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Natural hazards · West Monroe

West Monroe, LA natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Monroe comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is low for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 649 claims here since 1978. 12 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

How exposed is West Monroe?

20
Low
vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Monroe to be higher than in 20% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding43%Tornadoes19%Heat waves11%Earthquakes10%Everything else17%
By hazard

What West Monroe faces

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

Inland flooding

43% of expected damage
Well below average · higher than 23% of U.S. places
Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Tornadoes

19% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 56% of U.S. places

Heat waves

11% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 73% of U.S. places
Recorded about 21 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

10% of expected damage
Above average · higher than 72% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 West Monroe flood?

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

649paid claims since 1978
$19.0Mpaid to owners
110homes flooded more than once
19782026

Biggest named events

  • Late winter severe storms: 105 claims, $7.6M
  • Hurricane Gustav: 17 claims, $740K
  • Hurricane Zeta: 1 claim, $203

Homes that flooded again and again

Each house = 2 homes. ■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (45) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured
of all homes
are insured
No community discount. West Monroe isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.
Insurance rates: Ouachita Parish.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

30flood-prone properties bought out and cleared
Disasters that hit West Monroe

12 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into West MonroeDeclared for Ouachita Parish only
2026

Severe Winter Storm

$2.1M to the City of West Monroe for repairs
2021

Severe Winter Storms

107 households applied for aid $93K aid approved
2020

Hurricane Laura

2,225 households applied for aid $1.0M aid approved $500K to the City of West Monroe for repairs
2019

Flooding

$35K to the City of West Monroe for repairs
2016

Severe Storms and Flooding

1,671 households applied for aid $3.9M aid approved $696K to the City of West Monroe for repairs
2012

Hurricane Isaac

$24K to the City of West Monroe for repairs
2008

Hurricane Gustav

254 households applied for aid $377K aid approved $481K to the City of West Monroe for repairs
2005

Hurricane Rita

$95K to the City of West Monroe for repairs
2005

Hurricane Katrina

$20K to the City of West Monroe for repairs
2002

Hurricane Lili

$34K to the City of West Monroe for repairs
2000

Severe Winter Storm

$145K to the City of West Monroe for repairs
1998

Severe Ice Storm

$1K to the City of West Monroe for repairs
Ouachita Parish has had 32 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often hurricanes and floods.
Around West Monroe

West Monroe and the towns around it

Claiborne: Low, mostly inland floodingBrownsville: Very low, mostly inland floodingMonroe: Very low, mostly inland floodingBawcomville: Low, mostly inland floodingLakeshore: Very low, mostly inland floodingRichwood: Very low, mostly inland floodingWest Monroe: Low, mostly inland flooding West MonroeClaiborneBrownsvilleMonroe
Very lowLowModerateHighVery high
Claibornemostly inland floodingLow
West Monroemostly inland floodingLow
Brownsvillemostly inland floodingVery low
Monroemostly inland floodingVery low
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. West Monroe covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.
Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to West Monroe’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of West Monroe. 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 West Monroe total about $3.9M 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.

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