Owen County, KY Environment & Hazard Risk
Very Low natural hazard risk, led by landslide. 308 storm events since 1996.
- Expected yearly loss
- $6.17M
- Very Low nationally
- Storm events since 1996
- 308
- Most often thunderstorm wind
- Flood insurance policies
- 50
- 1.0% of homes
- Hurricanes nearby
- 0
- 1 tropical storm or stronger since 1892
Natural hazard risk
FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Overall risk
Very Low
Score 15.2 of 100
Social vulnerability
Relatively Low
Score 35.9 of 100
Community resilience
Relatively Low
Score 39.9 of 100
Community resilience runs the other way: a higher rating means a community can recover faster.
Building value exposed: $2.34B · Agriculture value exposed: $30.77M · Risk-adjusted yearly loss: $6.33M
Risk by hazard
- LandslideVery Low$1,953/yr expected annual loss, about 1.0 events a year
- TornadoRelatively Low$1.29M/yr expected annual loss, about once every 4 years
- Strong windRelatively Low$549K/yr expected annual loss, about 5.6 events a year
- Ice stormRelatively Low$55.65K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 1 year
- EarthquakeVery Low$98.29K/yr expected annual loss, about once every 577 years
- LightningRelatively Low$96.97K/yr expected annual loss, about 51 events a year
- Heat waveVery Low$99.7K/yr expected annual loss, about 6.5 events a year
- DroughtVery Low$5,879/yr expected annual loss, about 2.8 events a year
- Cold waveVery Low$252K/yr expected annual loss, about 1.7 events a year
- Winter weatherVery Low$13.51K/yr expected annual loss, about 11 events a year
- HurricaneVery Low$3,182/yr expected annual loss, about once every 158 years
- HailVery Low$37.21K/yr expected annual loss, about 3.5 events a year
- WildfireVery Low$1,839/yr expected annual loss, about once every 29,766 years
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
- 50 of 4,969 (1.0%)
- Homes in high-risk flood zones
- 150
- Insured in high-risk zones
- 48 (32%)
- Flood claims since 1978
- 73
- Claims paid since 1978
- $1.44M
Flood claims paid per year
- Flooding$639K · 42 claims
- Central U.S. April Flooding$632K · 12 claims
- Not a named storm$33.02K · 5 claims
- Heavy rains$0 · 1 claim
Storm history
Since 1996: 308 events, 4 deaths, $5.69M in damage
- Thunderstorm Wind132
- Flash Flood37 · 3 deaths
- Winter Storm33
- Flood30 · 1 death
- Hail28
- Winter Weather11
- High Wind8
- Heavy Snow6
- Ice Storm5
- Excessive Heat4
Events per year
5 tornadoes on record (EF1 2, EF2 1, F1 2).
Most damaging storms
Since 1996, ranked by deaths, injuries and damage
- Flash Flood03/01/1997
Countywide, Owen County
2 deaths, $2.1M damage
What happened
Estimated rainfall of 10 to 15 inches across the county in less than 36 hours caused many area creeks and streams to rise out of their banks. Numerous roads were flooded across the entire county. Two people were killed when their car was swept into flooded backwaters of the Kentucky River along State Route 355 near Perry Park.
- Flash Flood05/01/2016
Teresita, Owen County
1 death, $50K damage
What happened
Heavy rain fell over parts of southern Owen County with measured rainfall rates as high as 2 inches in 45 minutes. Flash flooding occurred along Indian and Sawdridge Creeks. A 53 year old man was swept away and killed by the rapidly rising water along Indian Creek near the intersection of Teresita Road and Old Walnut Grove Road. Three other people needed to be rescued from a porch at a nearby residence due to the rising water.
- Flood03/04/2021
Perry Park, Owen County
1 death
What happened
Moderate flooding occurred along the Kentucky River due to heavy rain earlier in the week. A man drowned in the flood waters near Perry Park.
- TornadoEF2, 5.4 mi path, 150 yd wide03/03/2012
New Liberty, Owen County
3 injured, $320K damage
What happened
The tornado touched down north of Owenton initially near a farm south of Highway 227, where minor damage to a barn and house were observed. The tornado continued east to near the intersection of Todd Road and Highways 127, 36, and 227 where the EF2 damage occurred. This damage included a house that had complete removal of the roof and partial exterior wall collapse. Numerous barns in the area were also completely destroyed. Power poles and trees were snapped, as well as a semi trailer overturned. The tornado then continued east across Kemper Lane where more barns were destroyed and numerous groves of trees were uprooted and snapped. The tornado lifted just east of Jonesville Road. This location is approximate due to inaccessible terrain. Damage in the area of Jonesville Road consisted of minor damage to outbuildings, tree damage, and minor removal of roofing material. Based on the damage survey, the maximum wind speed of this tornado was estimated to be 125 miles per hour.
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind05/29/1996
Wheatley, Owen County
2 injured, $5,000 damage
What happened
Mobile homes overturned. Numerous trees downed.
- High Wind55 kt wind09/14/2008
Owen
$1.3M damage
What happened
Strong winds of 40 to 50 miles per hour were sustained for several hours. Gusts over 60 mph were common. Widespread damage occurred across the region, from trees being blown down on powerlines to significant structural damage.
Latest storm reports
Newest first
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind07/28/2026
Breck, Owen County
$1,000 damage
- TornadoEF1, 15.97 mi path, 500 yd wide07/21/2026
New Liberty, Owen County
$345K damage
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind06/18/2026
New Liberty, Owen County
$3,000 damage
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind06/18/2026
Moxley, Owen County
$5,000 damage
- Flood05/23/2026
New Liberty, Owen County
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind05/17/2026
Owenton, Owen County
$2,000 damage
- Thunderstorm Wind50 kt wind05/17/2026
Monterey, Owen County
$2,000 damage
- Strong Wind44 kt wind03/15/2026
Owen
Hurricanes and tropical storms
Storms whose track crossed Owen County, with the wind when it passed
- Unnamed storm (1892)09/09/1892 · Landfall: LATropical storm52 mph nearby
Climate
1991-2020 normals at Williamstown, 17 mi from the county center
Summer highs peak around 87°F in Jul and winter lows bottom out near 25°F in Jan. About 45.9 inches of rain falls in a typical year, with 16.0 inches of snow.
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 25°F | 3.12 in | 6.7 in |
| Feb | 47°F | 28°F | 3.26 in | 4.1 in |
| Mar | 56°F | 35°F | 4.34 in | 1.7 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 45°F | 4.14 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 77°F | 55°F | 4.87 in | - |
| Jun | 83°F | 63°F | 4.99 in | - |
| Jul | 87°F | 66°F | 3.82 in | - |
| Aug | 86°F | 65°F | 3.80 in | - |
| Sep | 81°F | 58°F | 3.46 in | - |
| Oct | 70°F | 47°F | 3.00 in | 0.2 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 37°F | 3.55 in | 0.4 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 29°F | 3.51 in | 2.8 in |
| Year | 56°F average | 45.9 in | 16.0 in | |
Pollution sites
0 Superfund sites and 0 toxic release facilities in Owen County
No Superfund sites or toxic release facilities in Owen County in our data.
Superfund sitesToxic release facilitiesEPA inspections and enforcementAir toxics cancer risk11 historic places
Frequently asked questions
- How risky is Owen County for natural disasters?
- FEMA rates Owen County very low for overall natural hazard risk, with expected losses of $6.17M a year. The highest-rated hazards are landslide (very low), tornado (relatively low), strong wind (relatively low).
- What storms are most common in Owen County?
- Since 1996, NOAA recorded 308 storm events affecting Owen County, most often thunderstorm wind (132), flash flood (37), winter storm (33).
- How many tornadoes have hit Owen County?
- 5 tornadoes have been recorded in Owen County since 1950.
- How many homes in Owen County have flood insurance?
- 50 residential flood insurance policies are in force in Owen County, covering about 1.0% of homes. The program has paid $1.44M on 73 claims here since 1978.
- What is the weather like in Owen County?
- At Williamstown, average highs reach 87°F in Jul and lows fall to 25°F in Jan, with 45.9 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.