Jefferson Parish

Every recorded tornado

1. Injuries and deaths are for the tornado’s whole path, which may extend beyond the county. Deaths recorded within Jefferson Parish: 4.
2. Weak tornadoes were under-recorded before Doppler radar coverage became national in the early 1990s, so earlier decades read low. Ratings use the Fujita scale before February 2007 and the Enhanced Fujita scale after.

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, 1950 to 2025.

Every storm within 100 miles

1. Tropical storms and hurricanes (34 kt or more, still tropical) at closest approach. Post-tropical remnants with gale-force winds are listed but not counted. Direct: track within 50 miles; near: within 100 miles. Distance is measured to the county boundary for counties and to the city centre for cities, using positions interpolated hourly between HURDAT2 fixes.

National Hurricane Center HURDAT2, 1851 to 2025.

Smoke overhead

1. A smoke day is a date on which a smoke plume traced by NOAA Hazard Mapping System analysts from satellite imagery covered this place's point (the county's population centre or the city centre). Counts here are of medium or heavy smoke. Since 2018 analysts have often drawn light smoke as one area over most of the continent, so light-smoke counts are not comparable from year to year. The plumes show smoke anywhere in the air above, not air quality at the ground, and smoke hidden by cloud is missed.

NOAA Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, 2011 to 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Claims by ZIP code

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).

OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026. NOAA Storm Events through 2026.

High tide flooding

1. High tide flooding days are days on which a NOAA tide gauge recorded water at or above NOAA's minor flood threshold, set from the gauge's tide range, counted by meteorological year (May to April). These are the counts in NOAA's annual high tide flooding reports; they are not National Weather Service flood stages. Years with less than 80 percent of data are left out.

NOAA CO-OPS high tide flooding counts, through April 2026, retrieved October 30, 2026.

1. The Palmer Drought Severity Index is computed by NOAA each month from the county's average temperature and precipitation, relative to the county's own climate. Zero is normal; -3 or lower is severe drought and -4 or lower extreme drought. It describes the long-term balance of moisture, not water supply or crop losses.

NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, 1895 to September 2026, issued October 6, 2026.

Every earthquake of magnitude 4 or more within 50 miles

1. Earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or more in the USGS Comprehensive Catalog since 1900. Within 50 miles means the epicentre lies within 50 miles of the county boundary (or inside the county).
2. Small earthquakes were under-recorded before the modern seismic networks of the 1970s and are still missed in remote areas, so early decades read low. Magnitudes are as the catalogue reports them and mix scales (moment, local and body-wave).

USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog, 1900 to present, retrieved October 30, 2026.

Tsunamis

1. Places where NOAA's Global Historical Tsunami Database records a tsunami's water arriving, with the greatest height it reached above sea level at the time. Only tsunamis NOAA rates probable or definite are counted. Heights from eyewitness accounts and tide gauges are mixed, and older events are less completely recorded.

NOAA NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database, retrieved October 30, 2026.

More event types since 1996

Costliest events since 1996

1. Aug 29, 2021Hurricane (Typhoon), Lower Jefferson$1.0 billion
   National Weather Service narrative

   Ida���s inner eyewall moved across the far western end of Grand Isle with estimated winds of around 155mph. Every structure on the island suffered damage, and 40-50% of the structures on the island were completely destroyed, especially on the western end of the island.

2. Aug 28, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Upper Jefferson$850 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Hurricane Katrina was one of the strongest and most destructive hurricanes on record to impact the coast of the United States. It will likely be recorded as one the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States to date resulting in catastrophic damage and numerous casualties in southeast Louisiana and along the Mississippi coast. Damage and casualties resulting from Hurricane Katrina extended as far east as Alabama and the panhandle of Florida. Katrina developed from a tropical depression southeast of the Bahamas on August 24th. After moving through the Bahamas as a tropical storm, Katrina strengthened to a category 1 hurricane prior to landfall in south Florida…

3. Aug 28, 2005Hurricane (Typhoon), Lower Jefferson$850 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Hurricane Katrina was one of the strongest and most destructive hurricanes on record to impact the coast of the United States. It will likely be recorded as one the worst natural disaster in the history of the United States to date resulting in catastrophic damage and numerous casualties in southeast Louisiana and along the Mississippi coast. Damage and casualties resulting from Hurricane Katrina extended as far east as Alabama and the panhandle of Florida. Katrina developed from a tropical depression southeast of the Bahamas on August 24th. After moving through the Bahamas as a tropical storm, Katrina strengthened to a category 1 hurricane prior to landfall in south Florida…

4. Aug 29, 2021Storm Surge/Tide, Upper Jefferson$500 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Storm surge overtopped the levees surrounding Lafitte and Jean Lafitte, flooding the area with water reaching 5 to 6 feet in some unelevated homes, and stranding over 200 residents who had chosen to ride out the storm at home. One woman drowned in the flood waters in Lafitte. The area was also cut off after barges broke loose and one barge crashed into the Kerner Swing Bridge. Catastrophic flooding also affected the towns of Crown Point and Barataria. Estimated peak inundation was 10 to 11 ft.

5. Aug 29, 2021Hurricane (Typhoon), Upper Jefferson$500 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   The parish suffered widespread tree damage with many trees snapped or uprooted, some falling on homes or power lines. Numerous power poles were also snapped. The strong winds also caused widespread minor to moderate structural damage such as shingle and minor roof damage, awning damage, signs blown over and other minor damage. A few structures suffered major damage or were destroyed. Several public buildings were damaged, including Kenner City Hall. 100% of the parish was left without power due to a catastrophic failure of the electric system serving all of metro New Orleans, including a major transmission tower collapsing at Nine Mile Point. There were four indirect fatalities in…

6. Aug 29, 2005Storm Surge/Tide, Lower Jefferson$100 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Storm surge damage in southeast Louisiana, especially in the New Orleans area and the coastal parishes, was catastrophic. Hurricane protection levees and floodwalls were overtopped and/or breached resulting in widespread and deep flooding of homes and businesses. Much of Orleans and Plaquemines Parishes and nearly all of St. Bernard Parish were flooded by storm surge. Approximately 80 percent of the city of New Orleans was flooded. Thousands of people were stranded by the flood waters in homes and buildings and on rooftops for several days and had to be rescued by boat and helicopter. In Jefferson Parish, levees were not compromised, however many homes were flooded by either heavy…

7. Sep 11, 2008Storm Surge/Tide, Lower Jefferson$87.5 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Storm surge flooding of 4 to 6 ft above normal flooded low lying areas, roadways and propety from Grand Isle through the Lafitte areas. Approximately 1500 structures were flooded in this area. The high water took several weeks to fully drain from some areas.

8. Jan 23, 2000Hail$65.0 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   An intense thunderstorm produced a long swath of of destructive hail extending from Metairie in northern Jefferson Parish southeast across much of New Orleans in Orleans Parish to Chalmette in St. Bernard Parish. The hail ranged in size from dimes to golfballs and covered the ground in many locations. The rare hailstorm caused widespread damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles resulting in nearly 25,000 auto and home insurance claims that were estimated to cost $65 million.

9. Sep 23, 2005Storm Surge/Tide, Lower Jefferson$60.8 million
   National Weather Service narrative

   Hurricane Rita produced extensive storm surge flooding across coastal areas of southern Terrebonne, southern Lafourche, and southern Jefferson Parishes where numerous homes and businesses were flooded. Some of the most substantial damage occurred in southern Terrebone Parish where storm surge of 5 to 7 feet above normal overtopped or breached local drainage levees inundating many small communities. Newspaper accounts indicated approximately 10,000 structures were flooded in Terrebonne Parish. Lafitte and other coummnities in lower Jefferson Parish also suffered extensive storm surge flooding. Storm surge flooding also occurred in some areas adjacent to Lakes Pontchartrain and…

10. Aug 29, 2005Storm Surge/Tide, Upper Jefferson$51.5 million
    National Weather Service narrative

    Storm surge damage in southeast Louisiana, especially in the New Orleans area and the coastal parishes, was catastrophic. Hurricane protection levees and floodwalls were overtopped and/or breached resulting in widespread and deep flooding of homes and businesses. Much of Orleans and Plaquemines Parishes and nearly all of St. Bernard Parish were flooded by storm surge. Approximately 80 percent of the city of New Orleans was flooded. Thousands of people were stranded by the flood waters in homes and buildings and on rooftops for several days and had to be rescued by boat and helicopter. In Jefferson Parish, levees were not compromised, however many homes were flooded by either heavy…

1. Storm Events records before 1996 cover only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail. Damage figures are as reported by the National Weather Service at the time, not adjusted for inflation.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026, issued October 26, 2026.

All-time high

104°F2 times, most recently Aug 28, 2023

All-time low

6°FFeb 13, 1899

Warmest night

85°F3 times, most recently Aug 8, 1980

Coldest day

25°FJan 11, 1962

Wettest day

13.08 inOct 2, 1937

Snowiest day

10.0 inFeb 14, 1895

Hottest year

2023mean 73.2°F

Coldest year

1895mean 67.0°F

Wettest year

1991111.81 in

Driest year

191733.07 in

Station New Orleans Audubon (USW00012930), 20 ft elevation, 2.4 miles from the population centre. Daily records from 1893 to June 30, 2026; 90.2% of days in the last 30 years are complete. Records at a single station can differ from a city’s official threaded record, which may combine several stations.

NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily.

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).

OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, retrieved October 30, 2026. Statewide declarations are not listed.

Neighbouring counties

• Tornadoes NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather database, through 2025.
• Tropical cyclones NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 (Atlantic; Northeast and Central Pacific), through 2025.
• Wildfire USGS/USFS Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity, through 2026.
• Storm events NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, through 2026.
• Flood insurance OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3, refreshed August 4, 2026.
• Declarations OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries v2, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Weather records NOAA NCEI Global Historical Climatology Network Daily, station USW00012930.
• River crests NOAA National Weather Service, National Water Prediction Service river gauges, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Tide gauges NOAA CO-OPS high tide flooding counts, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Drought NOAA NCEI nClimDiv county Palmer Drought Severity Index, through September 2026.
• Smoke NOAA NESDIS Hazard Mapping System smoke analysis, retrieved October 30, 2026.
• Tsunamis NOAA NCEI/WDS Global Historical Tsunami Database.
• Earthquakes USGS ANSS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), retrieved October 30, 2026.

Joins, thresholds and known limits are set out in the methodology. Found an error? Report it. Page built October 30, 2026.