Kentucky cold wave risk
120 counties scored 0 rated Very High
Fayette County has the highest cold wave risk in Kentucky, scoring 96.9 out of 100 — rated "Relatively High" by FEMA's National Risk Index.
| # | County | NRI score | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fayette County | 96.9 | Relatively High |
| 2 | Knox County | 96.2 | Relatively High |
| 3 | Jefferson County | 94.8 | Relatively High |
| 4 | Boone County | 91.5 | Relatively High |
| 5 | Wayne County | 90.9 | Relatively High |
| 6 | Laurel County | 88.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 7 | Pulaski County | 88.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 8 | Kenton County | 86.4 | Relatively Moderate |
| 9 | Logan County | 85.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 10 | McCracken County | 85.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 11 | Madison County | 83.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 12 | Bullitt County | 80 | Relatively Moderate |
| 13 | Warren County | 79 | Relatively Moderate |
| 14 | Calloway County | 78.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 15 | Hardin County | 78.8 | Relatively Moderate |
| 16 | Graves County | 76.9 | Relatively Moderate |
| 17 | Whitley County | 74.7 | Relatively Moderate |
| 18 | Bell County | 73.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 19 | Barren County | 72.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 20 | Campbell County | 71.2 | Relatively Moderate |
| 21 | Clay County | 69.5 | Relatively Moderate |
| 22 | Daviess County | 68.3 | Relatively Moderate |
| 23 | McCreary County | 67 | Relatively Moderate |
| 24 | Russell County | 65.6 | Relatively Moderate |
| 25 | Harlan County | 65.4 | Relatively Low |
| 26 | Christian County | 64.9 | Relatively Low |
| 27 | Adair County | 64.8 | Relatively Low |
| 28 | Marshall County | 63.5 | Relatively Low |
| 29 | Nelson County | 63.1 | Relatively Low |
| 30 | Muhlenberg County | 60.8 | Relatively Low |
| 31 | Casey County | 59.8 | Relatively Low |
| 32 | Shelby County | 59.4 | Relatively Low |
| 33 | Lincoln County | 58 | Relatively Low |
| 34 | Taylor County | 56.3 | Relatively Low |
| 35 | Rockcastle County | 54.8 | Relatively Low |
| 36 | Oldham County | 54.2 | Relatively Low |
| 37 | Scott County | 53.3 | Relatively Low |
| 38 | Perry County | 52.8 | Relatively Low |
| 39 | Jessamine County | 52.4 | Relatively Low |
| 40 | Letcher County | 52.1 | Relatively Low |
| 41 | Franklin County | 51.7 | Relatively Low |
| 42 | Allen County | 51.6 | Relatively Low |
| 43 | Clinton County | 51.6 | Relatively Low |
| 44 | Monroe County | 51.3 | Relatively Low |
| 45 | Meade County | 50.3 | Relatively Low |
| 46 | Hopkins County | 50.1 | Relatively Low |
| 47 | Ohio County | 50.1 | Relatively Low |
| 48 | Boyle County | 49.8 | Relatively Low |
| 49 | Grayson County | 49.3 | Relatively Low |
| 50 | Hart County | 49.2 | Relatively Low |
| 51 | Garrard County | 48.2 | Relatively Low |
| 52 | Pike County | 47.5 | Relatively Low |
| 53 | Todd County | 46.9 | Relatively Low |
| 54 | Metcalfe County | 46.8 | Relatively Low |
| 55 | Marion County | 46.7 | Relatively Low |
| 56 | Trigg County | 46.2 | Relatively Low |
| 57 | Woodford County | 45.5 | Relatively Low |
| 58 | Floyd County | 44.8 | Relatively Low |
| 59 | Simpson County | 44.7 | Relatively Low |
| 60 | Clark County | 44.2 | Relatively Low |
| 61 | Henderson County | 43.8 | Relatively Low |
| 62 | Cumberland County | 43.5 | Relatively Low |
| 63 | Jackson County | 42.2 | Relatively Low |
| 64 | Mercer County | 41.6 | Relatively Low |
| 65 | Ballard County | 41.1 | Relatively Low |
| 66 | Bourbon County | 41 | Relatively Low |
| 67 | Estill County | 40.7 | Relatively Low |
| 68 | Breathitt County | 40.2 | Relatively Low |
| 69 | Leslie County | 39.2 | Relatively Low |
| 70 | Breckinridge County | 38 | Relatively Low |
| 71 | Grant County | 37.7 | Relatively Low |
| 72 | Fulton County | 37.2 | Relatively Low |
| 73 | Knott County | 36.8 | Relatively Low |
| 74 | Montgomery County | 36.7 | Relatively Low |
| 75 | Caldwell County | 36.6 | Relatively Low |
| 76 | Johnson County | 36.5 | Relatively Low |
| 77 | Crittenden County | 35.9 | Relatively Low |
| 78 | Green County | 34.7 | Relatively Low |
| 79 | Carlisle County | 34.5 | Relatively Low |
| 80 | Lyon County | 34.5 | Relatively Low |
| 81 | Hickman County | 34.2 | Relatively Low |
| 82 | Powell County | 33.7 | Relatively Low |
| 83 | Anderson County | 33.6 | Relatively Low |
| 84 | Martin County | 33.1 | Relatively Low |
| 85 | Livingston County | 32.7 | Relatively Low |
| 86 | Webster County | 31.6 | Relatively Low |
| 87 | Union County | 30.6 | Relatively Low |
| 88 | Larue County | 30.3 | Relatively Low |
| 89 | Pendleton County | 29 | Relatively Low |
| 90 | Lee County | 28.1 | Relatively Low |
| 91 | Washington County | 27.8 | Relatively Low |
| 92 | Henry County | 27.4 | Relatively Low |
| 93 | Spencer County | 27.1 | Relatively Low |
| 94 | Harrison County | 26.4 | Relatively Low |
| 95 | Wolfe County | 26.2 | Relatively Low |
| 96 | Gallatin County | 24.7 | Relatively Low |
| 97 | McLean County | 23.6 | Very Low |
| 98 | Carroll County | 23.5 | Very Low |
| 99 | Rowan County | 23.3 | Very Low |
| 100 | Boyd County | 21.9 | Very Low |
| 101 | Butler County | 21.6 | Very Low |
| 102 | Edmonson County | 21.3 | Very Low |
| 103 | Fleming County | 21.2 | Very Low |
| 104 | Owen County | 21.1 | Very Low |
| 105 | Mason County | 20.5 | Very Low |
| 106 | Owsley County | 20 | Very Low |
| 107 | Carter County | 19.7 | Very Low |
| 108 | Morgan County | 19.7 | Very Low |
| 109 | Hancock County | 19.4 | Very Low |
| 110 | Nicholas County | 19.2 | Very Low |
| 111 | Bath County | 19.1 | Very Low |
| 112 | Magoffin County | 18.6 | Very Low |
| 113 | Greenup County | 18.4 | Very Low |
| 114 | Trimble County | 18.3 | Very Low |
| 115 | Bracken County | 15.8 | Very Low |
| 116 | Lewis County | 15.2 | Very Low |
| 117 | Elliott County | 14.7 | Very Low |
| 118 | Lawrence County | 13.4 | Very Low |
| 119 | Menifee County | 12.6 | Very Low |
| 120 | Robertson County | 11.4 | 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 Kentucky:
Frequently asked questions
What is the highest cold wave risk county in Kentucky?
Fayette County, KY has the highest cold wave risk in Kentucky, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 96.9 out of 100 (rated "Relatively High").
What causes cold wave risk in Kentucky?
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.