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Natural hazard risk in Unicoi County, Tennessee

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

FEMA overall Risk Index rating: Very Low (score 10.5 of 100)[5]

Expected annual loss (FEMA)
$4.4 million[1]
Federal disaster declarations since 1973
16[2]
NFIP flood claims paid, 1978 to 2026
$1.3 million[3]
Tornadoes recorded, 1950 to 2024
2[4]

FEMA's National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates overall natural hazard risk in Unicoi County Very Low, with a score of 10.5 out of 100[5]. The hazards with the highest FEMA scores within the county are landslide, lightning and cold 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 estimates Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Unicoi County at $4.4 million a year[1]. FEMA's largest hazard-type values are inland flooding at $2.8 million a year, cold wave at $666,000 a year and strong wind at $268,000 a year[7]. Expected Annual Loss is FEMA's estimate of average yearly loss, and the index does not predict next year's damage[8]. FEMA rates Social Vulnerability Relatively Moderate, with a score of 54.6[9]. FEMA rates Community Resilience Relatively Low, with a score of 24.5[10]. All ratings compare Unicoi County with other US counties[8].

Hazards sorted by FEMA hazard-type Risk Index score, highest first
HazardFEMA risk ratingExpected annual loss
LandslideRelatively Low$21,000[11]
LightningRelatively Low$183,000[12]
Cold WaveRelatively Low$666,000[13]
EarthquakeVery Low$169,000[14]
HurricaneVery Low$17,000[15]
WildfireVery Low$15,000[16]
Strong WindRelatively Low$268,000[17]
Ice StormRelatively Low$26,000[18]
Inland FloodingVery Low$2.8 million[19]
Winter WeatherVery Low$14,000[20]
TornadoVery Low$165,000[21]
HailVery Low$19,000[22]
Heat WaveVery Low$0[23]

Rated Not Applicable by FEMA for this county: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity[24].

Social vulnerability and community resilience

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

FEMA measureRatingScore
Social vulnerabilityRelatively Moderate54.6[9]
Community resilienceRelatively Low24.5[10]

Flooding and flood insurance

FEMA rates inland flooding risk Very Low in Unicoi County, with a score of 27.4[19]. OpenFEMA data as of 2026-08-03 shows 136 residential flood insurance contracts in force, a penetration rate of 1.7%[25]. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area, 28.7% of homes are insured[25]. OpenFEMA lists 64 NFIP claims for losses from 1978 to 2026, and NFIP paid $1.3 million in total[3]. To learn about a specific address, use FEMA's Flood Map Service Center[26].

Measure Value
Inland Flooding, FEMA risk rating[19] Very Low, $2.8 million expected loss a year
NFIP residential flood policies in force (2026)[25] 136 of 8,041 homes
Homes in FEMA's mapped high-risk flood area (SFHA)[25] 390, of which 112 insured
NFIP flood claims, 1978 to 2026[3] 64 filed, $1.3 million paid

Is a specific address in a flood zone? Only FEMA's flood maps answer that, property by property[26]. This page describes the whole county.

Search an address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center

Disaster declarations and tornado records

OpenFEMA lists 16 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Unicoi County since 1973[2]. The most recent is DR-4898-TN, Severe Winter Storm, declared 2026-02-06[27]. NOAA's tornado database records 2 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024, and the most recent was on 2011-04-09[4].

Federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Unicoi County, since 1973
Incident type Declarations
Flood[2] 5
Severe Storm[2] 5
Tropical Storm[2] 2
Winter Storm[2] 2
Snowstorm[2] 1
Hurricane[2] 1
Most recent declarations
Declaration Incident Declared
DR-4898-TN[27] Severe Winter Storm 2026-02-06
EM-3635-TN[27] Severe Winter Storm 2026-01-24
EM-3625-TN[27] Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding 2025-04-02
DR-4832-TN[27] Tropical Storm Helene 2024-10-02
EM-3620-TN[27] Tropical Storm Helene 2024-09-27

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.

Winter storms and cold

Before

  • Insulate your home and learn how to keep pipes from freezing.
  • Install and test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup.
  • Keep several days of supplies in case the power goes out, including medication and pet needs.
  • Put an emergency kit in your car with jumper cables, sand, blankets, water and snacks, and keep the tank full.

During

  • Under a winter storm warning, find shelter right away.
  • Stay off the roads if you can. If you are stuck in your car, stay inside it.
  • Run generators and grills only outdoors, away from windows, and never heat your home with an oven or stove.

Source: Ready.gov, winter storms and cold

Earthquakes

Before

  • Practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On with your family and coworkers.
  • Sign up for earthquake alerts that can warn you before shaking starts.
  • Make a plan with an out-of-state contact and a place to meet if you get separated.
  • Anchor heavy items such as bookcases, refrigerators and water heaters, and keep heavy things on low shelves.
  • Consider earthquake insurance. Standard homeowners policies do not cover earthquake damage.

During

  • Drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck, and hold on until the shaking stops.
  • Indoors, stay where you are and avoid doorways. Outdoors, move to an open area away from buildings and power lines.
  • If you are driving, pull over, stop and set the parking brake.

Source: Ready.gov, earthquakes

Questions people ask

Is Unicoi County at risk of flooding?
FEMA rates inland flooding risk Very Low in Unicoi County compared with other US counties[19]. Inland flooding has the largest Expected Annual Loss of any hazard here at $2.8 million a year[7].
Does Unicoi County have tornadoes?
NOAA's tornado database records 2 tornadoes touching the county from 1950 to 2024[4]. FEMA rates tornado risk Very Low compared with other US counties[21].
Is Unicoi County at risk of earthquakes or wildfire?
FEMA rates earthquake risk Very Low[14] and wildfire risk Very Low[16] compared with other US counties.
How many disasters have been declared in Unicoi County?
OpenFEMA lists 16 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include the county since 1973[2].
How do I check a flood zone?
Look up the address in FEMA's Flood Map Service Center or ask the local floodplain manager[26].

Facts and sources

  1. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Expected Annual Loss from all 18 natural hazards in Unicoi County is $4.4 million a year (Expected Annual Loss rating Very Low, score 10.4). Of this, buildings account for $3.1 million, injuries and deaths (converted to dollars by FEMA) for $1.2 million and... FEMA National Risk Index
  2. OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries list 16 federal disaster declarations for natural hazards that include Unicoi County since 1973 (11 major disaster, 5 emergency or fire management). By incident type: flood 5, severe storm 5, tropical storm 2, winter storm 2, snowstorm 1, hurricane 1. Biological (such as... OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations
  3. HazardFacts tally of OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims (losses from 1978 to 2026): 64 National Flood Insurance Program claims were filed for losses in Unicoi County, 46 of them with a payment, and NFIP paid $1.3 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): 2 recorded tornadoes touched Unicoi County. The strongest were rated F3 (most recent of them on 1980-07-10). 1 were rated F3/EF3 or stronger. The most recent recorded tornado was on 2011-04-09. 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 Unicoi County is Very Low, with a Risk Index score of 10.5 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 Unicoi County are landslide (83.0, Relatively Low), lightning (47.0, Relatively Low), cold wave (43.8, Relatively Low). HazardFacts sorted FEMA's published scores;... FEMA National Risk Index
  7. HazardFacts sorted FEMA's hazard-type Expected Annual Loss values for Unicoi County (National Risk Index v1.20): the largest are inland flooding ($2.8 million a year), cold wave ($666,000 a year), strong wind ($268,000 a year), out of $4.4 million a year from all 18 hazards. FEMA National Risk Index
  8. 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
  9. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025): Social Vulnerability rating for Unicoi County is Relatively Moderate (score 54.6). 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 Unicoi County is Relatively Low (score 24.5). 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 Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 83.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $21,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). FEMA National Risk Index
  12. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), lightning in Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 47.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $183,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 51.47 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 24 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  13. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), cold wave in Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 43.8 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $666,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 3.26 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), earthquake in Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 43.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $169,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0019 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  15. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hurricane in Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 34.1 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $17,000 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
  16. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), wildfire in Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 32.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $15,000 a year (rating Very Low). FEMA's modeled annual frequency is 0.0015 events per year. FEMA National Risk Index
  17. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), strong wind in Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 31.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $268,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 3.15 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), ice storm in Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Relatively Low (score 28.6 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $26,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 0.21 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 68 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  19. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), inland flooding in Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 27.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $2.8 million a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.68 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 26 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  20. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), winter weather in Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 19.0 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $14,000 a year (rating Relatively Low). Annualized frequency 17.22 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  21. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), tornado in Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 17.4 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $165,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0.04 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 38 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  22. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), hail in Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 7.5 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $19,000 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 3.26 events per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 37 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  23. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025), heat wave in Unicoi County: Risk Index rating Very Low (score 1.7 of 100). Expected Annual Loss $0 a year (rating Very Low). Annualized frequency 0 event-days per year, from recorded occurrences over a period of record of 18 years. FEMA National Risk Index
  24. FEMA National Risk Index (version 1.20, December 2025) rates these hazards Not Applicable for Unicoi County: avalanche, 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... FEMA National Risk Index documentation
  25. NFIP Residential Penetration Rates (OpenFEMA, as of 2026-08-03): 136 residential flood insurance contracts were in force in Unicoi County, out of 8,041 residential structures, a penetration rate of 1.7%. Inside FEMA's mapped Special Flood Hazard Area there were 390 residential structures and 112 contracts, a rate... OpenFEMA NFIP penetration rates
  26. 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
  27. 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.