Natural hazards · Brandenburg

Brandenburg, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Brandenburg comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 6 claims here since 1997. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025 · OpenFEMA claims, aid & declarations

Expected damage

How exposed is Brandenburg?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Brandenburg to be higher than in 74% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding54%Tornadoes21%Strong wind8%Cold waves5%Everything else12%

By hazard

What Brandenburg faces

Each hazard’s share of the damage FEMA expects here, and how that compares with the rest of the country.

Inland flooding

54% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 85% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 92% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 58 years in the area

Strong wind

8% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 94% of U.S. places

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

5% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 84% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesLightningDrought

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic activity

Flood risk changes street by street. Check a specific address on FEMA’s flood map, and ask about flood insurance before you buy.

Flood insurance claims

Does Brandenburg flood?

Every paid claim on a federal flood insurance policy in Brandenburg, from FEMA’s records.

6paid claims since 1997

$175Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19972026

Biggest named events

Central U.S. April Flooding: 1 claim, $3K

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (0) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

No community discount. Brandenburg isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Meade County.

What’s been done with FEMA grants

7flood-prone properties bought out and cleared

Disasters that hit Brandenburg

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in Brandenburg itself: aid to households, or repair grants to the City of Brandenburg.

Brought FEMA money into BrandenburgDeclared for Meade County only

2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

22 households applied for aid $97K aid approved $7K to the City of Brandenburg for repairs

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

$52K to the City of Brandenburg for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$39K to the City of Brandenburg for repairs

2008

Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike

$31K to the City of Brandenburg for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and

71 households applied for aid $70K aid approved $56K to the City of Brandenburg for repairs

2004

Severe Storms and Flooding

$7K to the City of Brandenburg for repairs

2003

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes

4 households applied for aid $15K aid approved

Meade County has had 21 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and tornadoes.

About these numbers

How to read this page

An average, not a forecastFEMA’s National Risk Index estimates the damage 18 kinds of natural hazards cause in a typical year, from decades of records and models. A quiet decade can follow a bad year.

Compared by rate“Higher than N%” compares yearly damage as a share of what’s here, so a big city isn’t rated riskier just for having more buildings. Brandenburg covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Brandenburg’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Brandenburg. FEMA’s model follows property values, so a place that recently lost many homes can rate lower than it feels.

FEMA’s expected losses across Brandenburg total about $2.7M a year, counting buildings, people and crops.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025); OpenFEMA: NFIP redacted claims, multiple-loss properties, community status book and residential penetration rates, housing assistance (owners and renters), public assistance funded projects, hazard mitigation properties and disaster declarations. Census tracts: U.S. Census Bureau.