Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Chambers County, AL

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
01017
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Approved, expires 2031-05-27. Plan: Division D (East Alabama Regional) (FEMA plan 111555), approved 2026-05-28.

Since the plan was approved on 2026-05-28: no new hazard declaration and 5 NOAA Storm Events records; details under "What changed since your last plan".

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Inland Flooding ($6,046,667 a year), Tornado ($1,676,434) and Heat Wave ($1,290,707).

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Approved, expires 2031-05-27
Plan:
Division D (East Alabama Regional) (FEMA plan 111555)
Approved:
2026-05-28
Days to expiry:
1,700

What changed since your last plan (approved 2026-05-28)

New federal declarations:
none
Storm Events records since approval:
5 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 0, SRL 0 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 1
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryUpdate underwayNotes
Chambers County (unincorporated area)UnincorporatedApproved, expires 2031-05-27Division D (East Alabama Regional) (FEMA plan 111555)2026-05-282031-05-271,700this jurisdiction approved 2026-08-31
Cusseta townTownApproved, expires 2031-05-27Division D (East Alabama Regional) (FEMA plan 111555)2026-05-282031-05-271,700this jurisdiction approved 2026-08-31
Five Points townTownPlan 111555 approved 2026-05-28, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleDivision D (East Alabama Regional) (FEMA plan 111555), pending adoption here2026-05-28 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2031-05-27 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
Fredonia CDPUnincorporatedPlan 111555 approved 2026-05-28, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleDivision D (East Alabama Regional) (FEMA plan 111555), pending adoption here2026-05-28 by FEMA; not yet adopted here2031-05-27 once adoptedFEMA tracker shows a plan approvable pending adoptionNot yet eligible: adopt the approved plan.
La Fayette cityCityApproved, expires 2031-05-27Division D (East Alabama Regional) (FEMA plan 111555)2026-05-282031-05-271,700this jurisdiction approved 2026-08-31
Lanett cityCityApproved, expires 2031-05-27Division D (East Alabama Regional) (FEMA plan 111555)2026-05-282031-05-271,700this jurisdiction approved 2026-09-16
Valley cityCityApproved, expires 2031-05-27Division D (East Alabama Regional) (FEMA plan 111555)2026-05-282031-05-271,700this jurisdiction approved 2026-08-31
Waverly townTownApproved, expires 2031-05-27Division D (East Alabama Regional) (FEMA plan 111555)2026-05-282031-05-271,700this jurisdiction approved 2026-08-31

Plan 111555 lists 55 other participants not on this page, 31 of them not covered by it yet (named in the Excel file).

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1Inland FloodingRelatively LowRelatively Low$6,027,174$5,012$14,481$6,046,66723
2TornadoRelatively ModerateRelatively Low$935,712$402$740,320$1,676,43418
3Heat WaveRelatively ModerateRelatively Low$23$212$1,290,472$1,290,7076
4Cold WaveRelatively LowRelatively Low$1,984$3,825$450,596$456,4056Includes 2 Frost/Freeze records (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition; counted in this table and in B1-d, not in the B1-e descriptor).
5HurricaneRelatively LowRelatively Low$396,123$20,423$22,859$439,4056Includes 2 Tropical Depression records (outside NRI's Hurricane definition).
6EarthquakeVery LowRelatively Low$241,115n/a$53,244$294,359Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
7LightningRelatively ModerateRelatively Low$20,954n/a$207,167$228,1211
8Strong WindRelatively LowRelatively Low$74,416$684$148,043$223,14398Includes 2 High Wind and 3 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
9HailRelatively LowRelatively Low$118,255$4,500$1,980$124,73473
10DroughtRelatively LowRelatively Lown/a$42,832n/a$42,83269
11WildfireVery LowVery Low$28,732$41$8,998$37,7710No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
12Ice StormRelatively LowRelatively Low$36,804n/a$619$37,4223
13Winter WeatherVery LowVery Low$2,711$17$1,855$4,58313
14LandslideVery LowVery Low$115n/a$53$1680No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local wildfire and landslide records (Storm Events records these hazards only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Earthquaketract 9540.02 (Relatively Low, 70.1); tract 9548 (Relatively Low, 68.3); tract 9543 (Relatively Low, 66.8)
Hurricanetract 9543 (Relatively Moderate, 78.7); tract 9540.02 (Relatively Low, 76.5); tract 9548 (Relatively Low, 73.6)
Landslidetract 9538 (Very Low, 80.5); tract 9540.02 (Very Low, 76.5); tract 9540.01 (Very Low, 69.8)
Tornadotract 9543 (Relatively High, 89.0); tract 9540.02 (Relatively High, 85.9); tract 9548 (Relatively High, 83.7)
Wildfiretract 9538 (Relatively Low, 84.9); tract 9540.01 (Relatively Low, 83.9); tract 9540.02 (Relatively Low, 83.1)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 9540.02 is Census Tract 9540.02). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill4 records, 1996 to 2014 (4 zone-level)2 days to 4 days (median 2.5 days); 4 with a recorded value4 consecutive days, 1996-03-07 to 1996-03-10, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage2 records, 2007 (2 zone-level)No crop damage reported in 2 records.Countywide (zone-level records).
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)69 records, 2006 to 2026 (69 zone-level)8 days to 688 days (median 122 days); 9 with a recorded value688 days (about 22.6 months), 2010-09-14 to 2012-08-01, a run of 29 consecutive Storm Events drought records, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)86 records, 1973 to 20230.75 in to 2.75 in (median 1 in); 86 with a recorded value2.75 in hail, 2006-04-19Hail, 1998-04-08, $10,000 property; $6,000 crops (1998 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Lanett city (12 records), Cusseta town (1 record), Fredonia CDP (1 record), Waverly town (1 record).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)6 records, 1996 to 2023 (6 zone-level)1 day to 16 days (median 3 days); 4 with a recorded value16 consecutive days, 2007-08-08 to 2007-08-23, 1 direct death, zone-levelCountywide (zone-level records).Heat records from November to March (unseasonable warmth, not a heat wave) are counted but not used for the longest run.
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson6 records, 2005 to 2020 (6 zone-level)Strongest recorded: Tropical Storm record, 2005-07-10, $23,000 property; crops not reported (2005 dollars); NWS zone ALZ038Countywide (zone-level records).Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)3 records, 2000 to 2011 (3 zone-level)Ice Storm, 2005-01-28, $75,000 property; crops not reported (2005 dollars); NWS zone ALZ038Countywide (zone-level records).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)23 records, 1996 to 2023 (3 zone-level)Flood, 2003-05-07, $2,500,000 property; $150,000 crops (2003 dollars); NWS zone ALZ038Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Lanett city (9 records), Cusseta town (1 record). Zone-level records (3) apply countywide.Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)1 record, 2023Lightning, 2023-06-18, $100,000 property; $0 crops (2023 dollars)No event record names a jurisdiction in the plan.Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties.
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)5 records, 2004 to 2024 (5 zone-level)33 kt (38 mph) to 55 kt (63 mph) (median 40 kt (46 mph)); 5 with a recorded value55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust, High Wind, 2020-04-12; NWS zone ALZ038High Wind, 2004-09-16, $340,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2004 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)131 records, 1965 to 202639 kt (45 mph) to 65 kt (75 mph) (median 50 kt (58 mph)); 95 with a recorded value65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust, Thunderstorm Wind, 2023-03-26Thunderstorm Wind, 1994-09-17, $500,000 property; crops not recorded (1994 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Lanett city (9 records), Cusseta town (7 records), Fredonia CDP (2 records), Valley city (1 record).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)27 records, 1970 to 2025F/EF0 to F/EF3 (median F/EF1); 27 with a recorded valueF3 tornado, 1970-03-19, 2 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 200 yd wide, $250,000 property; crops not recorded (1970 dollars), 2 direct deaths, 14 direct injuriesTornado, 1989-03-05, $2,500,000 property; crops not recorded (1989 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Cusseta town (2 records), Lanett city (1 record), Waverly town (1 record).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Wildfireacres burned (local data)0
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)13 records, 1996 to 2025 (13 zone-level)Winter Storm, 1996-12-18, $15,000 property; $20,000 crops (1996 dollars); NWS zone ALZ038Countywide (zone-level records).

In event narratives only (local data needed): wind chill, temperature, heat index, ice thickness, acres burned and snow depth; any physical measure of debris flow and lightning.

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records from zones that no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 23 declarations covering 19 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsFlagsNotes
2024-09-262024-09-22EM-3618-ALEmergencyHurricane HeleneHurricane (primary); also designated: Tornadono Public Assistance recordedwithin last 5 years
2023-05-052023-03-24DR-4710-ALMajor disasterSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesStrong Wind; Tornado$1,181,543.56within last 5 years
2023-01-152023-01-12DR-4684-ALMajor disasterSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and TornadoesStrong Wind; Tornado$189,799.65within last 5 years
2020-09-142020-09-14EM-3545-ALEmergencyHurricane SallyHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
2020-05-212020-02-05DR-4546-ALMajor disasterSevere Storms and FloodingInland Flooding$174,271.92
2020-03-292020-01-20DR-4503-ALMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$8,910.80
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3472-ALEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4503
2017-09-112017-09-08EM-3389-ALEmergencyHurricane IrmaHurricane$11,062.82
2016-01-212015-12-23DR-4251-ALMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingInland Flooding; Strong Wind; Tornado$679,724.09
2011-04-282011-04-15DR-1971-ALMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and FloodingInland Flooding; Strong Wind; Tornado$16,197.92
2011-04-272011-04-27EM-3319-ALEmergencySevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsStrong Wind; Tornadono Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-1971
2008-08-302008-08-29EM-3292-ALEmergencyHurricane GustavHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
2005-09-102005-08-29EM-3237-ALEmergencyHurricane Katrina EvacuationHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2005-07-102005-07-10DR-1593-ALMajor disasterHurricane DennisHurricane$154,913.86
2004-09-152004-09-13DR-1549-ALMajor disasterHurricane IvanHurricane$2,479.05FEMA's declaration record does not list Public Assistance, but FEMA's PA project summaries show obligations for this county
2003-05-122003-05-05DR-1466-ALMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingInland Flooding; Tornado$620,696.25
1995-10-041995-10-04DR-1070-ALMajor disasterHurricane OpalHurricaneno Public Assistance recorded
1993-03-151993-03-13EM-3096-ALEmergencySevere Snowfall, Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1990-03-211990-03-15DR-861-ALMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingInland Flooding; Tornadono Public Assistance recorded
1979-04-181979-04-18DR-578-ALMajor disasterStorms, Wind, FloodingInland FloodingPA not declared for this county
1977-07-201977-07-20EM-3045-ALEmergencyDroughtDroughtno Public Assistance recorded
1975-10-021975-10-02DR-488-ALMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes & FloodingInland Flooding; Tornadono Public Assistance recorded
1970-04-091970-04-09DR-285-ALMajor disasterHeavy Rains, Tornadoes & FloodingInland Flooding; Tornadono Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
1961-02-271961-02-27DR-109-ALMajor disasterFloodsInland Flooding

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

Public Assistance filed under this county for declarations that do not list it: 2 rows, $166,360.74

Sources: 2, 3

FEMA numberDeclaredTitleApplicantPA obligatedfederal share obligated, nominal dollars
DR-1399-AL2001-12-07Severe Storms and TornadoesFayette, City of$161,979.94
DR-1362-AL2001-03-05Severe Storms and FloodingFayette, City of$4,380.80

FEMA's Public Assistance summaries file these applicants under this county, but FEMA's declaration rows for these disasters do not designate it (an electric cooperative or district serving several counties, for example). Not in any declaration row above and not counted.

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Cold Wave6000001996 to 2026-06-30Includes 2 Frost/Freeze records.
Drought69146101996 to 2026-06-30
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail86005001955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave6001001996 to 2026-06-30
Hurricane6000701996 to 2026-06-30Includes 2 Tropical Depression records.
Ice Storm3000001996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding23004801996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Lightning1001001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind1364830401955 to 2026-06-30Includes 2 High Wind and 3 Strong Wind records.
Tornado27005901950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Winter Weather13001101996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationFlagsWhy listed
2023-06-18Lightning$100,000 property; $0 crops (2023 dollars)0, 0TUCKERSBURGwithin last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Lightning
2023-03-26Thunderstorm Wind65 kt (75 mph) estimated gust$0 property; $0 crops (2023 dollars)0, 0FOSTER XRDSwithin last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
2020-04-12High Wind55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2020 dollars)0, 0NWS zone ALZ038 (CHAMBERS), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2010-09-14Drought$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2010 dollars)0, 0NWS zone ALZ038 (CHAMBERS), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Drought
2007-08-08Heat$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 2007 dollars)1, 2NWS zone ALZ038 (CHAMBERS), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded
2006-04-19Hail2.75 indamage not reported0, 0LANETTB1-c worst recorded: Hail
2005-07-10Tropical Storm$23,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2005 dollars)0, 0NWS zone ALZ038 (CHAMBERS), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical Depression
2005-01-28Ice Storm$75,000 property; crops not reported (zone total, 2005 dollars)0, 0NWS zone ALZ038 (CHAMBERS), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Ice Storm
2003-05-07Flood$2,500,000 property; $150,000 crops (zone total, 2003 dollars)0, 0NWS zone ALZ038 (CHAMBERS), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
1999-07-30Heat$0 property; $0 crops (zone total, 1999 dollars)1, 0NWS zone ALZ038 (CHAMBERS), zone-leveldeaths or injuries recorded
1996-03-07Cold/Wind Chilldamage not reported0, 0NWS zone ALZ038 (CHAMBERS), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chill
1970-03-19TornadoF3, 2 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 200 yd wide$250,000 property; crops not recorded (1970 dollars)2, 14location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (376 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

Tribal and special-area declarations in this state are listed on the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Cold Wave0.421event-days per yearabout 0.421 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 3 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (10%)82005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Drought54.3event-days per yearabout 54.3 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 11 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (36.7%)1,6592000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywide
Earthquake0.00158annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.158%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail3.59events per yearabout 3.59 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)136.5 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave5.16event-days per yearabout 5.16 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 5 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (16.7%)832005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide
Hurricane0.0875events per yearabout 1 in 11 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)301851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm0.516event-days per yearabout 0.516 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 3 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (10%)351946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding0.786event-days per yearabout 0.786 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 16 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (53.3%)221996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.318events per year (modeled)about 1 in 3 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning63.6days per year with a strikeabout 63.6 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind1.7events per yearabout 1.7 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)651986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.467events per yearabout 1 in 2 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.0017annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.17%Storm Events records in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor: no Storm Events record 1996 to 2025
Winter Weather1.42event-days per yearabout 1.42 days per yearLikelyStorm Events event-days in 10 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (33.3%)272005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 202540301.33
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20254300.133
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 202582302.73
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 20251300.0333
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 20252300.0667
TornadoEF0-11996 to 202515300.5
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20253300.1
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20250300

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Cold Wave9 of 945.155.063.2Relatively Moderate 8, Relatively Low 1
Drought4 of 982.886.292.2Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 3, No Rating 5
Earthquake9 of 936.351.970.1Relatively Low 7, Very Low 2
Hail9 of 954.864.976.1Relatively Moderate 2, Relatively Low 7
Heat Wave9 of 982.589.693.2Relatively High 8, Relatively Moderate 1
Hurricane9 of 962.170.378.7Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 8
Ice Storm9 of 930.349.367.8Relatively Low 8, Very Low 1
Inland Flooding9 of 945.071.378.0Relatively Moderate 7, Relatively Low 2
Landslide9 of 926.465.480.5Very Low 9
Lightning9 of 968.480.788.7Relatively High 6, Relatively Moderate 3
Strong Wind9 of 950.765.276.9Relatively Moderate 8, Relatively Low 1
Tornado9 of 967.676.289.0Relatively High 7, Relatively Moderate 2
Wildfire9 of 942.078.284.9Relatively Low 8, Very Low 1
Winter Weather9 of 921.925.432.2Relatively Low 9

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its planNotes
Chambers County (unincorporated area)UnincorporatedApproved, expires 2031-05-27FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 1$1,993,766.450 total; 0 since its plan
Cusseta townTownApproved, expires 2031-05-27no Public Assistance recorded11 total; 1 since its planNo NFIP community ID on this jurisdiction's plan row.
Five Points townTownPlan 111555 approved 2026-05-28, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleFMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded0 total; no approved plan
Fredonia CDPUnincorporatedPlan 111555 approved 2026-05-28, pending adoption here; not yet eligibleno Public Assistance recorded3 total; no approved planNo NFIP community ID on this jurisdiction's plan row.
La Fayette cityCityApproved, expires 2031-05-27FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$59,759.620 total; 0 since its plan
Lanett cityCityApproved, expires 2031-05-27FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$199,41531 total; 0 since its plan
Valley cityCityApproved, expires 2031-05-27FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0$5,855.321 total; 0 since its plan
Waverly townTownApproved, expires 2031-05-27FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 0no Public Assistance recorded2 total; 0 since its plan

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since 2026-05-28county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Cold Wave$6,728,042,967$11,671,10634,738$1,984$3,825$450,596under 0.0001%
Droughtn/a$1,633,449n/an/a$42,832n/a2.62% (agriculture)$0NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$12,043,976,595n/a34,772$241,115n/a$53,2440.002%
Hail$6,728,042,967$11,671,10634,738$118,255$4,500$1,9800.00176%
Heat Wave$6,728,042,967$11,671,10634,738$23$212$1,290,472under 0.0001%
Hurricane$6,727,921,275$11,671,10634,736$396,123$20,423$22,8590.00589%
Ice Storm$6,728,042,967n/a34,738$36,804n/a$6190.000547%
Inland Flooding$6,721,890,805$804,818361$6,027,174$5,012$14,481n/a (see note)NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$71,755,205n/a426$115n/a$530.000161%
Lightning$6,728,042,967n/a34,738$20,954n/a$207,1670.000311%
Strong Wind$6,728,042,967$11,671,10634,738$74,416$684$148,0430.00111%$0
Tornado$6,728,042,967$11,671,10634,738$935,712$402$740,3200.0139%
Wildfire$393,731,861$3,000,7944,366$28,732$41$8,9980.0073%
Winter Weather$6,728,042,967$11,671,10634,738$2,711$17$1,855under 0.0001%

Totals since 2026-05-28 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 4 county-coded records, 4 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $0; 1 zone-level records, 1 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $0 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: no counted declaration since the plan.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population34,738
Building value (total, not at risk)$6,728,042,967
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$11,671,106
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Relatively Low
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$7,962,066
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$2,940,686
Social vulnerability ratingRelatively High
Community resilience ratingRelatively Moderate
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)0Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)0
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition1Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition0

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county and state-level rows

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total0010100
of which: Chambers County (unincorporated area)0010100
Statewide, no county in FEMA's file0030300

The statewide row counts properties FEMA's file gives with no county in this state; they are listed for reference and are not in this county's counts.

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Chambers County (unincorporated area)0100260010100
Five Points town0100270000000
La Fayette city0100280000000
Lanett city0100290000000
Valley city0104240000000
Waverly town0104920000000

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential0010100
2 to 4 unit residential0000000
other residential0000000
non-residential0000000
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 0 properties are FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 1 property is NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment (the summary on page 1 says how it is organized); the plan and FEMA's review decide whether each item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Chambers County, AL: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 01017). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/al/01017/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: contact@hazardplain.org