Rowan County, Kentucky: hazard risk
FEMA rates Rowan County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 47.9 of 100, higher than 47% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 429 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 Moderate | 77.3 | $545K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 62.0 | $82K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 54.6 | $530K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82.5 | $19K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 67.2 | $9.9M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 51.2 | $334K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 41.3 | $767K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 39.6 | $149K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 38.0 | $41K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 46.6 | $32K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 45.7 | $184K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 45.1 | $38K |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 23.3 | $241K |
| Drought | Very Low | 17.2 | $2K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 15.6 | $17 |
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 | 165 | 0 | $2.6M | 61st of 118 | 541st of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 93 | 0 | $191K | 36th of 118 | 501st of 3,077 |
| Floods | 68 | 2 | $2.4M | 41st of 118 | 281st of 3,080 |
| Hail | 43 | 0 | – | 69th of 118 | 1541st of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 19 | 0 | $102K | 29th of 118 | 652nd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 14 | 0 | – | 36th of 118 | 482nd of 3,076 |
| Heat | 8 | 0 | – | 38th of 118 | 799th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 5 | 0 | – | 50th of 118 | 649th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 2 | 0 | – | 51st of 118 | 2105th of 3,063 |
| Lightning | 2 | 1 | $3K | 33rd of 118 | 952nd of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 0 | $565K | 106th of 118 | 2538th 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 Rowan County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.