Owsley County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Owsley County has experienced 48 federally declared disasters since 1970, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Owsley County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and earthquake, 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. Owsley County has been designated in 48 declarations since 1970, covering 9 disaster types including severe storm (23), flood (12), severe ice storm (3).
| 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, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2025 | Tropical Storm | Remnants Of Hurricane Helene |
| 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 |
Showing the 10 most recent of 48 total declarations since 1970.
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 | 64.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Very Low | 21.2 | 11 | 0 | $3K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Very Low | 25.4 | — | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Very Low | 17.9 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Very Low | 15.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 23.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Very Low | 16.8 | 10 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | 18.8 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | 25.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Very Low | 10 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | 20 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Very Low | 12.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Very Low | 19.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 82.3 | 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
Owsley County ranks in the 51st 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 | 51st | Moderate |
| Socioeconomic status | 71st | Moderate |
| Household characteristics | 22nd | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 23rd | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 54th | 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 | 87th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 82nd | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 96.4% | — |
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 Owsley County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Owsley County, Kentucky are landslide, wildfire, and earthquake. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Very Low — among the lowest-risk counties in the country.
Has Owsley County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Owsley County has received 48 federal disaster declarations since 1970, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (23 declarations).
Has Owsley County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Owsley County include Severe Winter Storm (2026), 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, Landslides, And Mudslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes (2025), Remnants Of Hurricane Helene (2025), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1970.
How does Owsley County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Clay County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and Lee County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Owsley County is rated Very Low overall.
How is Owsley County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Owsley 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. Owsley County's composite score of 6 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 6% of US counties.