Shelby County, Kentucky: hazard risk
FEMA rates Shelby County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 61.9 of 100, higher than 61% 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 376 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 | 93.9 | $2.6M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 87.5 | $991K |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 87.8 | $5.9M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 60.6 | $134K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 73.6 | $974K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 61.4 | $9.1M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 59.4 | $1.3M |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 45.4 | $283K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 40.7 | $45K |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 31.7 | $29K |
| Landslide | Very Low | 36.5 | $490 |
| Hail | Very Low | 30.2 | $114K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 21.4 | $8K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 20.3 | $6K |
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 | 0 | $1.4M | 41st of 118 | 363rd of 3,080 |
| Hail | 65 | 0 | $51K | 54th of 118 | 1279th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 38 | 1 | $2.3M | 101st of 118 | 971st of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 33 | 1 | – | 95th of 118 | 1689th of 3,077 |
| Tornadoes | 19 | 0 | $107M | 47th of 118 | 1058th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 8 | 1 | $12K | 89th of 118 | 1876th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 0 | – | 94th of 118 | 1542nd of 3,076 |
| Lightning | 4 | 2 | $18K | 17th of 118 | 684th of 3,080 |
| Heavy rain | 2 | 0 | – | 78th of 118 | 1304th 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 Shelby County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.