Florida cold wave risk
Hillsborough County has the highest cold wave risk in Florida, scoring 99.5 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hillsborough County | 99.5 | Very High |
| 2 | Miami-Dade County | 99.5 | Very High |
| 3 | Orange County | 99.3 | Very High |
| 4 | Collier County | 99.2 | Very High |
| 5 | Pinellas County | 98.8 | Very High |
| 6 | Duval County | 98.5 | Relatively High |
| 7 | Leon County | 98.3 | Relatively High |
| 8 | Broward County | 95.2 | Relatively High |
| 9 | Palm Beach County | 92.4 | Relatively High |
| 10 | Marion County | 90.5 | Relatively High |
| 11 | Gadsden County | 82.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 12 | Escambia County | 81.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 13 | Wakulla County | 80.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 14 | Bay County | 79.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 15 | Hendry County | 77.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 16 | Manatee County | 77.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 17 | Polk County | 76.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 18 | Highlands County | 75.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 19 | Okaloosa County | 72.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 20 | Lee County | 72.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 21 | DeSoto County | 71.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 22 | Jackson County | 69.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 23 | Levy County | 69.1 | Relatively Moderate |
| 24 | Santa Rosa County | 66.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 25 | Lake County | 63.3 | Relatively Low |
| 26 | Volusia County | 62.1 | Relatively Low |
| 27 | Pasco County | 61.9 | Relatively Low |
| 28 | Suwannee County | 61.5 | Relatively Low |
| 29 | Jefferson County | 60.8 | Relatively Low |
| 30 | Citrus County | 59.5 | Relatively Low |
| 31 | Hardee County | 58.9 | Relatively Low |
| 32 | Alachua County | 58.3 | Relatively Low |
| 33 | Taylor County | 57.7 | Relatively Low |
| 34 | Okeechobee County | 57 | Relatively Low |
| 35 | Walton County | 52.3 | Relatively Low |
| 36 | Charlotte County | 51.6 | Relatively Low |
| 37 | Sumter County | 51.3 | Relatively Low |
| 38 | Madison County | 48 | Relatively Low |
| 39 | Columbia County | 45.5 | Relatively Low |
| 40 | Glades County | 45.3 | Relatively Low |
| 41 | Franklin County | 43.5 | Relatively Low |
| 42 | Calhoun County | 40.4 | Relatively Low |
| 43 | Indian River County | 39 | Relatively Low |
| 44 | Washington County | 37.2 | Relatively Low |
| 45 | Gulf County | 36 | Relatively Low |
| 46 | Hernando County | 35.6 | Relatively Low |
| 47 | Martin County | 35.3 | Relatively Low |
| 48 | Gilchrist County | 34.2 | Relatively Low |
| 49 | Osceola County | 34.1 | Relatively Low |
| 50 | Hamilton County | 32.6 | Relatively Low |
| 51 | Sarasota County | 31.3 | Relatively Low |
| 52 | Brevard County | 30.2 | Relatively Low |
| 53 | Seminole County | 28.8 | Relatively Low |
| 54 | Liberty County | 28.6 | Relatively Low |
| 55 | Putnam County | 28.4 | Relatively Low |
| 56 | Holmes County | 28.2 | Relatively Low |
| 57 | St. Lucie County | 26.4 | Relatively Low |
| 58 | Lafayette County | 25.4 | Relatively Low |
| 59 | Dixie County | 19.9 | Very Low |
| 60 | Flagler County | 19.4 | Very Low |
| 61 | St. Johns County | 18.7 | Very Low |
| 62 | Baker County | 17.2 | Very Low |
| 63 | Clay County | 15.7 | Very Low |
| 64 | Bradford County | 12.2 | Very Low |
| 65 | Union County | 12.2 | Very Low |
| 66 | Nassau County | 12 | Very Low |
| 67 | Monroe County | 4.1 | Very Low |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index v1.20.0, December 2025. Scores are 0–100 percentile rankings among all US counties. See the methodology page for definitions. Download the full CSV for all counties.
Cold Wave risk nationally:
Other hazard risks in Florida:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest cold wave risk county in Florida?
Hillsborough County, FL has the highest cold wave risk in Florida, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 99.5 out of 100 (rated "Very High").
How many counties in Florida are rated Very High for cold wave risk?
5 of 67 scored Florida counties are rated "Very High" for cold wave risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.
What causes cold wave risk in Florida?
Cold wave risk captures expected losses from extended periods of extreme cold, including wind chill. The northern Plains, Great Lakes, and interior New England see the most severe and frequent cold events. Cold extremes cause significant excess mortality, especially among unhoused populations, the elderly, and those with inadequate heating or insulation. Cold and wind chill events are reported at forecast-zone level in NOAA Storm Events and are not included in county-level counts.