Flooding in Kentucky, January 22 to 31, 1996

Name: Flooding in Kentucky, January 22 to 31, 1996
Start: 1996-01-22T07:00
End: 1996-01-31T11:59
Location: Kentucky

January 22 to 31, 1996 · NWS LMK · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

Snowmelt and heavy rain caused widespread flooding all along the Ohio River. Flooding approached moderate levels near Louisville and was the worst in 5 years.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 7

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS LMK wrote it up.

Snowmelt and heavy rain caused widespread flooding all along the Ohio River. Flooding approached moderate levels near Louisville and was the worst in 5 years. By the end of the month, the river remained above flood stage at most locations. McAlpine Lock crested at 59.4 feet on the lower gauge at 8 am on January 26(4.4 feet above flood stage). The upper gauge crested at 28.1 feet on January 26 at 5 am(5.1 feet above flood stage). Many homes along the river reported substantial flooding, but no injuries were reported.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Meade

When: January 22, 7:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Meade forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.970, -86.217 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Breckinridge

When: January 22, 7:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Breckinridge forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.773, -86.429 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Hardin

When: January 22, 7:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Hardin forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.698, -85.963 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Bullitt

When: January 22, 7:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Bullitt forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.970, -85.696 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Jefferson

When: January 22, 7:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.187, -85.659 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Oldham

When: January 22, 7:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Oldham forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.399, -85.448 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Trimble

When: January 22, 7:00 AM EST to January 31, 11:59 AM EST
Where: Trimble forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.613, -85.338 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Kentucky in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Kentucky, January 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5549483, 5549484, 5549485, 5549486, 5549487, 5549488, 5549489.