Meade County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Meade County has experienced 24 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Meade County's highest-rated hazards are strong wind, tornado, and ice storm, with its top risk rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA's National Risk Index. NOAA records 24 storm events in the county over the past decade. Community vulnerability is relatively low (16th percentile nationally), indicating stronger recovery capacity than most US counties.
Past disasters & FEMA designations
A federal disaster declaration officially designates a county for FEMA disaster assistance. Meade County has been designated in 24 declarations since 1974, covering 7 disaster types including severe storm (13), tornado (4), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| 2025 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides |
| 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 |
| 2022 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2022 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 24 total declarations since 1974.
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 | 13.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 45.2 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 61.3 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 49.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | 75.9 | 6 | 0 | $200K |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 14.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 49.9 | 9 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 79.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 49.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | 65.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 50.3 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 44.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 31.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 33.7 | 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
Meade County ranks in the 16th percentile (Very low) 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 | 16th | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 18th | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 23rd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 34th | Low |
| Housing type & transportation | 21st | Very low |
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 | 16th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 15th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 89.6% | — |
NOAA tracked 24 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 9 in 2016–20 vs 15 in 2021–25 .
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 Meade County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Meade County, Kentucky are strong wind, tornado, and ice storm. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Meade County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Meade County has received 24 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (13 declarations).
Has Meade County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Meade County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Meade County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Hardin County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Crawford County, IN has the lowest (Very Low). Meade County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Meade County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Meade 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. Meade County's composite score of 41 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 41% of US counties.