Kentucky, 1997

Flooding in Kentucky, March 2 to 9, 1997

March 2 to 9, 1997 · NWS LMK · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

2 feet at 1 pm est March 3 (flood stage is 31 feet). Meanwhile, further south where rain totals were not as high, the flooding was only minor.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 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

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The toll

Deaths
1
Injuries
0
Property damage
$9.8 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

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.

Record to near record rainfall from early March 1 through March 2 caused the highest flooding on the Kentucky River at Frankfort since 1937 with the river cresting at 45.2 feet at 1 pm est March 3 (flood stage is 31 feet). Meanwhile, further south where rain totals were not as high, the flooding was only minor. The river at Highbridge crested at 37.4 feet at 7 pm est March 2 (flood stage is 30 feet). At Ford, the river only reached 27.1 feet at 8 pm est March 5 (flood stage is 26 feet). Numerous rescues were made during both the flash flooding and the flooding along the Kentucky River. The flooding was particularly bad along Elkhorn Creek in Franklin county where many two-story houses had water up to the second floor and at least 75 rescues were made. A 50 year old man was killed around 9 am est March 2 as he attempted to cross a flooded road. His car was swept into Elkhorn Creek, a tributary of the Kentucky River, and he drowned as he attempted to swim for safety. The town of Burgin in southeastern Mercer county also had many homes with water coming in. Damage amounts also include flooding and flash flooding damage from March 1 through March 2.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Franklin

When
March 2, 2:00 AM EST to March 8, 11:00 PM EST
Where
Franklin forecast zone
Deaths
1 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$6.5 million
Coordinates
38.239, -84.877 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Henry

When
March 2, 2:00 AM EST to March 9, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Henry forecast zone
Property damage
$1.1 million
Coordinates
38.449, -85.119 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Anderson

When
March 2, 2:00 AM EST to March 9, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Anderson forecast zone
Property damage
$360,000
Coordinates
38.004, -84.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Woodford

When
March 2, 2:00 AM EST to March 9, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Woodford forecast zone
Property damage
$1.2 million
Coordinates
38.042, -84.744 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Mercer

When
March 2, 2:00 AM EST to March 8, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Mercer forecast zone
Property damage
$400,000
Coordinates
37.811, -84.874 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Jessamine

When
March 2, 2:00 AM EST to March 8, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Jessamine forecast zone
Property damage
$200,000
Coordinates
37.872, -84.581 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Garrard

When
March 2, 2:00 AM EST to March 8, 4:00 AM EST
Where
Garrard forecast zone
Coordinates
37.640, -84.538 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Clark

When
March 4, 4:00 AM EST to March 6, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Clark forecast zone
Coordinates
37.971, -84.147 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Madison

When
March 4, 4:00 AM EST to March 6, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Madison forecast zone
Coordinates
37.720, -84.278 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Flood, Franklin1997-03-0250MaleIn WaterDirect

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: 5596803, 5596806, 5596807, 5596808, 5596809, 5596810, 5596811, 5596804, 5596805.