Nelson County, Kentucky: hazard risk
FEMA rates Nelson County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 55.2 of 100, higher than 55% of rated U.S. counties); 2 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by strong wind, lightning. Its storm record holds 411 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 High | 88.7 | $2.1M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 85.5 | $1.0M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | $178K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 69.1 | $2.7M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 61.1 | $153K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 70.3 | $875K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 63.1 | $1.7M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 62.7 | $11M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 44.9 | $315K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 40.1 | $195K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 32.0 | $34K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 38.5 | $644 |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 25.4 | $11K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 24.6 | $11K |
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 | 185 | 0 | $721K | 60th of 118 | 538th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 93 | 5 | $4.1M | 40th of 118 | 259th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 72 | 0 | – | 90th of 118 | 1886th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 36 | 1 | $160K | 96th of 118 | 1708th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 1 | $2.9M | 77th of 118 | 1845th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 0 | – | 98th of 118 | 1634th of 3,076 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 0 | – | 99th of 118 | 2227th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 3 | 2 | $74K | 32nd of 118 | 951st of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | – | 95th of 118 | 1804th 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 Nelson County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.