Kentucky, 1997

Flooding in Kentucky, March 1 to 31, 1997

March 1 to 31, 1997 · NWS PAH · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Historic flooding occurred along the Green River as a result of widespread rainfall between 5 and 10 inches across central and western Kentucky. Virtually the entire town of Rumsey was evacuated before it was inundated by the Green River.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
$20 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 PAH wrote it up.

Historic flooding occurred along the Green River as a result of widespread rainfall between 5 and 10 inches across central and western Kentucky. Virtually the entire town of Rumsey was evacuated before it was inundated by the Green River. About 20 percent of Calhoun was underwater, and small parts of Livermore were affected.In Daviess County, backwater from the Green River slowed drainage of Panther Creek, causing parts of Owensboro to flood. Many schools were out for one to two weeks. The National Guard was mobilized to help with looting prevention, rescue efforts, and sandbagging. Daviess County was especially hard hit due to the combined effects of major flooding along the Green River, Ohio River, and Panther Creek. U.S. 431 was closed at the Panther Creek, where numerous buildings were flooded.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Henderson

When
March 1, 1:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Henderson forecast zone
Property damage
$5.0 million
Coordinates
37.796, -87.573 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Daviess

When
March 1, 1:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Daviess forecast zone
Property damage
$10 million
Coordinates
37.732, -87.087 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, McLean

When
March 1, 1:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
McLean forecast zone
Property damage
$4.5 million
Coordinates
37.529, -87.264 (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

More

Every storm in Kentucky in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, March 1997

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: 5595488, 5595489, 5595490.