Laurel County, KY Environment & Hazard Risk
Relatively Low natural hazard risk, led by winter weather. 671 storm events since 1996.
- Expected yearly loss
- $23.86M
- Relatively Low nationally
- Storm events since 1996
- 671
- Most often thunderstorm wind
- Flood insurance policies
- 30
- 0.1% of homes
- Hurricanes nearby
- 0
- 2 tropical storms or stronger since 1915
Natural hazard risk
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Overall risk
Relatively Low
Score 71.7 of 100
Social vulnerability
Relatively High
Score 68.2 of 100
Community resilience
Relatively Low
Score 29.0 of 100
Community resilience runs the other way: a higher rating means a community can recover faster.
Building value exposed: $11.89B · Agriculture value exposed: $19.85M · Risk-adjusted yearly loss: $31.55M
Risk by hazard
- Winter weatherRelatively High$355K/yr expected annual loss, about 13 events a year
- HailRelatively Moderate$1.48M/yr expected annual loss, about 3.1 events a year
- WildfireRelatively Moderate$1.02M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 97 years
- Cold waveRelatively Moderate$4.99M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
- LandslideRelatively Low$30.37K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.1 events a year
- TornadoRelatively Moderate$3.79M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 7 years
- Heat waveRelatively Moderate$1.17M/yr expected annual loss, about 2.6 events a year
- Strong windRelatively Moderate$972K/yr expected annual loss, about 5.7 events a year
- EarthquakeRelatively Low$1.04M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 381 years
- LightningRelatively Moderate$446K/yr expected annual loss, about 53 events a year
- HurricaneVery Low$61.51K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 35 years
- Ice stormRelatively Low$50.49K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 3 years
- DroughtVery Low$15.3K/yr expected annual loss, about 7.7 events a year
Bars show the national percentile score (0 to 100) for each hazard. Dollar figures are expected annual losses to buildings, people and crops. Not rated here: avalanche, coastal flooding, riverine flooding, tsunami, volcanic activity.
Flood risk and insurance
National Flood Insurance Program and FEMA flood maps
Check the flood zone for an address
- Homes with flood insurance
- 30 of 27,356 (0.1%)
- Homes in high-risk flood zones
- 231
- Insured in high-risk zones
- 20 (9%)
- Flood claims since 1978
- 12
- Claims paid since 1978
- $1.14M
Flood claims paid per year
- February Kentucky Flooding$378K · 1 claim
- Mid-spring storms$0 · 1 claim
Storm history
Since 1996: 671 events, 28 deaths, $56.47M in damage
- Thunderstorm Wind317
- Hail117 · 1 death
- Flash Flood59
- Winter Weather37 · 1 death
- Heavy Snow25
- Flood23
- Winter Storm14
- Frost/Freeze12
- Funnel Cloud10
- Strong Wind9
Events per year
19 tornadoes on record (EF1 2, EF2 1, EF4 1, F0 4, F1 3, F2 6, F3 2).
Most damaging storms
Since 1996, ranked by deaths, injuries and damage
- TornadoEF4, 20 mi path, 1,700 yd wide05/17/2025
Goodwater, Laurel County
17 deaths
What happened
NWS survey teams dispatched on Saturday morning to Russell and |Pulaski Counties, where they were able to confirm a touchdown |along KY-619, about 2.5 miles northeast of Jamestown. Upon |touchdown it caused damage to a garage, two antenna towers, and |several trees. Sporadic damage east of KY-619 seems to suggest |that the tornado may have briefly lifted for a few hundred yards |after its initial touchdown point, before touching back down in a |grove of trees between KY-619 and John Streat Road. EF-1 damage |was observed in this area, with winds estimated between 95 and 100|mph. The tornado caused roofing damage to a house along John |Streat Road as it continued east, also producing a swath of |uprooted trees as it crossed a finger of Lake Cumberland. The |tornado gradually intensified as it crossed Parks Ridge and |continued through the community of Eli and points eastward. The|damage in this area was consistent with high-end EF-1 and EF-2 |winds, between 100 and 130 mph. ||The tornado then continued across the Pulaski County line, where |it caused considerable damage near the Faubush and Nancy |communities, before making it's way to the south side of Somerset.|Here it...
- TornadoEF2, 7.15 mi path, 310 yd wide03/03/2012
Hazel Patch, Laurel County
6 deaths, 40 injured, $5M damage
What happened
A storm damage survey team from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Jackson, Kentucky confirmed that an EF-2 tornado moved across portions of Laurel County on March 2, 2012. The tornado touched down southwest of Wood Creek Lake at 704 pm EST, and tracked northeast crossing I-75 and Highway 490 before lifting just south of the Victory community. Winds were estimated to have reached 125 mph. This tornado damaged or destroyed several residences. Five fatalities occurred on March 2nd with another person dieing on March 23rd from injuries they received as their mobile home was impacted by the tornado on March 2nd. All fatalities occurred in mobile homes.
- Hail4.5" hail05/02/2002
Countywide, Laurel County
$32M damage
What happened
During the evening of May 1st, a severe thunderstorm moving southeast dumped a large swath of hail ranging in size from pennies to softballs across a large portion of Laurel County. Numerous homes and vehicles were damaged, especially in the town of London.
- TornadoF2, 7 mi path, 100 yd wide06/03/2001
London, Laurel County
10 injured, $17.14M damage
What happened
A strong F2 tornado with wind estimates between 135 and 155 miles per hour ripped through downtown London during the evening hours. The Carnaby Square shopping center was hard hit. The tornado was reported by eye witnesses to have been nearly stationary in the parking lot for nearly 4 minutes. During this time several automobiles including a large moving van were overtured. A 20 by 30 foot chunk of 4 inch thick blacktop from the parking lot was torn up and thrown approximately 100 feet. Merchandise from one of the stores was later found 25 miles to the east. The tornado lifted before crossing U.S. Highway 25. The tornado touched down again along Bellinger Street between 6:15 and 6:20 pm where several homes received major damage. One duplex lost its entire roof as a mother and her two sons took shelter on the second floor. A mobile home used for storage was demolished. One block over on Morgan Street several brick and framed homes lost their entire roofs. A framed home placed on a block foundation was blown 15 feet away from the foundation. The storm lifted as if approached the Rolling Acres Subdivision. Witnesses reported seeing two funnel clouds at this time as...
- Heat06/11/2007
Laurel
2 deaths
What happened
Two young boys were found dead in the trunk of a car in London. It was determined that they died from hyperthermia or excessive heat exposure.
- Winter Weather01/06/2014
Laurel
1 death
What happened
Interstate 75 was blocked due to an injury accident as a result of a vehicle loosing control on black ice. The injured motorist later died at the hospital.
Latest storm reports
Newest first
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind03/16/2026
Bernstadt, Laurel County
$1,000 damage
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind03/12/2026
Keavy, Laurel County
$1,000 damage
- Thunderstorm Wind51 kt wind03/12/2026
Lesbas, Laurel County
$1,000 damage
- Thunderstorm Wind61 kt wind03/12/2026
(Loz)mcgee Fld Londo, Laurel County
- Thunderstorm Wind61 kt wind03/12/2026
Pittsburg, Laurel County
$1,000 damage
- Winter Storm01/24/2026
Laurel
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind06/18/2025
Boreing, Laurel County
$1,000 damage
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind06/17/2025
London, Laurel County
$1,000 damage
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Storms whose track crossed Laurel County, with the wind when it passed
- Hurricane Frederic (1979)08/29/1979 · 943 mbTropical storm40 mph nearby
- Unnamed storm (1915)09/21/1915 · Landfall: LA · 931 mbTropical storm40 mph nearby
Drinking water
5 community water systems serve about 71,586 people. Violations since 2021.
1 system had health-based violations, such as a contaminant over the legal limit or a missed treatment step.
- Laurel Co Water District #2Serves 16,899 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
- East Laurel Water DistrictServes 16,062 · Purchased surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
- Wood Creek Water DistrictServes 14,892 · Surface water · Local governmentNo health violations
- West Laurel Water Assoc INCServes 14,878 · Purchased surface water · PrivateNo health violations
- London Utility CommissionServes 8,855 · Surface water · Local government1 health violation+1 monitoring or reporting
Largest systems by population served. Monitoring and reporting violations mean required tests or notices were late or missing, not that the water was unsafe.
Climate
1991-2020 normals at London Corbin AP, 4.1 mi from the county center
Summer highs peak around 86°F in Jul and winter lows bottom out near 27°F in Jan. About 51.3 inches of rain falls in a typical year.
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 27°F | 3.89 in |
| Feb | 50°F | 30°F | 4.02 in |
| Mar | 58°F | 36°F | 4.57 in |
| Apr | 69°F | 45°F | 4.65 in |
| May | 77°F | 54°F | 5.04 in |
| Jun | 84°F | 62°F | 5.06 in |
| Jul | 86°F | 66°F | 5.16 in |
| Aug | 86°F | 65°F | 3.97 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 58°F | 3.55 in |
| Oct | 70°F | 45°F | 3.29 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 36°F | 3.52 in |
| Dec | 49°F | 30°F | 4.54 in |
| Year | 57°F average | 51.3 in | |
Pollution sites
0 Superfund sites and 3 toxic release facilities in Laurel County
Superfund sites
None in this county.
Toxic release facilities
- New Dairy Kentucky LLC25,669 lbs released, London
- Accent Marble Inc.648 lbs released, London
- Aisin Automotive Casting LLC117 lbs released, London
Total: 26,434 lbs in 2024, 659 lbs to air.
Superfund sitesToxic release facilitiesEPA inspections and enforcementAir toxics cancer risk7 historic places
Frequently asked questions
- How risky is Laurel County for natural disasters?
- FEMA rates Laurel County relatively low for overall natural hazard risk, with expected losses of $23.86M a year. The highest-rated hazards are winter weather (relatively high), hail (relatively moderate), wildfire (relatively moderate).
- What storms are most common in Laurel County?
- Since 1996, NOAA recorded 671 storm events affecting Laurel County, most often thunderstorm wind (317), hail (117), flash flood (59).
- How many tornadoes have hit Laurel County?
- 19 tornadoes have been recorded in Laurel County since 1950, including 3 rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
- How many homes in Laurel County have flood insurance?
- 30 residential flood insurance policies are in force in Laurel County, covering about 0.1% of homes. The program has paid $1.14M on 12 claims here since 1978.
- What is the weather like in Laurel County?
- At London Corbin AP, average highs reach 86°F in Jul and lows fall to 27°F in Jan, with 51.3 inches of rain a year (1991-2020 normals).
Source: FEMA (National Risk Index, NFIP), NOAA (Storm Events, HURDAT2, Climate Normals), EPA · Last updated 08/01/2026 · Storm counts include events in forecast zones that touch the county. This product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA.