Natural Disasters in Lexington-Fayette urban county, KY

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

92.0

Relatively Moderate

Expected Annual Loss

91.8

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

39.5

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

75.0

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Tornado98.0Cold Wave96.9Winter Weather96.4

Hazard	Risk Score
Tornado	98.0
Cold Wave	96.9
Winter Weather	96.4
Lightning	95.9
Strong Wind	95.1
Hail	93.1
Earthquake	93.0
Ice Storm	91.2
Heat Wave	87.0
Hurricane	57.0
Wildfire	26.9
Drought	22.0
Landslide	14.0

Scores range from 0 (lowest risk) to 100 (highest risk) relative to all U.S. communities. Data from FEMA National Risk Index.

Disaster Declarations

Source: FEMA OpenFEMA

Total Declarations

Most Recent

Winter Storm

Jan 2026

Most Common Type

Severe Storm

9 declarations

Date	Type	Declaration
Jan 24, 2026	Winter Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Apr 3, 2025	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Feb 16, 2025	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, AND LANDSLIDES
May 22, 2024	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Apr 10, 2023	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Apr 23, 2021	Flood	SEVERE, STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Mar 28, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
May 11, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, MUDSLIDES, AND TORNADOES
Feb 5, 2009	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM AND FLOODING
Jan 28, 2009	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORM
Feb 21, 2008	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, AND
Sep 10, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA
Jun 10, 2004	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES
Mar 14, 2003	Severe Storm	SEVERE WINTER ICE AND SNOW STORMS, HEAVY RAIN, FLOODING, TORNADOES, AND MUD AND
Mar 4, 1997	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORM, FLOODING, AND TORNADOES
Jan 13, 1996	Snowstorm	BLIZZARD OF 96
Mar 16, 1994	Snowstorm	SEVERE WEATHER, FREEZING RAIN, SLEET, SNW
Mar 16, 1993	Snowstorm	SEVERE SNOWFALL & WINTER STORM
Feb 24, 1989	Flood	SEVERE STORMS & FLOODING

Showing 20 of 21 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

2,735

Total IA Distributed

$7,125,400

Repair/Replace

$975,628

Rental Assistance

$180,732

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-4630	1	N/A	—
DR-4217	1	N/A	—
DR-4497	917	$5,544,712	—
DR-1912	302	$504,746	$1,971
DR-1454	1,047	$469,670	$608
DR-1523	176	$212,279	$1,686
DR-4782	130	$199,250	$2,946
DR-4595	61	$118,519	$4,920
DR-4864	7	$65,883	$63,434
DR-1746	82	$9,340	$839

Showing top 10 of 11 disasters by IA amount

Individual and household assistance for homeowners and renters affected by federally declared disasters.

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

453

Total Claims Paid

$5,299,228

Avg Claim Payout

$11,698

County-level NFIP data from FEMA National Flood Insurance Program.

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$8,660,265

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-4497	Biological	4	$3,268,401
DR-1454	Severe Storm(s)	36	$2,599,282
DR-1818	Severe Ice Storm	21	$2,078,017
DR-4702	Severe Storm(s)	5	$714,565

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$24,048,759

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

1.20

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	8	$6,299,187
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	4	$332,977
600.1: Warning Systems (as a Component of a Planned, Adopted, and Exercised Risk Reduction Plan)	2	$120,150
602.1: Other Equipment Purchase and Installation	2	$46,940
206.2: Safe Room (Tornado and Severe Wind Shelter) - Public Structures	2	$141,209

Federally funded projects to reduce future disaster risk. Only includes completed or obligated projects.

Lexington-Fayette urban county has a relatively moderate overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are tornado, cold wave, winter weather. The area has had 21 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (9 declarations). 453 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $8,660,265 in public assistance recovery funding. $7,125,400 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 24 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.