Natural Disasters in Morehead, KY

Hazard risk, disaster history, and FEMA data

Natural Hazard Risk

Source: FEMA National Risk Index

Risk Score

47.9

Relatively Low

Expected Annual Loss

45.1

Score (0-100)

Social Vulnerability

61.3

Score (0-100)

Community Resilience

50.1

Score (0-100)

Top Hazard Risks

Landslide82.5Lightning77.3Winter Weather62.0

Hazard	Risk Score
Landslide	82.5
Lightning	77.3
Winter Weather	62.0
Strong Wind	54.6
Heat Wave	51.2
Wildfire	46.6
Earthquake	45.7
Hurricane	45.1
Tornado	41.3
Hail	39.6
Ice Storm	38.0
Cold Wave	23.3
Drought	17.2
Avalanche	15.6

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

16 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
Nov 26, 2024	Tropical Storm	REMNANTS OF HURRICANE HELENE
Mar 31, 2021	Severe Ice Storm	SEVERE WINTER STORMS, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Mar 28, 2020	Biological	COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Mar 13, 2020	Biological	COVID-19
Aug 12, 2015	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDE
May 12, 2015	Flood	SEVERE WINTER STORM, SNOWSTORM, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
May 1, 2015	Flood	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES
Mar 6, 2012	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS AND FLOODING
May 4, 2011	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING
Jul 23, 2010	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES
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
Sep 10, 2005	Hurricane	HURRICANE KATRINA
Jun 10, 2004	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, TORNADOES, FLOODING, AND MUDSLIDES
Jul 2, 2003	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, MUD AND ROCK SLIDES, AND TORNADOES
Jun 3, 2003	Severe Storm	SEVERE STORMS, FLOODING, MUD AND ROCK SLIDES, AND TORNADOES

Showing 20 of 32 declarations

Individual Assistance

Source: FEMA Housing Assistance

Total IA Registrations

1,201

Total IA Distributed

$4,414,301

Repair/Replace

$2,321,633

Rental Assistance

$393,490

Disaster	Registrations	Total IA $	Avg Damage
DR-1912	479	$2,245,256	$5,632
DR-4497	129	$861,574	—
DR-4239	154	$456,053	$3,161
DR-4217	128	$264,491	$3,242
DR-1454	87	$171,591	$4,243
DR-1925	52	$151,083	$1,902
DR-1471	44	$129,057	$5,341
DR-1523	67	$72,434	$1,615
DR-4057	50	$52,610	$1,079
DR-1475	11	$10,152	$871

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

Flood Insurance (NFIP)

Source: FEMA NFIP

Total Claims

291

Total Claims Paid

$5,076,507

Avg Claim Payout

$17,445

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

Disaster Recovery Spending

Source: FEMA Public Assistance

Total Federal Spending

$4,605,843

Disasters with PA

Total Projects

318

Disaster	Type	Projects	Federal $
DR-1912	Severe Storm(s)	93	$2,300,627
DR-1407	Severe Storm(s)	82	$696,817
DR-1388	Severe Storm(s)	22	$342,241
DR-1454	Severe Storm(s)	22	$333,558
DR-1320	Severe Storm(s)	25	$182,811
DR-1471	Severe Storm(s)	16	$176,202
DR-4217	Flood	14	$168,582
DR-1523	Severe Storm(s)	27	$132,841
DR-1818	Severe Ice Storm	8	$107,687
DR-4239	Severe Storm(s)	3	$63,861
DR-1475	Severe Storm(s)	4	$58,446
DR-4218	Flood	2	$42,170

Hazard Mitigation

Source: FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance

Mitigation Projects

Federal Funding

$293,726

Properties Protected

Avg Benefit-Cost Ratio

1.65

BCR

Top Mitigation Project Types

Project Type	Projects	Federal $
601.1: Generators	3	$58,680
91.1: Local Multihazard Mitigation Plan	2	$104,803
200.1: Acquisition of Private Real Property (Structures and Land) - Riverine	1	$130,242
401.1: Water and Sanitary Sewer System Protective Measures	1	$0
95.2: Planning Related Activities	1	$0

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

Morehead has a relatively low overall natural hazard risk rating according to FEMA's National Risk Index. The top hazard risks are landslide, lightning, winter weather. The area has had 32 federal disaster declarations. The most common disaster type is severe storm (16 declarations). 291 flood insurance claims have been filed in the area. FEMA has obligated $4,605,843 in public assistance recovery funding. $4,414,301 has been distributed in individual assistance to disaster-affected residents. 8 hazard mitigation projects have been funded to reduce future risk.