Three to five inches of rain within a 1 to 3 hour period resulted in extensive flash flooding. In Powell County about 50 homes and a dozen businesses sustained flood damage, and numerous roads had to be closed.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS JKL wrote it up.
Three to five inches of rain within a 1 to 3 hour period resulted in extensive flash flooding. In Powell County about 50 homes and a dozen businesses sustained flood damage, and numerous roads had to be closed. The gift shops along Mill Creek at Natural Bridge suffered heavy flood damage. A car was swept off the road on Steam Shovel Hill, and the driver suffered a broken ankle. In Wolfe county almost all the roads except the Mountain Parkway had to be closed for a time, and two mobile homes were washed away. Several businesses in Campton were flooded. About 44 vehicles were heavily damaged at a car dealership. In Estill County the flooding was mostly confined to the northern part of the county, with northeastern sections especially hard hit. Numerous roads were damaged in Estill County, and a mobile home was washed away. In Breathitt County, flash flooding was confined to the northern part of the county. A bridge at Keck was washed out, and several roads were flooded.
The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 52 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:46 UTC.
4 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, June 1997
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: 5608534, 5608535, 5608536, 5608537.