DeSoto County, Florida: hazard risk
FEMA rates DeSoto County's overall risk Relatively Moderate (score 81.6 of 100, higher than 81% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by hurricane, lightning. Its storm record holds 239 events since 1950.
FEMA's rating for each hazard
These are FEMA's county-wide model ratings and this county's storm record. They are not an assessment of any property, address or building, and not insurance advice: a property's risk depends on its own elevation, construction and location.
FEMA gives each hazard its own rating, and a rating does not follow the score from one hazard to the next: a hazard with a higher score can carry a lower rating than another. The table sorts by FEMA's rating, then by score (0 to 100, the county against every other county for that hazard).
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score | Expected annual loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hurricane | Relatively High | 96.2 | $17M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 95.7 | $1.2M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 76.0 | $660K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 71.5 | $1.3M |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | 68.1 | $269K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 84.5 | $387K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 59.4 | $995K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 50.5 | $3.9M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 48.3 | $200K |
| Coastal Flooding | Very Low | 33.4 | $4K |
| Hail | Very Low | 28.4 | $63K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 15.7 | $10K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 11.5 | $20 |
| Winter Weather | No Rating | 0.0 | $0 |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 release. A model of future loss, not a count of past events. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
What the record holds
| Hazard | Records | Deaths | Damage | Rank in state | Rank in U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 44 | 0 | $900K | 64th of 67 | 2511th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 38 | 0 | $19M | 7th of 67 | 387th of 3,076 |
| Floods | 38 | 1 | $16M | 23rd of 67 | 1578th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 35 | 0 | $7.2M | 35th of 67 | 598th of 3,080 |
| Hurricanes and tropical storms | 21 | 2 | $886M | 34th of 67 | 203rd of 1,849 |
| Hail | 18 | 0 | – | 59th of 67 | 2701st of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 3 | 2 | – | 52nd of 67 | 1285th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | – | 61st of 67 | 2063rd of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 1 | 0 | – | 52nd of 67 | 2909th of 3,080 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 0 | – | 46th of 67 | 990th of 2,972 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full DeSoto County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.