 | 32 | $1,207,727 | $37,741 |
| 2024 | 296 | 201 | $5,764,259 | $28,678 |
| 2023 | 67 | 43 | $1,650,958 | $38,394 |
| 2022 | 43 | 18 | $324,969 | $18,054 |
| 2021 | 2,026 | 909 | $30,390,164 | $33,433 |
| 2020 | 233 | 126 | $2,775,714 | $22,029 |
| 2019 | 1,152 | 940 | $44,810,796 | $47,671 |
| 2018 | 40 | 20 | $318,718 | $15,936 |
| 2017 | 884 | 724 | $29,949,974 | $41,367 |
| 2016 | 76 | 19 | $352,487 | $18,552 |
| 2015 | 61 | 29 | $467,357 | $16,116 |
| 2014 | 34 | 13 | $270,873 | $20,836 |
| 2013 | 54 | 23 | $304,957 | $13,259 |
| 2012 | 1,584 | 757 | $12,546,515 | $16,574 |
| 2011 | 311 | 205 | $6,069,438 | $29,607 |
| 2010 | 78 | 41 | $838,165 | $20,443 |
| 2009 | 329 | 234 | $2,931,080 | $12,526 |
| 2008 | 1,121 | 450 | $13,057,775 | $29,017 |
| 2007 | 130 | 79 | $1,128,866 | $14,289 |
| 2006 | 80 | 29 | $528,818 | $18,235 |
| 2005 | 71,538 | 62,004 | $6,807,436,139 | $109,790 |
| 2004 | 336 | 206 | $2,246,783 | $10,907 |
| 2003 | 489 | 300 | $2,500,731 | $8,336 |
| 2002 | 4,131 | 2,676 | $26,474,634 | $9,893 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | $222,948,612 | |
| Inland flooding | $46,671,982 | |
| Cold wave | $15,185,879 | |
| Heat wave | $8,137,403 | |
| Lightning | $3,001,701 | |
| Tornado | $2,139,974 | |
| Coastal flooding | $1,856,223 | |
| Hail | $1,788,272 | |
| Earthquake | $1,367,545 | |
| Strong wind | $404,490 | |
| Winter weather | $215,319 | |
| Drought | $185,769 | |
| Ice storm | $132,717 | |
| Wildfire | $34,307 | |
| Landslide | $78 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Francine | 2024 | 38 mi | 104 mph |
| Claudette | 2021 | 38 mi | 46 mph |
| Ida | 2021 | 41 mi | 150 mph |
| Cristobal | 2020 | 18 mi | 52 mph |
| Marco | 2020 | 88 mi | 40 mph |
| Zeta | 2020 | 10 mi | 115 mph |
| Gordon | 2018 | 85 mi | 69 mph |
| Nate | 2017 | 61 mi | 86 mph |
| Isaac | 2012 | 56 mi | 81 mph |
| Lee | 2011 | 39 mi | 46 mph |
| Ida | 2009 | 82 mi | 58 mph |
| Gustav | 2008 | 75 mi | 109 mph |
| Cindy | 2005 | 28 mi | 75 mph |
| Katrina | 2005 | 22 mi | 127 mph |
| Matthew | 2004 | 87 mi | 40 mph |
| Bill | 2003 | 32 mi | 58 mph |
| Bertha | 2002 | 34 mi | 40 mph |
| Hanna | 2002 | 68 mi | 58 mph |
| Isidore | 2002 | 4 mi | 63 mph |
| Allison | 2001 | 34 mi | 46 mph |
| Georges | 1998 | 66 mi | 104 mph |
| Hermine | 1998 | 83 mi | 46 mph |
| Danny | 1997 | 50 mi | 81 mph |
| Andrew | 1992 | 99 mi | 115 mph |
| Beryl | 1988 | 28 mi | 52 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.
ZIP codes with flood claims
- 70122 15,569
- 70126 13,158
- 70119 11,402
- 70124 11,139
- 70125 10,828
- 70117 10,173
- 70118 10,009
- 70115 8,840
- 70127 7,797
- 70128 7,024
- 70131 6,374
- 70129 3,788
- 70114 3,753
- 70116 2,326
- 70130 2,115
- 70112 1,183
- 70113 1,085
- 70140 127
- 70139 57
- 70161 31
- 70153 27
- 70148 18
- 70174 16
- 70185 14
- 70157 13
- 70163 13
- 70101 12
- 70150 10
- 70184 10
- 70151 9
- 70137 7
- 70179 7
- 70183 7
- 70175 6
- 70152 5
ZIP codes whose NFIP claims carry this county's code, with the number of claims. Five or more claims are needed for a ZIP page to be indexed.
Questions and answers
How often does it hail in Orleans Parish, LA?
NCEI records 37 hail events in Orleans Parish since 1950, in 28 different years; that is about 0.5 recorded events a year. 7 reports were golf-ball size (1.75 in) or larger.
Has Orleans Parish had a tornado?
Yes. NCEI records 25 tornadoes in Orleans Parish since 1950, 9 of them rated (E)F2 or stronger. Tornado deaths recorded: 1.
When was the last federal disaster declaration for Orleans Parish?
24 Jan 2026: Severe Winter Storm, a emergency declaration for winter storm. The county appears in 39 declarations since 1953.
How many flood insurance claims have been filed in Orleans Parish, and how much was paid?
127,255 NFIP claims since 1978, 104,112 of them paid, for $7.3B in total. FEMA publishes these figures redacted and aggregated; individual properties are not identified.
Is Orleans Parish in the National Risk Index's high-risk band?
FEMA's National Risk Index (December 2025) rates the county "Relatively High" for overall risk, "Relatively High" for expected annual loss, "Relatively High" for social vulnerability and "Very High" for community resilience. These ratings are FEMA's relative comparison across all US counties.
How does Orleans Parish compare with the rest of Louisiana?
321.5 recorded events per 100 square miles against 75.6 statewide, and 337.6 NFIP claims per 1,000 residents against 105.0. 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 1 Oct 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 1 Oct 2026; see the methodology and corrections pages. Hazard hubs: Hail · Tornado · Flood · Wind · Winter.