Posey County, IN
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Posey County has experienced 19 federally declared disasters since 1977, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Posey County's highest-rated hazards are earthquake, winter weather, and heat wave, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have decreased 19% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is relatively low (1st 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. Posey County has been designated in 19 declarations since 1977, covering 6 disaster types including severe storm (10), flood (3), biological (2).
| Year | Type | Event name |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2011 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, And |
| 2009 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, And Tornadoes |
| 2008 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Snowstorm | Snow |
| 2005 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storms And Flooding |
| 2005 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina Evacuation |
Showing the 10 most recent of 19 total declarations since 1977.
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 | 3.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 51.2 | 90 | 0 | $232K |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 88.1 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 58.4 | 36 | 0 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 55.9 | 10 | 0 | $2.2M |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 27.4 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 44.8 | 11 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 57.2 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 62.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 57.4 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | 31.6 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | 24.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Drought | Relatively Low | 51.5 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Very Low | 19.3 | 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
Posey County ranks in the 1st 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 | 1st | Very low |
| Socioeconomic status | 3rd | Very low |
| Household characteristics | 4th | Very low |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 5th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 5th | 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 | 8th | Very Low |
| Risk to homes | 8th | Very Low |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 49.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 147 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 81 in 2016–20 vs 66 in 2021–25 (-19% — 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 Posey County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Posey County, Indiana are earthquake, winter weather, and heat wave. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Posey County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Posey County has received 19 federal disaster declarations since 1977, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (10 declarations).
Has Posey County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Posey County include Severe Winter Storm (2026). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1977.
How does Posey County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Vanderburgh County, IN has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Moderate) and Gallatin County, IL has the lowest (Very Low). Posey County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Posey County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Posey 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. Posey County's composite score of 46 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 46% of US counties.