Hazard Plain Automated baseline

Mercer County, KY

Risk-assessment baseline packet

County FIPS:
21167
Release:
2026-10
Data as of:
2026-09-30
Storm Events data through:
2026-06-30

Hazard Plain is an independent product built from public federal data. It is not a FEMA document and is not reviewed or endorsed by FEMA or any state agency.

Hazard Plain release 2026-10, as of 2026-09-30.

Summary

Plan status as of 2026-09-30: Approved, expires 2027-05-24. Plan: BlueGrass ADD Regional (FEMA plan 108257), approved 2022-05-25.

Since the plan was approved on 2022-05-25: 6 new hazard declarations (5 incidents): DR-4702-KY (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides), EM-3624-KY (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Landslides), EM-3626-KY (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding), DR-4864-KY (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides), EM-3633-KY (Severe Winter Storm), DR-4937-KY (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides).

NOAA Storm Events records since that date: 32 records (data through 2026-06-30).

Highest expected annual loss (FEMA National Risk Index, modeled total; see B1-a): Inland Flooding ($6,775,481 a year), Tornado ($2,285,886) and Strong Wind ($1,048,020).

Repetitive-loss flood properties now: FMA RL 4, SRL 8 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 25.

The tables that follow are organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B (B1-a to B2-c); each heading says which item its tables support.

Plan clock

Status:
Approved, expires 2027-05-24
Plan:
BlueGrass ADD Regional (FEMA plan 108257)
Approved:
2022-05-25
Days to expiry:
236
Update underway:
none recorded in FEMA's plan tracker

What changed since your last plan (approved 2022-05-25)

New federal declarations:
6 new hazard declarations (5 incidents): DR-4702-KY (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides), EM-3624-KY (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Landslides), EM-3626-KY (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding), DR-4864-KY (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides), EM-3633-KY (Severe Winter Storm), DR-4937-KY (Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides)
Storm Events records since approval:
32 records (data through 2026-06-30)
Repetitive loss now:
FMA RL 4, SRL 8 (44 CFR 77.2); any definition: 25
Repeat-flood change:
this release sets the baseline count.

Sources: 1, 2, 4, 6 (numbered list at the end)

Plan status for every jurisdiction listed in this county

Source: 1

JurisdictionTypeStatusPlanApprovedExpiresDays to expirynegative = days since expiryNotes
Mercer County (unincorporated area)UnincorporatedApproved, expires 2027-05-24BlueGrass ADD Regional (FEMA plan 108257)2022-05-252027-05-24236this jurisdiction approved 2023-05-23
Burgin cityCityApproved, expires 2027-05-24BlueGrass ADD Regional (FEMA plan 108257)2022-05-252027-05-24236this jurisdiction approved 2023-05-23
Harrodsburg cityCityApproved, expires 2027-05-24BlueGrass ADD Regional (FEMA plan 108257)2022-05-252027-05-24236this jurisdiction approved 2023-05-23

Plan 108257 covers 44 other participants, named in the Excel file.

State plan status and tribal plans in this state: see the state page.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-a: hazard identification

Hazards NRI does not cover (local data needed)

  • dam failure (incl. upstream dams)
  • levee failure
  • flash flood as its own subtype
  • ice jams
  • debris flows
  • erosion (riverine and coastal)
  • land subsidence and sinkholes
  • expansive soils

The 18 National Risk Index hazards, ranked by expected annual loss (EAL)

Sources: 5, 6

Rank by EALHazardNRI risk ratingEAL ratingEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL total (see note)modeled dollars per yearStorm Events records, 1996 to 2026-06-30countStorm Events coverage note
1Inland FloodingRelatively LowRelatively Low$6,719,974$20,694$34,812$6,775,48129
2TornadoRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$709,441$2,657$1,573,788$2,285,8867
3Strong WindRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$314,205$16,051$717,764$1,048,020108Includes 8 High Wind and 1 Strong Wind records (NOAA non-thunderstorm wind types, outside NRI's Strong Wind definition).
4Cold WaveRelatively LowRelatively Low$413$36,036$616,624$653,0735Includes 5 Frost/Freeze records (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition; counted in this table and in B1-d, not in the B1-e descriptor).
5EarthquakeVery LowRelatively Low$302,074n/a$87,791$389,865Storm Events does not record earthquakes.
6HailRelatively LowRelatively Low$259,561$56,461$29,925$345,94722
7LightningRelatively LowRelatively Low$8,352n/a$205,248$213,6003
8Ice StormRelatively ModerateRelatively Moderate$55,600n/a$84,699$140,2995
9Heat WaveVery LowVery Low$10$47$103,262$103,3190No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
10Winter WeatherRelatively LowRelatively Moderate$5,859$2$71,724$77,58526
11DroughtVery LowVery Lown/a$17,626n/a$17,6260No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
12HurricaneVery LowVery Low$13,441$3,522$98$17,0620No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
13WildfireVery LowVery Low$2,612$10$676$3,2980No recorded events in Storm Events since 1996 (data through 2026-06-30).
14LandslideVery LowVery Low$33n/a$276$3090Declared 5 times; no Storm Events record of this type.

Total = buildings + agriculture + population equivalence; FEMA values each expected death (or 10 injuries) at $13.7 million (2024 dollars).

NRI risk rating combines expected annual loss with social vulnerability and community resilience; EAL rating rates expected annual loss alone. Both compare this county with all U.S. counties.

Local data needed: state and local wildfire and landslide records (Storm Events records these hazards only in part).

Not applicable to this county per NRI, with no federal declaration and no Storm Events record since 1996: avalanche, coastal flooding, tsunami and volcanic activity. That is the evidence for leaving them out of the plan.

The state hazard mitigation plan also lists hazards for this county; FEMA asks the plan to explain any hazard it leaves out.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-b: hazard location

Affects the whole county (national data give no location within it): Cold Wave, Drought, Hail, Heat Wave, Ice Storm, Lightning, Strong Wind and Winter Weather.

Inland Flooding: The FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM) is the required location source for flooding. See the FEMA Flood Map Service Center (https://msc.fema.gov) for this county.

Hazards that vary within the county: highest-rated census tracts

Source: 5

HazardHighest-rated census tractsNRI risk rating, score 0 to 100
Earthquaketract 9604 (Relatively Moderate, 81.8); tract 9602 (Relatively Low, 72.7); tract 9603 (Relatively Low, 62.9)
Hurricanetract 9604 (Very Low, 47.4); tract 9605 (Very Low, 45.9); tract 9602 (Very Low, 45.4)
Landslidetract 9601 (Relatively Low, 81.9); tract 9602 (Very Low, 80.1); tract 9603 (Very Low, 78.0)
Tornadotract 9604 (Very High, 98.5); tract 9602 (Very High, 98.2); tract 9603 (Relatively High, 91.1)
Wildfiretract 9604 (Very Low, 66.8); tract 9602 (Very Low, 65.8); tract 9601 (Very Low, 62.7)

Up to 3 census tracts per hazard, highest National Risk Index rating first, then highest score; a tract number is the Census tract number (for example 9604 is Census Tract 9604). FEMA's Resilience Analysis and Planning Tool maps the National Risk Index for every tract: https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/practitioners/resilience-analysis-and-planning-tool

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-c: hazard extent

Extent: scale, observed range and worst recorded event per hazard

Sources: 6, 7

HazardScaleRecordscount and yearsObserved rangeWorst recorded eventMost damaging (when different)How it applies to jurisdictionsNote
Cold/Wind Chill, Extreme Cold/Wind Chillwind chill0Wind chill: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Frost/Freeze (outside NRI's Cold Wave definition)crop damage5 records, 2016 to 2025 (5 zone-level)No crop damage reported in 5 records.Countywide (zone-level records).Temperature: in event narratives only (local data needed).
DroughtU.S. Drought Monitor scale (D0 to D4)0Storm Events enters a drought at D2 or worse east of the Rockies and D3 or worse from the Rockies west (NWS Instruction 10-1605); NRI drought counts D3 and D4 only.
EarthquakeModified Mercalli (local data)0Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hailhail size (inches)26 records, 1971 to 20250.75 in to 2.75 in (median 1 in); 26 with a recorded value2.75 in hail, 2022-05-19Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Harrodsburg city (7 records), Burgin city (2 records).
Excessive Heat, Heatheat index (in event narratives)0Heat index: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Hurricane, Tropical Storm, Tropical DepressionSaffir-Simpson0Storm Events files every zone of a storm's episode under the storm's type; flooding from the storm is filed as Flood or Flash Flood records.
Ice StormSperry-Piltz ice scale (local data)5 records, 2003 to 2021 (5 zone-level)Ice Storm, 2003-02-15, $800,000 property; crops not reported (2003 dollars); NWS zone KYZ047Countywide (zone-level records).Ice thickness: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flooddamage and flood days (flood depth: FIRM)29 records, 1996 to 2026 (2 zone-level)Flood, 1997-03-02, $400,000 property; crops not reported (1997 dollars); NWS zone KYZ047Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Harrodsburg city (8 records), Burgin city (2 records). Zone-level records (2) apply countywide.Flood depth: see the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. Storm Events damage is often $0 or blank for floods, major ones included; FEMA Public Assistance by declaration (B1-d) shows which floods cost the most.
Debris Flownone (count and damage only)0Physical measure: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Lightningannualized frequency (the measure FEMA's Local Mitigation Planning Handbook names)3 records, 1998 to 2007Lightning, 2006-07-04, $50,000 property; crops not reported (2006 dollars)No event record names a jurisdiction in the plan.Storm Events lists lightning with damage or casualties; physical measure in event narratives only (local data needed).
High Wind and Strong Wind (outside NRI's Strong Wind definition)wind speed (kt and mph)9 records, 1996 to 2024 (9 zone-level)45 kt (52 mph) to 63 kt (72 mph) (median 52 kt (60 mph)); 9 with a recorded value63 kt (72 mph) measured gust, High Wind, 2023-03-03; NWS zone KYZ047Strong Wind, 2014-11-24, $18,000 property; $0 crops, reported for the zone (2014 dollars)Countywide (zone-level records).
Thunderstorm Windwind speed (kt and mph)129 records, 1968 to 202650 kt (58 mph) to 75 kt (86 mph) (median 52 kt (60 mph)); 99 with a recorded value75 kt (86 mph) estimated gust, Thunderstorm Wind, 2017-03-27; same speed and measurement basis also recorded on 2002-11-10Thunderstorm Wind, 2008-01-29, $200,000 property; $0 crops (2008 dollars)Event records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Harrodsburg city (21 records), Burgin city (15 records).
TornadoEnhanced Fujita (Fujita before Feb 2007)15 records, 1972 to 2025F/EF0 to F/EF2 (median F/EF1); 14 with a recorded valueF2 tornado, 2003-05-11, 7 mi within this county, 300 yd wide, $15,000,000 property; crops not reported (2003 dollars), 1 direct death, 8 direct injuriesEvent records naming jurisdictions in the plan: Burgin city (1 record).Before 1996 a tornado is listed once, under the county where it began, with its whole path's rating and length; from 1996 on, each county lists its own segment. Length is not used to rank tornadoes (see Methods).
Wildfireacres burned (local data)0Acres burned: in event narratives only (local data needed).
Winter Storm, Heavy Snow, Blizzard, Lake-Effect Snow, Winter Weather, Sleetnone in data (snowfall: local data)26 records, 1996 to 2026 (26 zone-level)No damage reported in 26 records.Countywide (zone-level records).Snow depth: in event narratives only (local data needed).

Storm Events records are more complete after 1996; before 1996 only Tornado (from 1950), Hail and Thunderstorm Wind (from 1955) exist. Zone-level records whose zone no NWS zone-county file places in this county (mostly before 2020) are not counted here (the Methods page explains the zone matching).

Dollars are nominal (as reported), labeled with the year; not adjusted for inflation.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-d: previous occurrences

Federal declarations for this county: 26 declarations covering 21 separate hazard incidents counted in this packet (declarations for the same incident count once; non-natural and evacuation-only declarations are not counted).

Federal disaster declarations for this county

Sources: 1, 2, 3

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazardCounty Public Assistancefederal share obligated, nominal dollarsFlagsNotes
2026-09-012026-06-26DR-4937-KYMajor disasterSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding; Landslide; Strong Windnot yet in FEMA's PA summaries (they cover declarations through 2026-06-30)new since last plan; within last 5 years
2026-01-242026-01-23EM-3633-KYEmergencySevere Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recordednew since last plan; within last 5 years
2025-04-242025-04-02DR-4864-KYMajor disasterSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding; Landslide; Strong Wind; Tornado$220,189.67new since last plan; within last 5 years
2025-04-032025-04-02EM-3626-KYEmergencySevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and FloodingInland Flooding; Strong Wind; Tornadono Public Assistance recordednew since last plan; within last 5 yearssame incident as DR-4864
2025-02-162025-02-14EM-3624-KYEmergencySevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and LandslidesInland Flooding; Landslide; Strong Windno Public Assistance recordednew since last plan; within last 5 years
2023-04-102023-03-03DR-4702-KYMajor disasterSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and MudslidesInland Flooding; Landslide; Strong Wind; Tornado$133,793.40new since last plan; within last 5 years
2021-03-312021-02-08DR-4592-KYMajor disasterSevere Winter Storms, Landslides, and MudslidesIce Storm$4,825.46
2020-03-282020-01-20DR-4497-KYMajor disasterCOVID-19 PandemicNon-natural, not counted$43,857.43
2020-03-132020-01-20EM-3469-KYEmergencyCOVID-19Non-natural, not countedno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-4497
2011-05-042011-04-12DR-1976-KYMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and FloodingInland Flooding; Tornadono Public Assistance recorded
2010-05-112010-05-01DR-1912-KYMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and TornadoesInland Flooding; Landslide; TornadoPA not declared for this county
2009-02-052009-01-26DR-1818-KYMajor disasterSevere Winter Storm and FloodingIce Storm$460,840.22
2009-01-282009-01-27EM-3302-KYEmergencySevere Winter StormIce Stormno Public Assistance recordedsame incident as DR-1818
2008-02-212008-02-05DR-1746-KYMajor disasterSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, andStrong Wind; Tornado$80,693.55
2005-09-102005-08-29EM-3231-KYEmergencyHurricane KatrinaHurricane: evacuation support, not a local hazard event; not countedno Public Assistance recorded
2003-06-032003-05-04DR-1471-KYMajor disasterSevere Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and TornadoesInland Flooding; Tornado$30,309.65
2003-03-142003-02-15DR-1454-KYMajor disasterSevere Winter Ice and Snow Storms, Heavy Rain, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Mud andInland Flooding; Tornado; Winter Weather$31,814.83
1998-03-031998-02-04DR-1207-KYMajor disasterSevere Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1997-03-041997-03-01DR-1163-KYMajor disasterSevere Storm, Flooding, and TornadoesInland Flooding; Tornadono Public Assistance recorded
1996-01-131996-01-05DR-1089-KYMajor disasterBlizzard of 96Winter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1995-06-131995-05-13DR-1055-KYMajor disasterTornadoes, Severe Winds, HailTornado (primary); also designated: HailPA not declared for this county
1994-03-161994-02-09DR-1018-KYMajor disasterSevere Weather, Freezing Rain, Sleet, SnwWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1993-03-161993-03-13EM-3104-KYEmergencySevere Snowfall & Winter StormWinter Weatherno Public Assistance recorded
1989-02-241989-01-13DR-821-KYMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1978-12-121978-12-12DR-568-KYMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Floodingno Public Assistance recorded
1974-04-041974-04-04DR-420-KYMajor disasterTornadoesTornadono Public Assistance recorded

County Public Assistance: applicants the FEMA record places in this county, including any state agencies FEMA files there; statewide rows are listed on the state page; federal share obligated, nominal dollars.

Statewide declarations

Source: 2

DeclaredIncident beganFEMA numberTypeTitleMapped hazard
1964-03-171964-03-17DR-163-KYMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Flooding
1963-03-131963-03-13DR-148-KYMajor disasterSevere Storms & FloodingInland Flooding
1962-03-121962-03-12DR-128-KYMajor disasterFloodsInland Flooding
1957-01-311957-01-31DR-66-KYMajor disasterFloodInland Flooding

FEMA recorded these with designated area Statewide and no county, so they are listed on every county page in the state and not counted with county rows. Local data needed: whether each one affected this county.

Previous occurrences by hazard, with explicit no-event rows

Sources: 2, 6, 7

HazardStorm Events records, all years on file(years in the Period column)Since plan approvalrecordsIn the 12 months before plan approvalrecordsLast 5 yearsrecordsDeclared incidents, all yearsseparate disastersDeclared since approvalseparate disastersPeriodStatement
Cold Wave5101001996 to 2026-06-30Includes 5 Frost/Freeze records.
Drought0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Earthquake000000Storm Events does not record earthquakes; the USGS earthquake catalog is the source.
Hail26437101955 to 2026-06-30
Heat Wave0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Hurricane0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Ice Storm5000201996 to 2026-06-30
Inland Flooding293131141996 to 2026-06-30
Landslide0000541996 to 2026-06-30No Storm Events records of this type; 5 federal declared incidents (see declarations table)
Lightning3000001996 to 2026-06-30
Strong Wind13817318541955 to 2026-06-30Includes 8 High Wind and 1 Strong Wind records.
Tornado152021021950 to 2026-06-30
Wildfire0000001996 to 2026-06-30No recorded events, 1996 to 2026-06-30, NOAA NCEI Storm Events
Winter Weather26527611996 to 2026-06-30

Notable Storm Events records

Sources: 1, 6, 7

DateEvent typeMagnitude or extentDamagenominal dollarsDeaths, injuriesdirect onlyLocationFlagsWhy listed
2024-05-26Thunderstorm Wind74 kt (85 mph) estimated gustdamage not reported1, 0HARRODSBURG to EAST BUSHTOWNnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsdeaths or injuries recorded
2023-03-03High Wind63 kt (72 mph) measured gustdamage not reported0, 0NWS zone KYZ047 (MERCER), zone-levelnew since last plan; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: High Wind and Strong Wind
2022-05-19Hail2.75 inproperty not reported; $0 crops (2022 dollars)0, 0MC AFEEin the 12 months before plan approval; within last 5 yearsB1-c worst recorded: Hail
2017-03-27Thunderstorm Wind75 kt (86 mph) estimated gust$30,000 property; $0 crops (2017 dollars)0, 0MAYO to MC AFEEB1-c worst recorded: Thunderstorm Wind
2014-11-24Strong Wind45 kt (52 mph) estimated gust$18,000 property; $0 crops, reported for the zone (2014 dollars)0, 1NWS zone KYZ047 (MERCER), zone-levelB1-c most damaging: High Wind and Strong Wind
2008-01-29Thunderstorm Wind70 kt (81 mph) estimated gust$200,000 property; $0 crops (2008 dollars)0, 0SHAKERTOWNB1-c most damaging: Thunderstorm Wind
2006-07-04Lightning$50,000 property; crops not reported (2006 dollars)0, 0SALVISAB1-c worst recorded: Lightning
2003-05-11TornadoF2, 7 mi within this county, 300 yd wide$15,000,000 property; crops not reported (2003 dollars)1, 8BOHONdeaths or injuries recorded
2003-02-15Ice Storm$800,000 property; crops not reported, reported for the zone (2003 dollars)0, 0NWS zone KYZ047 (MERCER), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Ice Storm
1997-03-02Flood$400,000 property; crops not reported, reported for the zone (1997 dollars)0, 0NWS zone KYZ047 (MERCER), zone-levelB1-c worst recorded: Flash Flood, Flood, Lakeshore Flood
1995-05-18TornadoF2, 7.4 mi path length (whole path, pre-1996), 125 yd wide$5,000,000 property; crops not recorded (1995 dollars)0, 8Salvisadeaths or injuries recorded
1980-07-02TornadoF1, 33 yd wide$250,000 property; crops not recorded (1980 dollars)0, 1location not recordeddeaths or injuries recorded

The full list is in the Excel file, sheet "B1-d Storm Events history" (247 rows).

Location is the place NOAA recorded, as written in its data; it need not be a jurisdiction in this plan.

Local data needed: state-declared emergencies, from your state emergency management agency (federal data do not include them).

FEMA's declaration data list no tribal or special-area declarations for this state.

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-e: probability of future events

Probability: FEMA annualized frequency and descriptor per hazard

Sources: 5, 6

HazardFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)unit per rowUnitIn plain termsDescriptorDescriptor basisNRI events or days in its record period (hail, wind and tornado are area-weighted, so can be fractional)NRI periodLocationNote
Cold Wave1.05event-days per yearabout 1.05 days per yearevent-days in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)202005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywideNo Storm Events cold wave record, 1996 to 2025.
Drought2.32event-days per yearabout 2.32 days per yearevent-days in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)702000 to 2025 (25.25 years; D3 and D4 only)countywideNo Storm Events drought record, 1996 to 2025
Earthquake0.00214annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county has at least minor-damage shaking in a year: 0.214%not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor (Storm Events does not record earthquakes).
Hail3.48events per yearabout 3.48 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)132.1 (modeled)1986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Heat Wave2.89event-days per yearabout 2.89 days per yearevent-days in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)452005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywideNo Storm Events heat wave record, 1996 to 2025
Hurricane0.0126events per yearabout 1 in 80 yearsPossibleFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)41851 to 2024 (Atlantic)see B1-fNRI counts hurricane and tropical storm tracks passing within storm-force wind range; federal declarations are in B1-d.
Ice Storm0.878event-days per yearabout 0.878 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 5 of 30 years)event-days in 5 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (16.7%)591946-12-31 to 2014-02-12 (67 years)countywide
Inland Flooding0.786event-days per yearabout 0.786 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 14 of 30 years)event-days in 14 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (46.7%)221996 to 2023 (28 years)see B1-f
Landslide0.31events per year (modeled)about 1 in 3 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shownmodeledsee B1-f
Lightning52.1days per year with a strikeabout 52.1 days per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1995 to 2023 (29 years; CONUS)countywide
Strong Wind7.31events per yearabout 7.31 per yearHighly likelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)2781986 to 2023 (38 years)countywide
Tornado0.156events per yearabout 1 in 6 yearsLikelyFEMA annualized frequency (modeled)not shown1950 to 2023 (EF2+); 1986 to 2023 (EF0-1)see B1-f
Wildfire0.0000724annual probability at a locationchance a given location in the county burns in a year: 0.00724%Storm Events records in 0 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (0%)not shownmodeledsee B1-fNo descriptor: no Storm Events record 1996 to 2025
Winter Weather10.4event-days per yearabout 10.4 days per yearLikely (from Storm Events: 13 of 30 years)event-days in 13 of 30 years, 1996 to 2025 (43.3%)1982005-11-12 to 2024-11-12 (19 years)countywide

FEMA annualized frequency (modeled) is the National Risk Index v1.20 (December 2025) estimate of how often a hazard affects this county in a year; it is not recorded events divided by years, and its unit differs by hazard (events, event-days, or days with a lightning strike per year). For earthquake, wildfire, coastal flooding and tsunami the value is the chance (or number of events) at a location in the county, not across the county, so no "1 in N years" is given and the descriptor comes from Storm Events where it has a record (none for earthquake). The Methods page gives each hazard's method, from FEMA's National Risk Index Technical Documentation v1.20.

Where NRI gives event-days, the descriptor comes from the share of years with a Storm Events record; NRI's source records more events, so the two differ.

Descriptor scale used in this packet (defined per unit)

Sources: 5, 6

UnitDescriptorDefinition
events per yearHighly likely1 or more per year
events per yearLikelyabout once in 1 to 10 years
events per yearPossibleabout once in 10 to 100 years
events per yearUnlikelyless than once in 100 years
annual probabilityLikely10% to under 100% chance in a given year
annual probabilityPossible1% to under 10% chance in a given year
annual probabilityUnlikelyunder 1% chance in a given year
event-days (share of years)Highly likelyevent-days recorded in 90% or more of years
event-days (share of years)Likelyevent-days recorded in 10% to under 90% of years
event-days (share of years)Possibleevent-days recorded in some years but under 10% of years
lightning strike-daysHighly likelycloud-to-ground strikes on 1 or more days per year

Intensity bands: historical frequency (Storm Events)

Source: 6

HazardBandYearsEventscounty-coded recordsYears in periodEvents per yearevents / years
Hail1.00-1.99 in1996 to 202513300.433
Hail2.00 in+1996 to 20252300.0667
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)50-64 kt1996 to 202584302.8
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)65 kt+1996 to 202510300.333
Thunderstorm Wind (counted as NRI Strong Wind)unmeasured or below 50 kt1996 to 20252300.0667
TornadoEF0-11996 to 20256300.2
TornadoEF2-31996 to 20251300.0333
TornadoEF4-51996 to 20250300
Tornadounrated (EFU)1996 to 20250300

The bands show how often events of each severity were recorded in this county, to profile how severe events have been (FEMA's probability item asks for the range of intensities).

Hail smaller than 1 inch is not counted: on 2010-01-05 the National Weather Service raised its severe-hail threshold from 3/4 inch to 1 inch, so smaller reports became less common after 2009 (NWS Service Change Notice 09-52). NRI hail frequency uses a 0.75 inch threshold.

Optional: future conditions. Not a required item in the 2025 FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide; some states ask for it. The federal Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA) site gives county exposure to future climate conditions (https://resilience.climate.gov/).

Supports FEMA checklist item B1-f: hazards that vary across jurisdictions

Range of census tract risk within the county

Source: 5

HazardTractsrated of allNRI risk score, 0 to 100Tracts by rating
MinMedianMax
Cold Wave5 of 566.370.583.3Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 3
Drought5 of 578.884.085.7Relatively Low 4, Very Low 1
Earthquake5 of 555.162.981.8Relatively Moderate 1, Relatively Low 4
Hail5 of 583.586.292.3Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 3
Heat Wave5 of 521.126.344.8Relatively Low 5
Hurricane5 of 540.845.447.4Very Low 5
Ice Storm5 of 584.586.393.1Relatively High 2, Relatively Moderate 3
Inland Flooding5 of 578.982.195.1Relatively High 5
Landslide5 of 541.978.081.9Relatively Low 1, Very Low 4
Lightning5 of 581.286.395.7Relatively High 5
Strong Wind5 of 595.096.599.1Very High 2, Relatively High 3
Tornado5 of 584.491.198.5Very High 2, Relatively High 3
Wildfire5 of 557.162.766.8Very Low 5
Winter Weather5 of 584.087.394.6Relatively High 5

Drought: Agriculture is all of NRI's expected annual loss for this hazard in the county, so the tract range mostly reflects where crop and livestock value is.

Rated tracts only: No Rating (score 0.0), Not Applicable and Insufficient Data tracts are counted but not used for the minimum, median and maximum.

The score ranks a tract against all U.S. tracts (100 = highest). The rating is FEMA's category for the tract's risk value, computed differently, so the two can disagree.

Frequency data for cold wave, drought, hail, heat wave, ice storm, lightning, strong wind and winter weather are county-wide or coarse (49 km grid or NWS zone), the same for every jurisdiction; the tract range mostly reflects where buildings and people are (crop and livestock value where a line above names agriculture).

Each jurisdiction (starting figures from federal data)

Sources: 1, 3, 4, 6

JurisdictionTypePlan statusRepetitive lossFMA RL and SRL (44 CFR 77.2); repeat-flood, any definitionPublic Assistance to this jurisdictionFEMA records matched by applicant name; federal share obligated, nominal dollarsEvent records naming this placeall years; since its plan
Mercer County (unincorporated area)UnincorporatedApproved, expires 2027-05-24FMA RL 4, SRL 7; any 18$589,005.330 total; 0 since its plan
Burgin cityCityApproved, expires 2027-05-24FMA RL 0, SRL 0; any 4$114,202.9620 total; 4 since its plan
Harrodsburg cityCityApproved, expires 2027-05-24FMA RL 0, SRL 1; any 3$172,307.9536 total; 6 since its plan

Repetitive-loss counts are for whole NFIP communities, which can extend beyond this county (see the note in B2-c).

County Public Assistance in B1-d also includes applicants filed under the county that are not jurisdictions in this plan (for example state agencies, special districts and nonprofits), so the jurisdiction rows add up to less.

Supports FEMA checklist items B2-a and B2-b: vulnerability and potential impacts

Local data needed

The table below gives county-level starting figures; the plan describes impacts for each jurisdiction and its own assets.

  • Critical facilities and lifelines per hazard
  • A problem statement per jurisdiction per hazard
  • Changes in development in hazard-prone areas since the last approval, or a statement of none (E1-a)
  • Future assets

County-level starter: exposure, expected annual loss and damage since the plan

Sources: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7

HazardBuilding exposuremodeled dollarsAgriculture exposuremodeled dollarsPopulation exposedpeopleEAL buildingsmodeled dollars per yearEAL agriculturemodeled dollars per yearCost of expected deaths and injuriesFEMA's dollar value per year, not property damageEAL as % of exposurebuildings; agriculture where notedStorm Events damage since 2022-05-25county-coded records, property plus crops, nominal dollarsZone-level damage since planproperty plus crops, reported for the zonePublic Assistance since plannominal dollars; see noteNote
Cold Wave$4,806,034,144$59,103,72522,629$413$36,036$616,624under 0.0001%
Droughtn/a$12,627,429n/an/a$17,626n/a0.14% (agriculture)NRI has no building exposure for this hazard; agriculture shown
Earthquake$8,169,749,764n/a22,641$302,074n/a$87,7910.0037%
Hail$4,806,035,878$59,103,72522,629$259,561$56,461$29,9250.0054%$0
Heat Wave$4,806,034,144$59,103,72522,629$10$47$103,262under 0.0001%
Hurricane$4,806,034,144$58,095,13522,629$13,441$3,522$980.00028%
Ice Storm$4,806,034,144n/a22,629$55,600n/a$84,6990.00116%
Inland Flooding$4,797,546,948$2,788,213868$6,719,974$20,694$34,812n/a (see note)$0$353,983.07NRI counts the full building value of any census block with some flood loss; this is not the value of buildings in the floodplain. Use local FIRM overlays for B2-a/B2-b.
Landslide$161,495,154n/a916$33n/a$276under 0.0001%$353,983.07
Lightning$4,806,035,878n/a22,629$8,352n/a$205,2480.000174%
Strong Wind$4,806,035,878$59,103,72522,629$314,205$16,051$717,7640.00654%$0$353,983.07
Tornado$4,806,035,878$59,103,72522,629$709,441$2,657$1,573,7880.0148%$353,983.07
Wildfire$1,239,375,099$20,112,3166,779$2,612$10$6760.000211%
Winter Weather$4,806,034,144$59,103,72522,629$5,859$2$71,7240.000122%no Public Assistance recorded (1 declaration)

Totals since 2022-05-25 (Storm Events through 2026-06-30): 24 county-coded records, 12 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $0; 8 zone-level records, 0 with a damage value recorded (including $0), $0 reported for the zone; Public Assistance: $353,983.07 on 6 counted declarations, 2 of them with Public Assistance.

FEMA does not split Public Assistance by hazard. A declaration mapped to several hazards is listed under each of them with its full amount, so the per-hazard column does not add up to the total; the unit total counts each declaration once.

NRI computes earthquake exposure on its own basis, so it exceeds the county building value in B2-a.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-a: vulnerability (county context)

County context

Source: 5

MeasureValue
Population22,629
Building value (total, not at risk)$4,806,035,878
Agriculture value (total, not at risk)$59,103,725
NRI risk rating (all hazards)Very Low
Expected annual loss, buildings and agriculture, all hazards$8,544,681
Expected annual loss, population equivalence, all hazards (NRI values each statistical life at $13.7M; a modeled value of expected deaths and injuries, not property damage)$3,526,689
Social vulnerability ratingRelatively Moderate
Community resilience ratingRelatively High
NRI versionDecember 2025

FEMA's all-hazard expected annual loss adds buildings, agriculture and population equivalence; this table gives the property part and the population-equivalence part as separate rows.

Social vulnerability: higher means people are more likely to be harmed and slower to recover. Community resilience: lower means the community is less able to recover. High social vulnerability and low resilience both raise the NRI risk rating.

Supports FEMA checklist item B2-c: repetitive loss properties

Repetitive loss in this county, both definitions

Sources: 1, 4

DefinitionPropertiesSevere repetitive lossProperties
Repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)4Severe repetitive loss, FMA definition (44 CFR 77.2)8
Repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition22Severe repetitive loss, NFIP insurance definition7

The state NFIP coordinator's list, the source FEMA's Handbook names, often uses the NFIP insurance definition (second row).

Repeat-flood properties: county total and NFIP communities

Sources: 1, 4

ScopeRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
County total482272516
of which: Burgin city0040401
of which: Harrodsburg city0131301
of which: Mercer County (unincorporated area)471561814

Repeat-flood properties by jurisdiction in the plan (NFIP community)

Sources: 1, 4

JurisdictionNFIP community IDRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
Mercer County (unincorporated area)210306471561814
Burgin city2101710040401
Harrodsburg city2101720131301

Counts by occupancy group for each jurisdiction are in the Excel file, sheet "B2-c Jurisdictions".

Jurisdiction rows are whole NFIP communities and need not add up to the county total: a community that extends into another county is counted in full on each jurisdiction row, while the county table counts only its part in this county.

County repeat-flood properties by occupancy group

Sources: 1, 4

Occupancy groupRL, FMApropertiesSRL, FMApropertiesRL, NFIPpropertiesSRL, NFIPpropertiesAny categorypropertiesMitigatedpropertiesCurrently insuredproperties
single-family residential482072315
2 to 4 unit residential0000000
other residential0000000
non-residential0020201
not reported0000000

FEMA's occupancy groups have no institutional class; institutional properties are counted in non-residential or other residential in the table by occupancy group.

FMA RL and FMA SRL are the Flood Mitigation Assistance definitions (44 CFR 77.2), the ones the FEMA Local Mitigation Planning Policy Guide cites. NFIP repetitive loss (the FEMA insurance definition) is 2 or more claims over $1,000 in 10 years, and a property can leave that group once it is mitigated. Also shown: NFIP severe repetitive loss, any category, mitigated and currently insured. The Methods page gives the OpenFEMA field details.

Counts are aggregates of FEMA's public NFIP Multiple Loss Properties file (FEMA's data date 2026-08-02; file version 2026-08-04). No property is identified. County assignment is FEMA's geocode.

In this county 3 properties are FMA repetitive loss but not NFIP repetitive loss, and 21 properties are NFIP repetitive loss but not FMA repetitive loss.

Exact counts; no count suppression.

Sources

Tables cite these sources by number. The full list, for the plan's bibliography (FEMA review item A4-a):

  1. FEMA, OpenFEMA HazardMitigationPlanStatuses v1, version 2026-09-29T134039Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/HazardMitigationPlanStatuses (API)
  2. FEMA, OpenFEMA DisasterDeclarationsSummaries v2, version 2026-09-29T162832Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v2/DisasterDeclarationsSummaries (API)
  3. FEMA, OpenFEMA PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries v1, version 2026-09-29T150754Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/PublicAssistanceFundedProjectsSummaries (API)
  4. FEMA, OpenFEMA NfipMultipleLossProperties v1, version 2026-08-04T164045Z, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/api/open/v1/NfipMultipleLossProperties (API)
  5. FEMA, FEMA National Risk Index 1.20.0 (December 2025), county and census tract tables, version 1.20.0, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_Counties.zip (download, 25 MB), https://www.fema.gov/about/reports-and-data/openfema/nri/v120/NRI_Table_CensusTracts.zip (download, 635 MB)
  6. NOAA NCEI, NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, details files (csvfiles v1.0), version c20260918, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/pub/data/swdi/stormevents/csvfiles/
  7. NOAA National Weather Service, NWS county-public forecast zones correlation file, version bp03mr20 to bp16ap26 (11 files; newest bp16ap26), pulled 2026-09-30, https://www.weather.gov/gis/ZoneCounty
  8. U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2024 Gazetteer, 2020 place by county, CT county-to-cousub crosswalk, version 2024-gazetteer, pulled 2026-09-30, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_counties_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_cousubs_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_place_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_unsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_elsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2024_Gazetteer/2024_Gaz_scsd_national.zip, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/codes2020/national_place_by_county2020.txt, https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/reference/ct_change/ct_cou_to_cousub_crosswalk.xlsx (used to match place names and codes; no table prints its values)

What this packet is and what the plan adds

This packet is the federal data for the plan's risk assessment, organized by the items of FEMA's Local Mitigation Plan Review Tool, Element B. Each section heading names the item its tables support; the plan and FEMA's review decide whether the item is met.

The plan adds what only the community has: local data on assets, critical facilities, development and each jurisdiction's impacts; local hazard history, including state-declared emergencies; the mitigation strategy; and adoption.

How the federal data are built: National Risk Index values are FEMA's model, not counts of events. Storm Events is more complete from 1996; zone-level records are placed by forecast zone, not by location in the county. Public Assistance for a jurisdiction is matched by applicant name. The Methods page gives every rule and the known edge cases.

OpenFEMA disclaimer

This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).

Reuse, citation and corrections

Reuse and citation: Hazard Plain text and tables are licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/); credit Hazard Plain and the release. The underlying federal data are public domain; OpenFEMA data are also subject to the OpenFEMA terms and conditions.

Cite this: Hazard Plain (2026). Mercer County, KY: risk-assessment baseline packet, release 2026-10 (data as of 2026-09-30; County FIPS 21167). Automated baseline. https://hazardplain.org/ky/21167/ Built from FEMA OpenFEMA, the FEMA National Risk Index and NOAA NCEI Storm Events; source versions in the packet's Sources list.

Corrections: to report an error, name the packet, the table and what your records show. Contact: [email protected]

Hazard Plain release 2026-10. As of 2026-09-30; Storm Events data through 2026-06-30. Automated baseline.