Jefferson County, Kentucky: hazard risk
FEMA rates Jefferson County's overall risk Relatively High (score 98.3 of 100, higher than 98% of rated U.S. counties); 8 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by tornado, riverine flooding, heat wave. Its storm record holds 1,264 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Very High | 99.7 | $80M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively High | 99.1 | $213M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively High | 96.9 | $8.3M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 94.8 | $10M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | 92.3 | $438K |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 91.3 | $1.2M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | 90.8 | $1.9M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | 85.7 | $569K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | 96.8 | $25M |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | 89.7 | $1.5M |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 56.1 | $61K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 35.8 | $20K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 35.4 | $422 |
| Drought | Very Low | 21.2 | $5K |
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 | 679 | 3 | $5.7M | 1st of 118 | 11th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 245 | 4 | $443M | 12th of 118 | 62nd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 208 | 0 | $38M | 2nd of 118 | 151st of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 38 | 8 | $320K | 90th of 118 | 1502nd of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 34 | 3 | $13M | 6th of 118 | 178th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 24 | 2 | $938K | 2nd of 118 | 97th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 16 | 2 | $291K | 69th of 118 | 1349th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 10 | 1 | – | 42nd of 118 | 503rd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 2 | – | 88th of 118 | 1351st of 3,076 |
| Heat | 3 | 2 | – | 62nd of 118 | 1633rd of 3,076 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Jefferson County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.