Putnam County, Tennessee: hazard risk
FEMA rates Putnam County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 65.8 of 100, higher than 65% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by lightning. Its storm record holds 640 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning | Relatively High | 88.3 | $1.1M |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 86.9 | $5.6M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 84.8 | $261K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 80.3 | $3.6M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 72.7 | $246K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 72.1 | $998K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 85.7 | $2.9M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 73.0 | $619K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 60.2 | $8.8M |
| Landslide | Very Low | 54.1 | $2K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 48.0 | $59K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 35.6 | $178K |
| Drought | Very Low | 30.2 | $25K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 27.1 | $12K |
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 | 245 | 0 | $4.2M | 24th of 95 | 282nd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 121 | 0 | $2K | 15th of 95 | 744th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 108 | 0 | $16M | 8th of 95 | 475th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 75 | 0 | $36M | 6th of 95 | 346th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 36 | 0 | $427K | 16th of 95 | 400th of 3,063 |
| Tornadoes | 20 | 30 | $117M | 30th of 95 | 914th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 14 | 0 | $7.3M | 6th of 95 | 247th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 0 | $846K | 35th of 95 | 1582nd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 2 | 0 | – | 31st of 95 | 2287th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 0 | – | 44th of 95 | 1762nd 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 Putnam County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.