Natural hazards · Clarkson

Clarkson, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Clarkson comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. 7 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Clarkson?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Clarkson to be higher than in 40% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and tornadoes.

Inland flooding31%Tornadoes21%Hail12%Earthquakes11%Strong wind10%Cold waves7%Everything else9%

By hazard

What Clarkson faces

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

Inland flooding

31% of expected damage

Well below average · higher than 19% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

21% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 91% of U.S. places

Recorded about once every 51 years in the area

Hail

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 95% of U.S. places

Recorded about 3 times a year in the area

Earthquakes

11% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 78% of U.S. places

Strong wind

10% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 6 times a year in the area

Cold waves

7% of expected damage

Below average · higher than 41% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesLightningDrought

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 Clarkson flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in Clarkson.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Grayson County.

Disasters that hit Clarkson

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into ClarksonDeclared for Grayson County only

2025

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

11 households applied for aid $124K aid approved

2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

6 households applied for aid $63K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Tornadoes

1 household applied for aid

2009

Severe Winter Storm and Flooding

$65K to the City of Clarkson for repairs

2008

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and

$11K to the City of Clarkson for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

9 households applied for aid $12K aid approved

2003

Severe Winter Ice and Snow Storms, Heavy Rain, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Mud and

$8K to the City of Clarkson for repairs

Grayson County has had 26 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. Clarkson is smaller than a census tract, so it shares the figures of the tract around its center.

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

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.