Whitley County, Kentucky: hazard risk
FEMA rates Whitley County's overall risk Relatively Low (score 62.2 of 100, higher than 62% of rated U.S. counties). Its storm record holds 595 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 | 85.1 | $219K |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | $2.1M |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 58.6 | $556K |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 58.3 | $249K |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85.7 | $26K |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | 85.1 | $555K |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | 71.1 | $11M |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 70.3 | $441K |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 69.9 | $620K |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 65.3 | $587K |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 64.0 | $1.6M |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 27.7 | $22K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 44.7 | $35K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 39.3 | $199 |
| Drought | Very Low | 23.3 | $7K |
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 | 244 | 0 | $2.1M | 66th of 118 | 642nd of 3,080 |
| Floods | 159 | 4 | $12M | 37th of 118 | 225th of 3,080 |
| Hail | 71 | 0 | $15K | 68th of 118 | 1539th of 3,080 |
| Winter storms | 61 | 1 | $34K | 88th of 118 | 1432nd of 3,077 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 0 | $124K | 52nd of 118 | 1119th of 3,080 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 0 | – | 61st of 118 | 891st of 3,076 |
| Heat | 7 | 1 | – | 50th of 118 | 1124th of 3,076 |
| Heavy rain | 6 | 0 | $9K | 51st of 118 | 680th of 3,080 |
| Tornadoes | 5 | 0 | $2.6M | 103rd of 118 | 2458th of 3,080 |
| Drought | 3 | 0 | – | 54th of 118 | 2127th of 3,063 |
| Lightning | 2 | 0 | $8K | 55th of 118 | 1308th of 3,080 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 0 | $2K | 22nd of 118 | 250th of 2,278 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, 1950 to 2026-06-30; damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
The full Whitley County record: every hazard by year and month, the deadliest events and FEMA's declarations.