Natural hazards · West Van Lear

West Van Lear, KY natural hazards

Most of the natural-hazard damage FEMA expects in West Van Lear comes from inland flooding, and overall the risk is very high 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 West Van Lear?

Very high

vs. U.S. communities

FEMA expects yearly storm and flood damage to homes and buildings in West Van Lear to be higher than in 99% of U.S. communities, mostly from inland flooding.

Inland flooding92%Everything else8%

By hazard

What West Van Lear faces

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

Inland flooding

92% of expected damage

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

Recorded about 2 times a year in the area

Lower here

HurricanesTornadoesHailIce stormsWinter weatherCold wavesHeat wavesWildfireEarthquakesLandslidesStrong windLightning

Not a risk here

Coastal floodingDroughtAvalanchesTsunamisVolcanic 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 West Van Lear flood?

FEMA's records show no paid flood insurance claims in West Van Lear.

of homes in flood zones
are insured

of all homes
are insured

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

Insurance rates: Johnson County.

Disasters that hit West Van Lear

7 federal disasters brought FEMA money here

Disasters the President declared that paid out in West Van Lear itself: aid to households, or repair grants to West Van Lear.

Brought FEMA money into West Van LearDeclared for Johnson County only

2025

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

10 households applied for aid $56K aid approved

2021

Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides

5 households applied for aid $512 aid approved

2015

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

1 household applied for aid

2012

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding

68 households applied for aid $56K aid approved

2011

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding

1 household applied for aid

2004

Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides

17 households applied for aid $31K aid approved

2003

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

5 households applied for aid $9K aid approved

Johnson County has had 44 natural disasters declared since 1953, most often severe storms and floods.

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. West Van Lear 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 West Van Lear’s own flood-insurance community; household aid to the registrant’s city; repair grants to West Van Lear. 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.