Letcher County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Letcher County has experienced 40 federally declared disasters since 1967, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Letcher County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, inland flooding, and wildfire, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 38% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (70th percentile nationally), suggesting residents may face greater difficulty recovering from major disasters.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Letcher County has been designated in 40 declarations since 1967, covering 8 disaster types including severe storm (16), flood (14), snowstorm (4).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | Tropical Storm | Remnants Of Hurricane Helene |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2022 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2021 | Flood | Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
Showing the 10 most recent of 40 total declarations since 1967.
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 | Relatively Low | 76.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Moderate | 83.1 | 16 | 3 | $447K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 52.5 | 2 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 36.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 27.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 41.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 46 | 4 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 36 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 63.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 12.2 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 52.1 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 12.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | No Rating | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Moderate | 91.2 | 1 | 0 | — |
| Avalanche | Relatively Low | 70.5 | — | — | — |
| 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
Letcher County ranks in the 70th 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 | 70th | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 78th | High |
| Household characteristics | 75th | High |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 1st | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 70th | Moderate |
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 | 93rd | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 90th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 88.8% | — |
NOAA tracked 21 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 13 in 2016–20 vs 8 in 2021–25 (-38% — frequency decreasing).
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 Letcher County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Letcher County, Kentucky are landslide, inland flooding, and wildfire. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Letcher County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Letcher County has received 40 federal disaster declarations since 1967, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (16 declarations).
Has Letcher County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Letcher County include 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), Remnants Of Hurricane Helene (2025). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1967.
How does Letcher County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Perry County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Norton, VA has the lowest (Very Low). Letcher County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Letcher County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Letcher 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. Letcher County's composite score of 67 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 67% of US counties.