Russell County, Kentucky: hazard risk
FEMA rates Russell County's overall risk Very Low (score 31.9 of 100, higher than 31% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 227 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 70.4 | $92K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 65.6 | $1.2M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 59.1 | $498K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 64.1 | $1.4M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 63.0 | $294K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 52.7 | $67K |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 50.8 | $167K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 35.7 | $2.9M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 33.0 | $24K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 56.4 | $269K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 49.2 | $48K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 44.3 | $624 |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 35.2 | $125K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 29.8 | $10K |
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 | 139 | 0 | $878K | 32nd of 118 | 311th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 30 | 0 | $3K | 87th of 118 | 1849th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 21 | 0 | $176K | 104th of 118 | 1031st of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 19 | 0 | – | 102nd of 118 | 1878th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 2 | $21M | 55th of 118 | 1270th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 0 | $26K | 88th of 118 | 1823rd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 0 | – | 99th of 118 | 1640th of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $3K | 62nd of 118 | 1424th 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 Russell County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.