FEMA rates relative tornado risk for Jefferson County as very high and reports historical annualized frequency of 0.25 events per year for the area.
FEMA summary
FEMA's profile for Jefferson County reports historical annualized frequency of 0.25 events per year for tornado. FEMA's relative risk rating for the area is very high; the annualized frequency is a separate measure.
Hazard metrics cover FEMA county-equivalent geographies rather than individual addresses or parcels. Use local or state hazard maps before making a property, insurance, retrofit, or evacuation decision.
Select a hazard to inspect FEMA's figures for Jefferson County.
Tornado
FEMA combines its area-wide loss estimate and community data in this relative rating. Event frequency appears separately below.
Relative FEMA score
99.7/100
FEMA annualizes recorded qualifying tornado occurrences across the FEMA geography and source period.
The area loss estimate combines FEMA's modeled losses to buildings, population, and agriculture across Jefferson County. It is not an estimate for a home or address.
City risk summary
For Louisville, FEMA rates tornado risk for Jefferson County as very high, with a relative score of 99.7/100. The next highest relative scores are riverine flooding at 97.8/100 and lightning at 97.2/100.
Using FEMA data for Jefferson County, Louisville is #1 among 4 covered Kentucky entries for tornado risk. Lexington is about 65 straight-line miles from the Louisville map point; its FEMA figures cover Fayette County.
For homeowners and movers
Preparedness actions
Living in Louisville? Learn how to handle water storage, sanitation, and security in a small space.
The map shows Louisville. All FEMA figures on this page cover Jefferson County.
The FEMA figures cover Jefferson County. Address-level conditions require local maps, building records, and property details.
FEMA rates relative tornado risk for Jefferson County as very high. Its historical annualized frequency is 0.25 events per year. Damage at a specific address also depends on the building, soil, elevation, and exact hazard zone.
Among 4 Kentucky cities covered by this directory, Louisville is #1 for relative tornado risk based on FEMA's score for Jefferson County. Homes within Louisville can have different soil, elevation, construction, and hazard-zone conditions.
In FEMA's data for Jefferson County, the highest relative ratings are Tornado (Very High), Riverine Flooding (Relatively High), and Lightning (Relatively High). FEMA uses estimated losses and community data along with event frequency when assigning these ratings.
The hazard numbers cover Jefferson County. For an individual home, check local fault, flood, fire, evacuation, and building records for the exact address.
FEMA gives Jefferson County an overall relative risk rating of relatively high. Conditions at a specific home depend on its hazard zones, building type, maintenance, insurance, and access to evacuation routes and emergency services.
Start with this step: Identify the lowest-floor interior room or nearby rated shelter you can reach quickly. Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts and keep a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio available. Use Ready.gov Tornadoes and local emergency guidance for a complete plan.
Distances are measured between city coordinates.
| City | Distance | Tornado rating | Relative score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lexington, KY | 65 mi | Relatively High | 97.7 |
| Bloomington, IN | 84 mi | Relatively Moderate | 82.2 |
| Owensboro, KY | 85 mi | Relatively Moderate | 88.4 |
| Cincinnati, OH | 91 mi | Very High | 99.2 |
| Bowling Green, KY | 93 mi | Relatively High | 93.7 |
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Hazard metrics come from FEMA National Risk Index v1.19.0 (March 2023). City population and coordinates come from SimpleMaps US Cities Database. For current conditions, use official local maps, warnings, inspections, and professional advice.