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Natural hazard risk in Lewis County, Kentucky

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on FEMA, NOAA and OpenFEMA data. Published by Humblebee.

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Very Low (score 41.4 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$9.5 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1967
32[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$2.0 million[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
6[4]

FEMA rates the overall natural hazard risk for Lewis County, Kentucky as Very Low compared with other US counties, with a Risk Index score of 41.4 out of 100[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores within the county are landslide, inland flooding and heat wave[6].

FEMA risk ratings for each hazard

Ratings and expected losses from the FEMA National Risk Index. Each rating compares this county with all US counties for that hazard, from Very Low to Very High. They are planning estimates, not predictions, and they do not describe any single property.

FEMA's National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) estimates Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards at $9.5 million a year[1]. This is a FEMA estimate of average yearly loss, not money anyone paid[7]. FEMA's sorted loss values put inland flooding first at $7.8 million a year, then tornado at $512,000 a year and heat wave at $409,000 a year[8]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability as Relatively High with a score of 73.9[9]. That rating describes how susceptible social groups are to harm from natural hazards[9]. FEMA rates Community Resilience as Very Low with a score of 7.5, which describes a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards[10].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
LandslideRelatively Low$20,000[11]
Inland FloodingRelatively Low$7.8 million[12]
Heat WaveRelatively Low$409,000[13]
Strong WindRelatively Low$329,000[14]
LightningRelatively Low$113,000[15]
Winter WeatherRelatively Low$29,000[16]
TornadoRelatively Low$512,000[17]
HurricaneVery Low$14,000[18]
Ice StormRelatively Low$25,000[19]
AvalancheVery Low$64[20]
EarthquakeVery Low$40,000[21]
DroughtVery Low$6,691[22]
HailVery Low$56,000[23]
WildfireVery Low$3,809[24]
Cold WaveVery Low$114,000[25]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity[26].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

FEMA uses these two ratings to scale expected losses into the Risk Index.

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityRelatively High73.9[9]
Community resilienceVery Low7.5[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding as Relatively Low for Lewis County, with a score of 64.9 out of 100[12]. OpenFEMA lists 61 residential flood insurance contracts in force as of 2026-08-03[27]. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, 7.3% of homes are insured[27]. OpenFEMA NFIP claims data show 116 claims filed for losses from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $2.0 million in total[3]. County ratings do not tell you the flood zone of an address. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the place to look one up[28].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[12] Relatively Low, $7.8 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[27] 61 of 6,695 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[27] 544, of which 40 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 116 filed, $2.0 million paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[28]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 32 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Lewis County since 1967[2]. Severe storm is the most common incident type with 19 declarations[2]. The most recent is EM-3633-KY, a severe winter storm declared 2026-01-24[29]. NOAA's tornado database records 6 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024[4]. The most recent was on 2021-06-11[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Lewis County, since 1967
Incident type Declarations
Severe Storm[2] 19
Flood[2] 4
Snowstorm[2] 3
Severe Ice Storm[2] 3
Hurricane[2] 1
Winter Storm[2] 1
Tropical Storm[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
EM-3633-KY[29] Severe Winter Storm 2026-01-24
DR-4864-KY[29] Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides 2025-04-24
EM-3626-KY[29] Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding 2025-04-03
DR-4860-KY[29] Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides 2025-02-24
EM-3624-KY[29] Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides 2025-02-16

How to prepare

Steps from Ready.gov, FEMA's preparedness site, for the hazards with the highest FEMA ratings here. Follow instructions from local officials and the National Weather Service when a warning is issued.

Floods

Before

  • Check your flood risk with FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, and remember that floods do not follow map lines.
  • Sign up for your community's warning system. NOAA Weather Radio also broadcasts alerts.
  • Buy flood insurance through the NFIP well before a disaster. Homeowners policies do not cover flooding, and a new policy typically takes up to 30 days to go into effect.
  • Make a household plan with evacuation routes, shelter locations and what to do in a flash flood.
  • Keep important documents in a waterproof container and make password-protected digital copies.

During

  • If you are told to evacuate, leave right away and never drive around barricades.
  • Do not walk, swim or drive through floodwater. Six inches of moving water can knock you down.
  • If you are trapped in a building, go to the highest level, but do not climb into a closed attic.

Source: Ready.gov, floods

Extreme heat

Before

  • Learn the signs of heat illness and how to respond.
  • Do not rely on a fan as your main way to stay cool. Fans do not lower body temperature.
  • Find cool public places, such as libraries or malls, or ask your local health department.
  • Keep heat out with window shades, weather stripping and insulation.
  • If you cannot afford cooling costs, contact LIHEAP for help.

During

  • Never leave a person or an animal in a parked car in warm weather.
  • If your home has no air conditioning, go to a cooling center.
  • Wear light, loose clothing, drink plenty of fluids and avoid hard outdoor work in the middle of the day.

Source: Ready.gov, extreme heat

Questions people ask

Is Lewis County, KY at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk as Relatively Low for Lewis County compared with other US counties, with a score of 64.9[12]. FEMA lists inland flooding as the largest part of expected annual loss at $7.8 million a year[8].
Does Lewis County, KY get tornadoes?
NOAA's tornado database records 6 tornadoes touching Lewis County from 1950 to 2024[4]. FEMA rates tornado risk as Relatively Low compared with other US counties[17].
Is Lewis County, KY at risk of earthquakes?
FEMA rates earthquake risk as Very Low for Lewis County compared with other US counties, with a score of 27.0[21].
How many disasters have been declared in Lewis County, KY?
OpenFEMA lists 32 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Lewis County since 1967[2].
How do I check the flood zone of an address in Lewis County?
Look up the address in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or ask the local floodplain manager[28].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Lewis County is $9.5 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Very Low, score 32.8). Of this, buildings account for $7.0 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $2.4 million and... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 32 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Lewis County since 1967 (26 major disaster, 6 emergency or fire management). By incident type: severe storm 19, flood 4, snowstorm 3, severe ice storm 3, hurricane 1, winter storm 1, tropical storm 1.... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 116 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Lewis County, 100 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $2.0 million in total (building, contents and increased cost of compliance, in dollars of the year paid). Years... OpenFEMA NFIP claims
  4. NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950 to 2024): 6 recorded tornadoes touched Lewis County. The strongest were rated F3 (most recent of them on 2003-05-10). 1 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2021-06-11. Ratings used the Fujita scale until early 2007 and the... NOAA Storm Prediction Center
  5. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): the overall natural hazard Risk Index rating for Lewis County is Very Low, with a Risk Index score of 41.4 out of 100. The score is the county's percentile rank among all US counties. FEMA National Risk Index
  6. Among the 18 hazards in the FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), the hazards with the highest hazard-type Risk Index scores for Lewis County are landslide (84.3, Relatively Low), inland flooding (64.9, Relatively Low), heat wave (59.2, Relatively Low). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published scores;... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. FEMA's National Risk Index FAQ (December 2025): Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of the average economic loss in dollars from natural hazards each year. The index is not meant to predict how much damage a community will have in the next year, and a hazard can still cause damage where a rating is low. Scores... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  8. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Lewis County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are inland flooding ($7.8 million a year), tornado ($512,000 a year), heat wave ($409,000 a year), out of $9.5 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Lewis County is Relatively High (score 73.9). FEMA describes social vulnerability as how susceptible social groups are to the harm natural hazards cause. FEMA National Risk Index
  10. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Community Resilience rating for Lewis County is Very Low (score 7.5). FEMA describes community resilience as a community's ability to prepare for, withstand and recover from hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  11. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), landslide in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 84.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $20,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 64.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $7.8 million a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 1.86 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 26 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 59.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $409,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 5.79 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  14. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 43.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $329,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 3.3 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 39.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $113,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 49.77 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 36.9 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $29,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 11.16 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 35.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $512,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.18 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  18. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hurricane in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 34.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $14,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.02 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 172 years for the Atlantic Basin... FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), ice storm in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 31.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $25,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.56 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), avalanche in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 27.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $64 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.01 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 28 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), earthquake in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 27.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $40,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0018 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), drought in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 23.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $6,691 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 2.77 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 22 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 21.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $56,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 3.04 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 15.3 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $3,809 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0003 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  25. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Lewis County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 15.2 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $114,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 1.37 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  26. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Lewis County: coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity. FEMA uses Not Applicable when its source data has no historical record of the hazard in the community and the hazard is not considered geographically possible there. FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  27. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 61 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Lewis County, out of 6,695 residential structures, a penetration rate of 0.9%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 544 residential structures and 40 contracts, a rate of... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  28. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center is the official public source for flood maps (Flood Insurance Rate Maps) produced under the National Flood Insurance Program. Flood zones apply to specific properties: look up an address there or ask the local floodplain manager. County-level ratings do not tell you the flood zone of... FEMA Flood Map Service Center
  29. Most recent federal disaster declarations for natural hazards (table on this page). OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations

FEMA's National Risk Index compares each county with all other US counties. Ratings are relative (Very Low to Very High), not a measure of safety. Never call a place safe, unsafe, good or bad to live in. Risk Index and Expected Annual Loss values are FEMA estimates for planning. They do not predict next year's losses and do not apply to a single property. Flood zones are set by FEMA flood maps for specific properties. County ratings and flood insurance counts do not tell anyone whether an address is in a flood zone. Disaster declaration, NFIP and tornado counts are records of the past for this county only. Do not compare with other counties unless a fact does.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), National Risk Index Dataset: National Risk Index Counties, v1.20 (December 2025). Retrieved from fema.maps.arcgis.com on October 30, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.