Natural hazards · Somerset

Somerset, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in Somerset comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is moderate for a U.S. community. Flood insurance has paid 11 claims here since 1978. 4 federal disasters brought FEMA money into town.

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

Expected damage

How exposed is Somerset?

Moderate

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in Somerset to be higher than in 44% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding and cold waves.

Inland flooding50%Cold waves16%Tornadoes12%Earthquakes9%Everything else14%

By hazard

What Somerset faces

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

Inland flooding

50% of expected damage

Above average · higher than 55% of U.S. places

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Cold waves

16% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 75% of U.S. places

Recorded about once a year in the area

Tornadoes

12% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 77% of U.S. places

Earthquakes

9% of expected damage

Well above average · higher than 76% of U.S. places

Lower here

HurricanesHailIce stormsWinter weatherHeat wavesWildfireLandslidesStrong windLightningDrought

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 Somerset flood?

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

11paid claims since 1978

$438Kpaid to owners

1homes flooded more than once

19782026

Biggest named events

Not a named storm: 1 claim, $768

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. Somerset isn’t in FEMA’s Community Rating System, which cuts flood insurance up to 45% in towns that do extra flood-proofing.

Insurance rates: Pulaski County.

Disasters that hit Somerset

4 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

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

Brought FEMA money into SomersetDeclared for Pulaski County only

2025

Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes

357 households applied for aid $936K aid approved $31K to the City of Somerset for repairs

2021

Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

44 households applied for aid $112K aid approved

2010

Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Tornadoes

192 households applied for aid $333K aid approved $26K to the City of Somerset for repairs

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

19 households applied for aid $62K aid approved

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

Around Somerset

Somerset and the towns around it

Very lowLowModerateHighVery high

Burnsidemostly inland floodingHigh

Fergusonmostly inland floodingModerate

Somersetmostly inland floodingModerate

Science Hillmostly inland floodingModerate

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. Somerset covers 4 census tracts, combined by population.

Money that reached townFlood claims are matched to Somerset’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to the City of Somerset. 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 Somerset total about $7.6M 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.