Three Louisiana Parishes Rank Among FEMA’s Six Highest Hurricane Risk Zones
(KMDL-FM) We are nearing the end of August, and for those who have lived along the Gulf Coast for more than one or two hurricane seasons, know that we are about a month away from the peak of the tropical season.
So far, there have been three named tropical systems, two of which impacted Louisiana. But what are the chances of a third impact this season? And which Louisiana Parishes are considered to be most at risk?
How Does FEMA Assess Hurricane Risk for Louisiana Parishes?
According to FEMA's National Risk Index, there are 443 counties or parishes at risk for hurricanes and hurricane damage. Three Louisiana parishes are in the top six of that long list, and six parishes are in the top twenty of that list. I think they are trying to tell us that Louisiana carries a large tropical risk almost every season.
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Not surprisingly, many of the other leaders on the at-risk list were counties in Florida. So, Louisiana and Florida are the two states where you are most likely to encounter damages and risks associated with tropical weather.
The county that is at the greatest risk according to the FEMA Index is Lee County, Florida; that's the area around Fort Myers on the Gulf side of the peninsula in the southwestern corner of the state.
The area that is second on the list is Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. Geographically, Terrebonne Parish pushes out into the Gulf just a bit; it also has a larger coastline compared to some of the other coastal parishes. And considering where it sits along Louisiana's coastline, it's no wonder that Terrebonne residents are hurricane professionals.
The next Louisiana Parish on the list is at number four. That would be Jefferson Parish. The parish at number six is Orleans Parish. If you put two and two together and look at a map, you will see those three parishes fairly close to one another and in the same general area of the state.
Other parishes deemed to be at a higher-than-normal risk for tropical storms and hurricanes are St Tammany at number 14, Lafourche at number 16, and Calcasieu at number 17. Ascension Parish and St John the Baptist Parish are on the at-risk list at 23 and 24.
Which Acadiana Parishes Are At the Greatest Risk For Hurricanes According to FEMA?
In Acadiana, the parish that was scored to have the highest risk for hurricanes was Lafayette Parish, which was ranked at number 57. St. Mary Parish was ranked at number 61, then came Iberia at number 85, Vermilion at 98, and Acadia at 99. St Martin was ranked at 111 on the hurricane risk assessment; Jeff Davis Parish was at 121, and St Landry Parish was slotted at number 200.
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See the complete Hurricane Risk Assessment List here. And let's hope the season stays quiet through the peak and beyond. Although a nice little tropical depression sliding along the coast would probably bring some beneficial rains, unfortunately that might be too much too soon since we've been dry for so long.
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