Natural hazards · Central

Central, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Central comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is high for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 8 claims here since 1997. 8 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Central?

High

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Central to be higher than in 63% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding42%Earthquakes12%Cold waves9%Tornadoes9%Ice storms7%Heat waves7%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Central faces

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

Inland flooding

42% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 51% of U.S. places

Recorded about 5 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 81% of U.S. places

Cold waves

9% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 38% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

9% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 70% of U.S. places

Ice storms

7% of expected damage

Well above average · among the top 1% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Heat waves

7% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 65% of U.S. places

Recorded about 8 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesWinter weatherWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Central flood?

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

8paid claims since 1997

$327Kpaid to owners

2homes flooded more than once

19972026

Homes that flooded again and again

■ FEMA “severe repetitive loss” (1) ■ flooded 2+ times

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Muhlenberg County.

Disasters that hit Central

8 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into CentralDeclared for Muhlenberg County only

2025

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

20 households applied for aid $218K aid approved $217K to the City of Central for repairs

2024

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

25 households applied for aid $41K aid approved $142K to the City of Central for repairs

2021

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

222 households applied for aid $145K aid approved $15K to the City of Central for repairs

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$436K to the City of Central for repairs

2008

Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike

$94K to the City of Central for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and

58 households applied for aid $61K aid approved $169K to the City of Central for repairs

2004

Severe Winter Storm and Record Snow

$8K to the City of Central for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

2 households applied for aid $3K aid approved

Muhlenberg County has had 19 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and winter storms.

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. Central covers 1 census tract, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Central’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Central. 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 Central total about $1.6M 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.