Wayne County, Kentucky: hazard risk
FEMA rates Wayne County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 54.7 of 100, higher than 54% of rated U.S. counties); 1 of its 14 hazards are rated Relatively High or Very High, led by cold wave. Its storm record holds 406 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | 90.9 | $5.0M |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 80.7 | $142K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 60.2 | $218K |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 52.9 | $389K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 81.1 | $12K |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 67.8 | $328K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 51.1 | $4.4M |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 43.4 | $638K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 41.3 | $159K |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 34.6 | $26K |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 57.8 | $264K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 52.5 | $59K |
| Wildfire | Very Low | 38.0 | $15K |
| Drought | Very Low | 30.7 | $18K |
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 | 212 | 0 | $1.1M | 74th of 118 | 715th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 55 | 0 | $72K | 110th of 118 | 2110th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 49 | 0 | $21K | 94th of 118 | 1615th of 3,077 |
| Floods | 30 | 0 | $69K | 115th of 118 | 1325th of 3,080 |
| High wind and dust storms | 20 | 0 | $159K | 65th of 118 | 1303rd of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 1 | – | 65th of 118 | 928th of 3,076 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 4 | $167M | 98th of 118 | 2382nd of 3,080 |
| Heat | 7 | 0 | – | 53rd of 118 | 1153rd of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 4 | 0 | – | 65th of 118 | 960th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 3 | 0 | – | 55th of 118 | 2135th of 3,063 |
| Lightning | 1 | 0 | $87K | 77th of 118 | 1859th 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 Wayne County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.