Powell County, Kentucky: hazard risk
FEMA rates Powell County's overall risk Very Low (score 31.2 of 100, higher than 31% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 543 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 | 77.2 | $788K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 55.0 | $51K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 51.4 | $4.6M |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 43.1 | $121K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 37.1 | $501K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 35.7 | $100K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 33.7 | $332K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 29.3 | $20K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 48.8 | $838 |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 43.2 | $21K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 37.8 | $88K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 34.8 | $14K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 32.1 | $101K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 21.2 | $28 |
| Drought | Very Low | 18.4 | $2K |
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 | 202 | 1 | $892K | 5th of 118 | 39th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 121 | 0 | $24M | 5th of 118 | 42nd of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 108 | 1 | $8K | 11th of 118 | 205th of 3,077 |
| Hail | 53 | 0 | – | 14th of 118 | 590th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 0 | $77K | 40th of 118 | 891st of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 0 | – | 29th of 118 | 313th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 10 | 0 | $92K | 9th of 118 | 204th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 0 | $4.2M | 50th of 118 | 1080th of 3,080 |
| Heat | 6 | 0 | – | 34th of 118 | 716th of 3,076 |
| Drought | 3 | 0 | – | 30th of 118 | 1755th of 3,063 |
| Lightning | 3 | 0 | $31K | 9th of 118 | 439th of 3,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 0 | – | 11th of 118 | 134th of 2,278 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | – | 9th of 118 | 460th 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 Powell County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.