Washington County, Tennessee: hazard risk
FEMA rates Washington County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 61.2 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 405 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 | 87.5 | $1.8M |
| Lightning | Relatively High | 87.2 | $1.0M |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 87.9 | $45K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 64.7 | $169K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 84.0 | $2.6M |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 71.1 | $14M |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 52.0 | $1.1M |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 50.1 | $1.3M |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 48.2 | $131K |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 38.9 | $45K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 37.9 | $170K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 55.9 | $135K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 42.8 | $31K |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 16.8 | $45K |
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 | 192 | 0 | $2.3M | 21st of 95 | 211th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 78 | 3 | $1.8M | 25th of 95 | 864th of 3,077 |
| Hail | 56 | 0 | $194 | 30th of 95 | 1068th of 3,080 |
| Floods | 46 | 5 | $44M | 14th of 95 | 549th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 20 | 0 | $218K | 8th of 95 | 845th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 1 | $5.7M | 73rd of 95 | 2093rd of 3,080 |
| Drought | 1 | 0 | – | 73rd of 95 | 2320th of 3,063 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 0 | – | 39th of 95 | 1638th of 3,080 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $203K | 69th of 95 | 1600th 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 Washington County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.