Cold Wave Risk in Tennessee
All Tennessee counties ranked by FEMA National Risk Index cold wave score
Cold Wave risk — prolonged spells of dangerously low temperatures — is rated for 95 of 95 Tennessee counties in FEMA's National Risk Index. Shelby County carries the state's highest cold wave score at 99.8, with $62M in expected annual cold wave losses.
10 Tennessee counties are rated High or Very High for cold wave, and expected annual losses from cold wave total roughly $355M statewide. The full ranking below links to each county's complete 18-hazard risk profile.
County Rankings — Cold Wave
| # | County | Cold Wave Score | Rating | Ann. Freq. | Ann. Loss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shelby County | Very High | 1.68 / yr | $62M | |
| 2 | Henry County | High | 2.42 / yr | $19M | |
| 3 | Rutherford County | High | 1.16 / yr | $25M | |
| 4 | Madison County | High | 1.89 / yr | $12M | |
| 5 | Montgomery County | High | 1.32 / yr | $12M | |
| 6 | Knox County | High | 0.53 / yr | $10M | |
| 7 | Sumner County | High | 1.21 / yr | $11M | |
| 8 | Williamson County | High | 1.16 / yr | $13M | |
| 9 | Davidson County | High | 1.21 / yr | $8M | |
| 10 | Hardin County | High | 1.58 / yr | $5M | |
| 11 | Wilson County | Medium | 1.16 / yr | $9M | |
| 12 | Carroll County | Medium | 2.32 / yr | $5M | |
| 13 | Roane County | Medium | 0.58 / yr | $5M | |
| 14 | Obion County | Medium | 2.58 / yr | $5M | |
| 15 | Sequatchie County | Medium | 1.00 / yr | $5M | |
| 16 | Maury County | Medium | 1.21 / yr | $6M | |
| 17 | Bedford County | Medium | 1.11 / yr | $5M | |
| 18 | Cumberland County | Medium | 1.16 / yr | $4M | |
| 19 | Gibson County | Medium | 2.42 / yr | $4M | |
| 20 | Weakley County | Medium | 2.42 / yr | $5M | |
| 21 | Hamilton County | Medium | 0.53 / yr | $5M | |
| 22 | Lawrence County | Medium | 1.16 / yr | $4M | |
| 23 | Tipton County | Medium | 1.89 / yr | $4M | |
| 24 | Henderson County | Medium | 1.68 / yr | $4M | |
| 25 | Warren County | Medium | 1.21 / yr | $3M | |
| 26 | Dyer County | Medium | 2.58 / yr | $3M | |
| 27 | Anderson County | Medium | 0.79 / yr | $3M | |
| 28 | Putnam County | Medium | 1.21 / yr | $4M | |
| 29 | Franklin County | Medium | 1.63 / yr | $4M | |
| 30 | Coffee County | Medium | 1.11 / yr | $4M | |
| 31 | Giles County | Medium | 1.16 / yr | $3M | |
| 32 | Robertson County | Medium | 1.26 / yr | $4M | |
| 33 | Marion County | Medium | 1.00 / yr | $3M | |
| 34 | McNairy County | Medium | 1.58 / yr | $3M | |
| 35 | Haywood County | Medium | 1.89 / yr | $2M | |
| 36 | Bradley County | Medium | 0.53 / yr | $3M | |
| 37 | Hardeman County | Medium | 1.47 / yr | $2M | |
| 38 | Grundy County | Medium | 1.21 / yr | $2M | |
| 39 | Fayette County | Medium | 1.47 / yr | $2M | |
| 40 | Dickson County | Medium | 1.32 / yr | $3M | |
| 41 | Loudon County | Medium | 0.53 / yr | $2M | |
| 42 | Blount County | Medium | 1.26 / yr | $3M | |
| 43 | Benton County | Medium | 1.68 / yr | $2M | |
| 44 | Campbell County | Medium | 1.11 / yr | $2M | |
| 45 | Decatur County | Medium | 1.68 / yr | $2M | |
| 46 | Chester County | Medium | 1.68 / yr | $2M | |
| 47 | Claiborne County | Medium | 1.05 / yr | $2M | |
| 48 | Lincoln County | Medium | 1.47 / yr | $2M | |
| 49 | Fentress County | Medium | 1.16 / yr | $1M | |
| 50 | Scott County | Medium | 1.16 / yr | $2M | |
| 51 | Wayne County | Medium | 1.16 / yr | $1M | |
| 52 | Sevier County | Medium | 1.51 / yr | $2M | |
| 53 | Marshall County | Medium | 1.11 / yr | $3M | |
| 54 | White County | Medium | 1.21 / yr | $2M | |
| 55 | Lauderdale County | Medium | 2.21 / yr | $1M | |
| 56 | Bledsoe County | Medium | 1.00 / yr | $1M | |
| 57 | Humphreys County | Medium | 1.32 / yr | $1M | |
| 58 | Cheatham County | Low | 1.26 / yr | $2M | |
| 59 | Macon County | Low | 1.16 / yr | $1M | |
| 60 | McMinn County | Low | 0.53 / yr | $1M | |
| 61 | Morgan County | Low | 1.16 / yr | $2M | |
| 62 | Lake County | Low | 2.53 / yr | $1M | |
| 63 | Johnson County | Low | 3.26 / yr | $1M | |
| 64 | Crockett County | Low | 2.16 / yr | $1M | |
| 65 | Greene County | Low | 1.16 / yr | $1M | |
| 66 | Monroe County | Low | 1.17 / yr | $1M | |
| 67 | Rhea County | Low | 0.58 / yr | $1M | |
| 68 | Hickman County | Low | 1.21 / yr | $1M | |
| 69 | Perry County | Low | 1.21 / yr | $801K | |
| 70 | Carter County | Low | 2.34 / yr | $772K | |
| 71 | Cocke County | Low | 1.67 / yr | $685K | |
| 72 | Overton County | Low | 1.26 / yr | $971K | |
| 73 | Washington County | Low | 0.84 / yr | $1M | |
| 74 | DeKalb County | Low | 1.11 / yr | $899K | |
| 75 | Sullivan County | Low | 0.84 / yr | $859K | |
| 76 | Lewis County | Low | 1.21 / yr | $796K | |
| 77 | Smith County | Low | 1.16 / yr | $1M | |
| 78 | Stewart County | Low | 1.32 / yr | $562K | |
| 79 | Hawkins County | Low | 0.84 / yr | $569K | |
| 80 | Houston County | Low | 1.32 / yr | $731K | |
| 81 | Unicoi County | Low | 3.26 / yr | $666K | |
| 82 | Jefferson County | Low | 0.58 / yr | $612K | |
| 83 | Polk County | Low | 0.73 / yr | $453K | |
| 84 | Hamblen County | Low | 0.58 / yr | $535K | |
| 85 | Jackson County | Low | 1.16 / yr | $388K | |
| 86 | Pickett County | Low | 1.26 / yr | $466K | |
| 87 | Meigs County | Low | 0.53 / yr | $419K | |
| 88 | Trousdale County | Low | 1.16 / yr | $736K | |
| 89 | Clay County | Low | 1.16 / yr | $406K | |
| 90 | Van Buren County | Low | 1.16 / yr | $555K | |
| 91 | Moore County | Low | 1.58 / yr | $422K | |
| 92 | Union County | Low | 0.74 / yr | $435K | |
| 93 | Hancock County | Low | 1.00 / yr | $243K | |
| 94 | Grainger County | Low | 0.63 / yr | $295K | |
| 95 | Cannon County | Low | 1.11 / yr | $343K |
95 Tennessee counties with measurable cold wave risk. See the national cold wave ranking or all Tennessee counties by overall risk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Tennessee county has the highest cold wave risk?
Shelby County has the highest FEMA cold wave risk score in Tennessee at 99.8 (Very High), with $62M in expected annual losses and about 1.68 events per year.
How many Tennessee counties face significant cold wave risk?
95 Tennessee counties record measurable cold wave risk in FEMA's National Risk Index; 10 of them are rated High or Very High.