Natural hazards · Tuscumbia

Tuscumbia, AL natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Tuscumbia comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 32 claims here since 1980. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Tuscumbia?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Tuscumbia to be higher than in 72% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding44%Cold waves14%Tornadoes14%Earthquakes13%Strong wind8%Everything else7%

By hazard

What Tuscumbia faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

44% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 80% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Cold waves

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

14% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 90% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

13% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 97% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Tuscumbia flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Tuscumbia, from FEMA’s records.

32paid claims since 1980

$515Kpaid to owners

7homes flooded more than once

19802026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Tuscumbia isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Colbert County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

11storm safe rooms built

5flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Tuscumbia

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Tuscumbia itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Tuscumbia.

Brought FEMA money into TuscumbiaDeclared for Colbert County only

2023

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

$233K to the City of Tuscumbia for repairs

2019

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$127K to the City of Tuscumbia for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and Flooding

130 households applied for aid $54K aid approved $141K to the City of Tuscumbia for repairs

2005

Hurricane Katrina

$46K to the City of Tuscumbia for repairs

2004

Hurricane Ivan

7 households applied for aid $2K aid approved $20K to the City of Tuscumbia for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid $937 aid approved $3K to the City of Tuscumbia for repairs

1998

Riv-Severe Winter Wx 12/23/98

$15K to the City of Tuscumbia for repairs

Colbert County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and hurricanes.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Tuscumbia covers 2 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Tuscumbia’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Tuscumbia. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Tuscumbia total about $5.9M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.