Etowah County, AL Environment & Hazard Risk
Relatively Moderate natural hazard risk, led by tornado. 542 storm events since 1996.
- Expected yearly loss
- $50.26M
- Relatively Low nationally
- Storm events since 1996
- 542
- Most often thunderstorm wind
- Flood insurance policies
- 212
- 0.5% of homes
- Hurricanes nearby
- 0
- 4 tropical storms or stronger since 1898
Natural hazard risk
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Overall risk
Relatively Moderate
Score 87.3 of 100
Social vulnerability
Relatively High
Score 78.0 of 100
Community resilience
Relatively Moderate
Score 57.6 of 100
Community resilience runs the other way: a higher rating means a community can recover faster.
Building value exposed: $21.33B · Agriculture value exposed: $120M · Risk-adjusted yearly loss: $70.1M
Risk by hazard
- TornadoRelatively High$17.25M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
- Strong windRelatively High$2.17M/yr expected annual loss, about 4.1 events a year
- EarthquakeRelatively Low$3.08M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 341 years
- LightningRelatively Moderate$517K/yr expected annual loss, about 63 events a year
- Cold waveRelatively Moderate$2.35M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
- LandslideRelatively Low$9,352/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
- Heat waveRelatively Low$1M/yr expected annual loss, about 4.6 events a year
- WildfireRelatively Low$161K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 524 years
- HurricaneRelatively Low$384K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 29 years
- HailRelatively Low$286K/yr expected annual loss, about 4.8 events a year
- Ice stormRelatively Low$84.32K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 2 years
- DroughtRelatively Low$96.63K/yr expected annual loss, about 28 events a year
- Winter weatherRelatively Low$19.96K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.7 events a year
Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, coastal flooding, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.
Flood risk and insurance
National Flood Insurance Program and FEMA flood maps
Check the flood zone for an address
- Homes with flood insurance
- 212 of 42,119 (0.5%)
- Homes in high-risk flood zones
- 695
- Insured in high-risk zones
- 175 (25%)
- Flood claims since 1978
- 129
- Claims paid since 1978
- $815K
Flood claims paid per year
- Hurricane Frederic$93.84K · 5 claims
- Early winter storms$28.62K · 6 claims
- Not a named storm$9,298 · 5 claims
- Hurricane Elena$8,908 · 2 claims
- Hurricane Opal$695 · 1 claim
Storm history
Since 1996: 542 events, 1 death, $26.11M in damage
- Thunderstorm Wind260 · 1 death
- Hail106
- Drought38
- Flash Flood28
- Tornado20
- Lightning14
- Strong Wind13
- Winter Storm13
- Flood9
- Winter Weather8
Events per year
34 tornadoes on record (EF0 4, EF1 5, EF2 3, EF3 1, F0 4, F1 6, F2 7, F3 3, F4 1).
Most damaging storms
Since 1996, ranked by deaths, injuries and damage
- TornadoF3, 8.1 mi path, 500 yd wide12/16/2000
Gadsden, Etowah County
14 injured, $10M damage
What happened
Damage in Etowah and Cherokee counties was the result of an F3 tornado. The tornado track was 12.8 miles long and just over one quarter of a mile or about 500 yards wide at its widest point. The tornado touched down near Tidmore Bend, 5.3 miles east north east of the city of Gadsden, at 246 PM and lifted at 305 PM near Pollard Bend in Cherokee County. The tornado track was 8.1 miles in Etowah County and 4.7 miles in Cherokee County for a total of 12.8 miles.The most significant damage with the tornado was in the Coats Bend Community of Etowah County where 14 injuries occurred and approximately 250 homes were either totally destroyed or had major damage. Damage in Cherokee County was limited to downed trees and damage to a couple of structures. Beginning: 34 02.864/85 55.347 Ending: 34 06.877/85 42.900
- Thunderstorm Wind70 kt wind08/03/2023
Noccalula Falls, Etowah County
20 injured
What happened
National Weather Service Meteorologists surveyed wind damage from|severe thunderstorms that occurred on the afternoon of August 3, |2023 at approximately 2:30 pm CDT. The damage found was consistent |with straight line winds of 80 mph along a narrow corridor of |Tabor Road, near the cross streets of Dodge Lane and McCauley Avenue. |Around a dozen or more soft and hard wood trees were snapped or |uprooted, damaging several trailer campers and vehicles. The more |intense damage was noted in adjacent areas of the annual event, |The World's Longest Yard Sale, where several pedestrians and |shoppers sustained minor to severe injuries. In all, 20 people were|injured, mostly in conjunction with taking shelter rather than |the actual storm damage. The estimated winds along Tabor Road were |noted as the strongest in the area, although additional tree and |powerline damage was noted across the entire county where winds |were estimated at 50 to 60 mph.
- Heat08/08/2007
Etowah
17 injured
What happened
A large ridge of high pressure, combined with very dry ground from the recent drought, combined to produce the hottest month on record across Central Alabama in the month of August. The core of the heat wave started around August 4th, when the temepartures first topped the 100 degree mark in several cities. The heat reached its peak August 10th through the 15th, as the mercury climbed above 105 degrees to as high as 109 degrees. Daily record maximum temperatures were broken or tied on 11 days in Anniston, 10 days in Birmingham, 12 days in Montgomery, and 14 days in Tuscaloosa, and all cities broke or tied their August maximum temperature records. At least 408 people required medical treatment due to the heat, and 11 people died due to heat-related illness.
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind04/25/2010
Gallant, Etowah County
1 death, $2,000 damage
What happened
Trees and power lines were blown down northwest of Gallant and east of Altoona. One 32 year old man was killed (indirect) when the car he was a passenger in struck a tree that had fallen across the road.
- TornadoEF1, 2.34 mi path, 1,400 yd wide04/28/2011
Hokes Bluff, Etowah County
$9.4M damage
What happened
This tornado initially touched down in eastern Jefferson County, north northeast of Trussville. The tornado moved northeast through portions of St. Clair, Calhoun, Etowah and Cherokee Counties, before it moved into Georgia, across Polk, Floyd and Bartow (See Storm Data Peachtree City) Counties. The tornado moved into southeastern Etowah County, east of Cannon Gap Rd, where it caused mainly tree damage consistent with an EF1 rating and winds of 100 mph. This tornado just clipped the corner of the county. The tornado crossed back into Calhoun County, just south of US Hwy 278. ||This tornado was produced by a supercell thunderstorm that began in Newton County Mississippi at 13:54 pm CST, and eventually dissipated in Macon County, North Carolina at approximately 21:18 pm CST. This supercell spawned several strong to violent tornadoes along its long path, which included another violent EF4 tornado that crossed portions of Tuscaloosa and western suburbs of the Birmingham.
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind06/03/2001
Gadsden, Etowah County
9 injured, $15K damage
What happened
Dime to quarter size hail was observed in and around the city of Gadsden and in Hokes Bluff. Several trees were blown down in Attalla. Three chicken houses had significant roof damage in central Etowah County.
Latest storm reports
Newest first
- Flash Flood07/24/2026
(Gad)gadsden Arpt, Etowah County
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/03/2026
Tumlin Gap, Etowah County
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/03/2026
Cave Spgs, Etowah County
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/03/2026
Agricola, Etowah County
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/03/2026
Rainbow City, Etowah County
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/03/2026
Rainbow City, Etowah County
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/03/2026
Glencoe, Etowah County
- Hail1.75" hail07/01/2026
Hokes Bluff, Etowah County
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Storms whose track crossed Etowah County, with the wind when it passed
- Hurricane Opal (1995)09/28/1995 · Landfall: FL · 916 mbTropical storm58 mph nearby
- Unnamed storm (1932)10/07/1932Tropical storm40 mph nearby
- Unnamed storm (1906)06/08/1906 · Landfall: FLTropical storm40 mph nearby
- Unnamed storm (1898)09/25/1898 · Landfall: GA · 938 mbTropical storm40 mph nearby
Drinking water
17 community water systems serve about 125,773 people. Violations since 2021.
1 system had health-based violations, such as a contaminant over the legal limit or a missed treatment step.
- Gadsden, the Wwsb of the City ofServes 44,637 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations+24 monitoring or reporting
- Rainbow City, the Utilities Board ofServes 12,633 · Purchased groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
- Southside Water Works and Sewer BoardServes 12,327 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
- Attalla Water Works BoardServes 8,403 · Groundwater (surface influenced) · Local governmentNo health violations+1 monitoring or reporting
- West Etowah Water & Fire Pro AuthorityServes 6,900 · Purchased surface water · Local government1 health violation+1 monitoring or reporting
- Glencoe Water Works BoardServes 6,465 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
- Fords Valley & Hwy 278 WaterServes 5,760 · Purchased groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
- Hokes Bluff Water BoardServes 5,536 · Groundwater · Local governmentNo health violations
Largest systems by population served. Monitoring and reporting violations mean required tests or notices were late or missing, not that the water was unsafe.
Climate
1991-2020 normals at Gadsden, 3.2 mi from the county center
Summer highs peak around 91°F in Jul and winter lows bottom out near 33°F in Jan. About 57.6 inches of rain falls in a typical year.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°F | 33°F | 5.70 in | - |
| Feb | 57°F | 36°F | 5.18 in | 0.1 in |
| Mar | 66°F | 43°F | 5.40 in | - |
| Apr | 75°F | 50°F | 5.07 in | - |
| May | 82°F | 59°F | 4.79 in | - |
| Jun | 88°F | 68°F | 4.56 in | - |
| Jul | 91°F | 71°F | 4.71 in | - |
| Aug | 90°F | 70°F | 4.49 in | - |
| Sep | 85°F | 64°F | 4.50 in | - |
| Oct | 75°F | 53°F | 3.51 in | - |
| Nov | 64°F | 41°F | 4.25 in | - |
| Dec | 56°F | 36°F | 5.48 in | 0.1 in |
| Year | 63°F average | 57.6 in | 0.2 in | |
Pollution sites
0 Superfund sites and 10 toxic release facilities in Etowah County
Superfund sites
None in this county.
Toxic release facilities
- Koch Foods of Gadsden1.3 million lbs released, Gadsden
- Keystone Foods LLC - Alabama Div39,370 lbs released, Gadsden
- Fehrer Automotive N.A. LLC24,030 lbs released, Gadsden
- Tennessee Aluminum Processors Inc9,076 lbs released, Gadsden
- Kronospan LLC - Ohatchee Log Yard1,040 lbs released, Ohatchee
- Giant Resource Recovery-Attalla Inc.885 lbs released, Attalla
- Stamped Products Inc9 lbs released, Gadsden
- Koch Farms of Gadsden LLC0 lbs released, Attalla
- Tyson Farms Inc Ivalee Feed Mill0 lbs released, Attalla
- Heidelberg Materials Southeast Agg LLC - Rainbow City Plant0 lbs released, Rainbow City
Total: 1.4 million lbs in 2024, 20,182 lbs to air.
Superfund sitesToxic release facilitiesEPA inspections and enforcementAir toxics cancer risk9 historic places
Frequently asked questions
- How risky is Etowah County for natural disasters?
- FEMA rates Etowah County relatively moderate for overall natural hazard risk, with expected losses of $50.26M a year. The highest-rated hazards are tornado (relatively high), strong wind (relatively high), earthquake (relatively low).
- What storms are most common in Etowah County?
- Since 1996, NOAA recorded 542 storm events affecting Etowah County, most often thunderstorm wind (260), hail (106), drought (38).
- How many tornadoes have hit Etowah County?
- 34 tornadoes have been recorded in Etowah County since 1950, including 5 rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
- How many homes in Etowah County have flood insurance?
- 212 residential flood insurance policies are in force in Etowah County, covering about 0.5% of homes. The program has paid $815K on 129 claims here since 1978.
- What is the weather like in Etowah County?
- At Gadsden, average highs reach 91°F in Jul and lows fall to 33°F in Jan, with 57.6 inches of rain a year (1991-2020 normals).
Source: FEMA (National Risk Index, NFIP), NOAA (Storm Events, HURDAT2, Climate Normals), EPA · Last updated 08/01/2026 · Storm counts include events in forecast zones that touch the county. This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.