Meade County, Kentucky: hazard risk
FEMA rates Meade County's overall risk Very Low (score 40.9 of 100, higher than 40% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 330 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 79.4 | $1.3M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75.9 | $3.3M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 65.4 | $172K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 61.3 | $486K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 50.3 | $968K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 49.9 | $64K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 49.9 | $261K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 49.3 | $361K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 45.2 | $5.7M |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 44.8 | $195K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 31.1 | $29K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 33.7 | $413 |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 14.9 | $4K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 13.9 | $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 | 178 | 0 | $940K | 33rd of 118 | 314th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 60 | 0 | $180K | 34th of 118 | 1099th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 33 | 1 | – | 89th of 118 | 1435th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 31 | 0 | $2.2M | 98th of 118 | 926th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 17 | 31 | $19M | 26th of 118 | 524th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 0 | – | 85th of 118 | 1318th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 1 | $18K | 93rd of 118 | 1981st of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | – | 89th of 118 | 1599th of 3,080 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Meade County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.