Adair County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Adair County has experienced 27 federally declared disasters since 1971, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Adair County's highest-rated hazards are hail, winter weather, and tornado, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 21 storm events in the county over the past decade.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Adair County has been designated in 27 declarations since 1971, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (16), snowstorm (4), winter storm (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| 2024 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2023 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 27 total declarations since 1971.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries. A single disaster can produce more than one record per county. Data current through September 2026.
Risk by hazard type
| Hazard | Risk rating | Risk score | Recorded events | Deaths | Prop. damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wildfire | Very Low | 15.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 44.5 | 11 | 0 | $10K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 65.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 34.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 65.7 | 1 | 0 | $750K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 48.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 70.5 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 63.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 69.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 58.1 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 64.8 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 47 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 38.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 48.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Tsunami | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
| Volcanic Activity | Not Applicable | — | — | — | — |
Scores are 0–100 percentiles relative to all US counties — higher means more exposed, not that a disaster is likely this year. Event counts: NOAA Storm Events 2016–2026; earthquake counts from USGS ComCat (M3.0+, 1996–2026). See the methodology page for details.
Community vulnerability
Adair County ranks in the 60th percentile (Moderate) for community vulnerability — a measure of how hard disaster impacts tend to hit residents. Higher vulnerability means more displacement, worse health outcomes, and slower recovery after a disaster.
| SVI theme | Percentile | Vulnerability level |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 60th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 75th | High |
| Household characteristics | 21st | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 23rd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 77th | High |
Source: CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index 2022. Percentiles compare counties nationally — higher means more vulnerable relative to other counties. See CDC SVI for full methodology.
Future risk outlook
| Wildfire metric | National percentile | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Burn probability | 34th | Relatively Low |
| Risk to homes | 30th | Relatively Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 91.3% | — |
NOAA tracked 21 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 10 in 2016–20 vs 11 in 2021–25 (+10% — relatively stable).
Wildfire: USDA Forest Service Wildfire Risk to Communities (RDS-2020-0016-2) — modeled values, not annual forecasts. See wildfirerisk.org. Inland flood and heat projections pending data availability; coastal sea-level projections are available for select coastal counties below — see the data page.
Nearby counties
Frequently asked questions
What natural hazards pose the greatest risk in Adair County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Adair County, Kentucky are hail, winter weather, and tornado. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Adair County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Adair County has received 27 federal disaster declarations since 1971, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (16 declarations).
Has Adair County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Adair County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1971.
How does Adair County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Taylor County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Very Low) and Green County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Adair County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Adair County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Adair County's composite disaster risk index — officially FEMA's National Risk Index (NRI) — scores every US county on a 0–100 percentile scale across 18 natural hazard types, factoring in expected annual loss, social vulnerability, and community resilience. Adair County's composite score of 39 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 39% of US counties.