Whitley County, KY
FEMA National Risk Index scores, disaster declarations & hazard data
Whitley County has experienced 38 federally declared disasters since 1974, most recently Severe Winter Storm in 2026. Its overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Whitley County's highest-rated hazards are landslide, wildfire, and winter weather, with its top risk rated "Relatively Low" by FEMA's National Risk Index. Recorded storm events have increased 39% over the past five years compared to the prior five-year period. Community vulnerability is elevated (84th 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. Whitley County has been designated in 38 declarations since 1974, covering 9 disaster types including severe storm (17), flood (9), snowstorm (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, 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 |
| 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 |
| 2023 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides |
Showing the 10 most recent of 38 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 | Relatively Low | 85.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Inland Flooding | Relatively Low | 71.1 | 34 | 1 | $4.1M |
| Coastal Flooding | Not Applicable | — | 0 | 0 | — |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | 69.9 | 1 | — | — |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | 65.3 | 1 | 1 | — |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | 64 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hurricane | Very Low | 44.7 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Hail | Relatively Low | 70.3 | 18 | 0 | — |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | 58.6 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | 85.1 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | 27.7 | — | — | — |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | 74.7 | — | — | — |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | 58.3 | 1 | 0 | $7K |
| Drought | Very Low | 23.3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| Landslide | Relatively Low | 85.7 | 1 | 0 | $2K |
| Avalanche | Very Low | 39.3 | — | — | — |
| 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
Whitley County ranks in the 84th percentile (High) 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 | 84th | High |
| Socioeconomic status | 89th | High |
| Household characteristics | 50th | Moderate |
| Racial & ethnic minority status | 4th | Very low |
| Housing type & transportation | 98th | 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 | 89th | Very High |
| Risk to homes | 84th | Very High |
| Buildings in direct exposure zone | 78.5% | — |
NOAA tracked 55 weather events in this county over 2016–2025: 23 in 2016–20 vs 32 in 2021–25 (+39% — frequency increasing).
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 Whitley County?
According to the FEMA National Risk Index, the highest-risk hazards in Whitley County, Kentucky are landslide, wildfire, and winter weather. The county's overall natural hazard risk is rated Relatively Low — lower risk than most US counties.
Has Whitley County received federal disaster declarations?
Yes. Whitley County has received 38 federal disaster declarations since 1974, including declarations in 2026. The most common disaster type on record is severe storm (17 declarations).
Has Whitley County had any FEMA disaster declarations in 2024, 2025, or 2026?
Yes. Recent federal disaster declarations for Whitley 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), Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides (2024). See the declarations table above for the full history since 1974.
How does Whitley County's natural hazard risk compare to nearby counties?
Among neighboring counties, Knox County, KY has the highest overall natural hazard risk (Relatively Low) and McCreary County, KY has the lowest (Very Low). Whitley County is rated Relatively Low overall.
How is Whitley County's composite disaster risk index calculated?
Whitley 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. Whitley County's composite score of 62 means its overall natural hazard risk is higher than 62% of US counties.