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Tennessee lightning risk

95 counties scored 1 rated Very High

Knox County has the highest lightning risk in Tennessee, scoring 98.1 out of 100 — rated "Very High" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded lightning events across Tennessee have decreased 20% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period.

# County NRI score Rating NOAA events
2016–2026
1 Knox County 98.1 Very High 0
2 Shelby County 96.2 Relatively High 8
3 Hamilton County 94.8 Relatively High 2
4 Fentress County 94.7 Relatively High 1
5 Weakley County 92.7 Relatively High 1
6 Gibson County 91.3 Relatively High 4
7 Montgomery County 91.1 Relatively High 2
8 Lawrence County 91 Relatively High 4
9 Overton County 90.7 Relatively High 1
10 Rutherford County 90.5 Relatively High 5
11 Madison County 90.2 Relatively High 0
12 Blount County 90.1 Relatively High 0
13 Putnam County 88.3 Relatively High 4
14 Washington County 87.2 Relatively High 0
15 Sullivan County 85.6 Relatively High 0
16 Greene County 84.4 Relatively High 0
17 Sevier County 84.3 Relatively High 0
18 Cumberland County 83.7 Relatively High 3
19 Sumner County 82.4 Relatively High 3
20 Stewart County 81.2 Relatively Moderate 1
21 Bradley County 80.1 Relatively Moderate 0
22 Dyer County 79.9 Relatively Moderate 0
23 Roane County 78.8 Relatively Moderate 2
24 Hamblen County 78.6 Relatively Moderate 0
25 Tipton County 78.2 Relatively Moderate 0
26 Anderson County 78.1 Relatively Moderate 0
27 Henry County 77 Relatively Moderate 2
28 Carroll County 76.6 Relatively Moderate 0
29 Hawkins County 75.9 Relatively Moderate 0
30 Fayette County 75.2 Relatively Moderate 1
31 Wilson County 74.7 Relatively Moderate 14
32 Loudon County 73.9 Relatively Moderate 0
33 Cocke County 72.5 Relatively Moderate 0
34 Obion County 72.5 Relatively Moderate 0
35 Jefferson County 71.9 Relatively Moderate 0
36 Monroe County 71.1 Relatively Moderate 0
37 Carter County 70.9 Relatively Moderate 0
38 McMinn County 68.4 Relatively Moderate 0
39 Lauderdale County 64.4 Relatively Moderate 0
40 Campbell County 63.6 Relatively Moderate 0
41 Scott County 62.7 Relatively Moderate 0
42 Warren County 61.5 Relatively Moderate 0
43 Robertson County 60.1 Relatively Moderate 4
44 Rhea County 59.9 Relatively Moderate 0
45 Henderson County 59.7 Relatively Moderate 1
46 Giles County 59.3 Relatively Moderate 1
47 White County 58.5 Relatively Moderate 0
48 Hardin County 58 Relatively Moderate 1
49 Maury County 57.3 Relatively Moderate 3
50 Claiborne County 56.6 Relatively Low 0
51 Lincoln County 56.4 Relatively Low 2
52 Hardeman County 55.2 Relatively Low 0
53 Davidson County 54.5 Relatively Low 23
54 Dickson County 54.5 Relatively Low 0
55 Williamson County 53.7 Relatively Low 9
56 Haywood County 53.2 Relatively Low 0
57 Bedford County 53.1 Relatively Low 0
58 Coffee County 51 Relatively Low 0
59 Polk County 50.9 Relatively Low 0
60 Jackson County 49.7 Relatively Low 2
61 Johnson County 48 Relatively Low 0
62 McNairy County 47.5 Relatively Low 1
63 Benton County 47.4 Relatively Low 0
64 Crockett County 47.2 Relatively Low 0
65 Humphreys County 47.1 Relatively Low 0
66 Macon County 47.1 Relatively Low 0
67 Unicoi County 47 Relatively Low 0
68 Cheatham County 45.3 Relatively Low 2
69 Wayne County 44.8 Relatively Low 0
70 Franklin County 44.6 Relatively Low 0
71 Grainger County 43.9 Relatively Low 0
72 DeKalb County 43.6 Relatively Low 0
73 Morgan County 40.8 Relatively Low 0
74 Bledsoe County 40.1 Relatively Low 0
75 Decatur County 38 Relatively Low 0
76 Chester County 37.3 Relatively Low 1
77 Hickman County 37.3 Relatively Low 2
78 Union County 37.3 Relatively Low 0
79 Marshall County 36.6 Relatively Low 1
80 Lake County 34.4 Relatively Low 0
81 Meigs County 34.4 Relatively Low 1
82 Marion County 34.1 Relatively Low 0
83 Pickett County 32.8 Relatively Low 0
84 Sequatchie County 31.8 Relatively Low 0
85 Cannon County 31.6 Relatively Low 0
86 Perry County 31.2 Relatively Low 0
87 Lewis County 28.3 Relatively Low 0
88 Houston County 27.7 Relatively Low 0
89 Grundy County 26 Relatively Low 0
90 Smith County 25.7 Relatively Low 0
91 Hancock County 22.2 Very Low 0
92 Clay County 20.5 Very Low 2
93 Van Buren County 14.3 Very Low 1
94 Trousdale County 12.6 Very Low 0
95 Moore County 11.3 Very Low 0

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.

Lightning risk nationally:

Top 50 US counties

Other hazard risks in Tennessee:

WildfireInland FloodingCoastal FloodingEarthquakeHeat WaveTornadoHurricaneHailStrong WindWinter WeatherIce StormCold WaveDroughtLandslideAvalancheTsunamiVolcanic Activity

Frequently asked questions

What is the highest lightning risk county in Tennessee?

Knox County, TN has the highest lightning risk in Tennessee, with a FEMA National Risk Index score of 98.1 out of 100 (rated "Very High").

How many counties in Tennessee are rated Very High for lightning risk?

1 of 95 scored Tennessee counties are rated "Very High" for lightning risk by FEMA's National Risk Index.

What causes lightning risk in Tennessee?

Lightning risk reflects expected annual losses from cloud-to-ground strikes, which ignite building fires, damage electrical systems, and cause fatalities. Florida consistently leads the US in lightning density. High scores also appear across the Gulf Coast, Southeast, and central Plains, where afternoon convective storms are most frequent in summer months.