Storm Records: Kentucky
Every storm the National Weather Service has filed in Kentucky: its floods, heat, cold, winter storms, hail, wind, lightning and tornadoes, year by year and county by county, each episode with its narrative.
The worst in Kentucky on the map
The deadliest and costliest episodes on record here, colored by kind of event.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 55,285
- Deaths
- 599
- Injuries
- 4,917
- Damage
- $3.9 billion
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.
Every year
Tap a year for every episode in it.
Deaths each year
By kind of event
| Kind of event | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 19,621 | 27 | 452 | $345 million |
| Hail | 6,621 | 1 | 9 | $626 million |
| Flash Flood | 4,580 | 113 | 31 | $308 million |
| Flood | 3,714 | 56 | 21 | $592 million |
| Winter Weather | 3,167 | 30 | 115 | $1.6 million |
| Heavy Snow | 2,262 | 11 | 13 | $12 million |
| Winter Storm | 1,988 | 28 | 24 | $16 million |
| Dense Fog | 1,882 | 1 | 6 | $70,000 |
| Strong Wind | 1,705 | 4 | 14 | $4.7 million |
| Frost/Freeze | 1,690 | 0 | 0 | $39 million |
| Tornado | 1,497 | 246 | 3,784 | $1.1 billion |
| Heat | 1,460 | 9 | 209 | |
| Drought | 1,021 | 0 | 0 | $272 million |
| High Wind | 834 | 8 | 66 | $243 million |
| Heavy Rain | 744 | 3 | 6 | $976,000 |
| Ice Storm | 647 | 13 | 2 | $339 million |
| Excessive Heat | 613 | 2 | 75 | |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 437 | 14 | 3 | $318,000 |
| Lightning | 239 | 21 | 61 | $8.8 million |
| Funnel Cloud | 225 | 0 | 0 | $25,000 |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 156 | 7 | 4 | $1.5 million |
| Debris Flow | 60 | 0 | 0 | $77,000 |
| Wildfire | 48 | 2 | 21 | $25,000 |
| Freezing Fog | 45 | 3 | 1 | $90,000 |
| Sleet | 27 | 0 | 0 | |
| Blizzard | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Dust Devil | 1 | 0 | 0 |
The deadliest
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, April 3, 1974Moved from northwest of Elizabethtown, doing damage on the north side of town. Moving into Nelson County, produced significant damage near Cox's Creek where the Whitney Horse Farm was damaged, crossing Lilly Pike where several homes, barns, and trailers were demolished, across…
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, December 10 to 11, 2021On the evening of Friday, December 10, 2021, a potent storm system moving across the central United States resulted in significant long-track tornadoes.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Kentucky, July 27 to 30, 2022Between July 25th and July 30th, 2022, several complexes of training thunderstorms developed south of I-64 and brought heavy rain, deadly flash flooding, and devastating river flooding to eastern Kentucky and central Appalachia.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, December 10 to 11, 2021Strong southern winds brought warm temperatures and plenty of moisture into an environment of strong wind shear ahead of an advancing cold front.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, May 16 to 17, 2025Eastern Kentucky experienced multiple rounds of severe weather from May 16th into the early morning hours of May 17th.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, March 2 to 3, 2012During the afternoon and evening hours of March 2nd, 2012, an historic tornado outbreak occurred in eastern Kentucky. Tornadoes struck Menifee, Morgan, Bath, Wolfe, Laurel, Johnson and Martin Counties causing a combined 16 deaths in those counties.
- Ice Storm in Kentucky, January 26 to 28, 2009This historic, prolonged ice storm was called the biggest disaster in modern Kentucky history by the governor of Kentucky. The storm produced at least one inch of ice across western Kentucky.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, April 27, 1971
- Winter Storm in Kentucky, January 24 to 25, 2026A major winter storm produced heavy snow and sleet across portions of northern and central Kentucky January 24-26, 2026. In addition, portions of central and eastern Kentucky saw heavy ice accumulation, which resulted in thousands of power outages.
- Winter Storm in Kentucky, January 27 to 28, 2009A prolonged ice and snow storm began around just after midnight Tuesday January 27 and continued through 11 am Wednesday January 28.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, February 15 to 17, 2025A strong storm system moved across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys on February 15th and 16th, 2025, bringing heavy rainfall and flooding, severe weather, and winter weather to central Kentucky.
- Cold in Kentucky, February 15 to 20, 2015An arctic outbreak brought frigid air to central Kentucky, which not only resulted in one of the heaviest snowfalls in a decade for the state, but led to several hypothermia fatalities as well.
- Flood in Kentucky, March 1 to 6, 1997Persistent heavy rainfall occurred for nearly 36 hours on the 1st and 2nd. Up to 12 inches of rain fell across parts of Northern Kentucky bringing the Licking river at Falmouth out of it's banks.
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, April 23, 1968
- Flood and Strong Wind in Kentucky, April 29, 2020An intense area of low pressure moved into the lower Great Lakes region early this day, subsequently producing gusty south to southwest winds across much of eastern Kentucky during the late morning to early afternoon.
- Tornadoes and Flood in Kentucky, March 2, 2012Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon in a high wind shear environment ahead of a strengthening low pressure system. Many of these storms became severe, with large hail, damaging thunderstorm winds, and tornadoes all being the main threats.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, February 5 to 6, 2008A cold front along with a strong upper level low produced a squall line that crossed central Kentucky. This set off widespread severe weather, and spawned several tornadoes.
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, May 1 to 16, 2010A stalled cold front over the Mississippi Valley spawned thunderstorms producing heavy rain from northern Mississippi through middle Tennessee and central Kentucky into southern Indiana.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Kentucky, July 13, 2015Round one of what would be three rounds of severe weather inside of a 36 hour period began during the early afternoon hours as a thunderstorm complex raced southeastward across eastern Kentucky.
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Kentucky, September 22 to 23, 2006Some streets were flooded. Some were closed and impassable.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, February 24 to 25, 2011A powerful mid-level shortwave trough ejected east-northeast across the southern Plains, reaching the lower and mid Mississippi Valley during the night.
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Kentucky, July 17 to 18, 2010An isolated severe thunderstorm blew down trees in Montgomery county during the predawn hours of July 17th. The more significant event, however, occurred during the later afternoon and evening hours in Pike county.
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, April 2 to 6, 2025On the night of April 2nd, 2025, a cold front approached the lower Ohio Valley. Along and ahead of the cold front, numerous supercells developed over southern Illinois and western Kentucky.
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Kentucky, May 27 to 28, 2004Several trees were knocked down.
- Flash Flooding and Flood in Kentucky, June 25 to 28, 2026Multiple rounds of storms occurred June 26-28th, 2026 resulting in significant flash flooding over southern Indiana and central Kentucky as well as an EF-0 tornado.
The costliest
- Hail in Kentucky, April 16, 1998
- Ice Storm in Kentucky, January 26 to 28, 2009
- Wildfire and High Wind in Kentucky, September 14, 2008
- Drought in Kentucky, September 1 to 30, 1999
- Flooding in Kentucky, March 2 to 15, 1997
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, March 2 to 3, 2012
- Tornadoes in Kentucky, May 28, 1996
- Flood in Kentucky, March 1 to 3, 1997
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, May 18, 1995
- Drought in Kentucky, September 1 to 30, 2002
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, May 14, 1995
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, April 3, 1974
- Tornado in Kentucky, January 3, 2000
- High Wind in Kentucky, September 14, 2008
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kentucky, May 18, 1993
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, May 23 to 24, 2000
- Drought in Kentucky, September 1 to 30, 2007
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Kentucky, August 4, 2009
- Flash Flood in Kentucky, March 1, 1997
- Tornadoes in Kentucky, April 2, 2006
- Flood in Kentucky, March 1 to 6, 1997
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, May 30 to 31, 2004
- Frost and Freeze in Kentucky, April 8, 2007
- Flooding in Kentucky, May 1 to 31, 2011
- Hail in Kentucky, May 1, 2002
Counties
Every storm event filed in each county, including the zone-filed ones that covered it.
- Adair County291
- Allen County260
- Anderson County243
- Ballard County804
- Barren County381
- Bath County435
- Bell County532
- Boone County558
- Bourbon County279
- Boyd County453
- Boyle County220
- Bracken County278
- Breathitt County830
- Breckinridge County403
- Bullitt County372
- Butler County367
- Caldwell County617
- Calloway County892
- Campbell County378
- Carlisle County668
- Carroll County253
- Carter County403
- Casey County286
- Christian County1,057
- Clark County242
- Clay County439
- Clinton County203
- Crittenden County631
- Cumberland County180
- Daviess County1,034
- Edmonson County259
- Elliott County255
- Estill County594
- Fayette County554
- Fleming County364
- Floyd County744
- Franklin County310
- Fulton County685
- Gallatin County280
- Garrard County224
- Grant County320
- Graves County892
- Grayson County361
- Green County260
- Greenup County517
- Hancock County228
- Hardin County543
- Harlan County509
- Harrison County244
- Hart County342
- Henderson County881
- Henry County269
- Hickman County650
- Hopkins County816
- Jackson County430
- Jefferson County1,264
- Jessamine County232
- Johnson County453
- Kenton County401
- Knott County313
- Knox County398
- Larue County250
- Laurel County720
- Lawrence County400
- Lee County431
- Leslie County481
- Letcher County557
- Lewis County313
- Lincoln County247
- Livingston County699
- Logan County382
- Lyon County573
- Madison County459
- Magoffin County433
- Marion County255
- Marshall County830
- Martin County336
- Mason County363
- McCracken County1,031
- McCreary County410
- McLean County631
- Meade County330
- Menifee County334
- Mercer County249
- Metcalfe County217
- Monroe County199
- Montgomery County431
- Morgan County543
- Muhlenberg County845
- Nelson County411
- Nicholas County185
- Ohio County402
- Oldham County383
- Owen County330
- Owsley County328
- Pendleton County315
- Perry County592
- Pike County990
- Powell County543
- Pulaski County900
- Robertson County131
- Rockcastle County437
- Rowan County429
- Russell County227
- Scott County344
- Shelby County376
- Simpson County285
- Spencer County211
- Taylor County391
- Todd County677
- Trigg County718
- Trimble County196
- Union County777
- Warren County629
- Washington County202
- Wayne County406
- Webster County667
- Whitley County595
- Wolfe County430
- Woodford County221
Counties and zones as filed
The places filed most often, as the offices named them.
| County or zone | Events | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson | 1,188 | 12 | 259 | $79 million |
| Pulaski | 761 | 7 | 66 | $18 million |
| Pike | 742 | 7 | 6 | $14 million |
| Christian | 635 | 1 | 93 | $107 million |
| Laurel | 590 | 25 | 108 | $70 million |
| Warren | 586 | 20 | 120 | $521 million |
| Breathitt | 566 | 14 | 9 | $3.1 million |
| Daviess | 556 | 1 | 42 | $96 million |
| Floyd | 543 | 1 | 6 | $12 million |
| McCracken | 530 | 2 | 34 | $44 million |
| Henderson zone | 504 | 4 | 15 | $47 million |
| McCracken zone | 501 | 4 | 115 | $52 million |
| Union zone | 499 | 1 | 0 | $29 million |
| Ballard zone | 491 | 0 | 1 | $127 million |
| Fayette | 488 | 4 | 41 | $101 million |
| Hardin | 482 | 4 | 130 | $70 million |
| Whitley | 479 | 4 | 9 | $6.7 million |
| Daviess zone | 478 | 4 | 62 | $62 million |
| Crittenden zone | 475 | 0 | 0 | $31 million |
| Livingston zone | 471 | 2 | 0 | $30 million |
| Calloway | 466 | 3 | 44 | $19 million |
| Estill | 457 | 1 | 40 | $4.9 million |
| Fulton zone | 453 | 2 | 8 | $26 million |
| Hopkins zone | 453 | 2 | 30 | $50 million |
| Carlisle zone | 451 | 0 | 0 | $29 million |
| Muhlenberg zone | 449 | 0 | 15 | $42 million |
| Hickman zone | 448 | 0 | 3 | $25 million |
| Graves | 447 | 27 | 229 | $18 million |
| Webster zone | 447 | 4 | 0 | $35 million |
| McLean zone | 446 | 1 | 0 | $33 million |
| Graves zone | 445 | 2 | 13 | $49 million |
| Marshall zone | 445 | 5 | 15 | $41 million |
| Caldwell zone | 438 | 0 | 8 | $29 million |
| Lyon zone | 427 | 5 | 5 | $26 million |
| Calloway zone | 426 | 2 | 7 | $29 million |
| Christian zone | 422 | 5 | 63 | $32 million |
| Trigg zone | 416 | 2 | 4 | $27 million |
| Madison | 410 | 19 | 66 | $41 million |
| Todd zone | 402 | 1 | 0 | $19 million |
| Muhlenberg | 396 | 15 | 63 | $36 million |
| Perry | 387 | 7 | 2 | $2.5 million |
| Marshall | 385 | 9 | 116 | $30 million |
| Boone | 383 | 0 | 63 | $10 million |
| Powell | 381 | 1 | 4 | $8.4 million |
| Henderson | 377 | 2 | 27 | $41 million |
| Bell | 374 | 1 | 17 | $32 million |
| Morgan | 372 | 6 | 83 | $77 million |
| Hopkins | 363 | 17 | 267 | $44 million |
| Breckinridge | 353 | 2 | 22 | $5.8 million |
| Logan | 352 | 4 | 25 | $9.1 million |
| Taylor | 348 | 1 | 97 | $4.5 million |
| Barren | 346 | 5 | 57 | $26 million |
| Ohio | 342 | 1 | 2 | $9.5 million |
| Greenup | 340 | 2 | 6 | $19 million |
| Nelson | 338 | 8 | 32 | $2.5 million |
| Clay | 333 | 3 | 2 | $4.3 million |
| Rockcastle | 333 | 1 | 11 | $10.0 million |
| Leslie | 333 | 2 | 0 | $2.0 million |
| Oldham | 332 | 0 | 8 | $4.4 million |
| Shelby | 329 | 3 | 8 | $38 million |
| Bath | 325 | 7 | 1 | $3.3 million |
| Montgomery | 323 | 1 | 9 | $7.6 million |
| Johnson | 323 | 6 | 24 | $18 million |
| Bullitt | 319 | 2 | 25 | $103 million |
| Grayson | 315 | 3 | 26 | $57 million |
| Ballard | 313 | 1 | 17 | $9.0 million |
| Wayne | 312 | 4 | 62 | $30 million |
| McCreary | 310 | 2 | 25 | $3.9 million |
| Jackson | 309 | 0 | 3 | $1.3 million |
| Magoffin | 305 | 0 | 30 | $27 million |
| Trigg | 302 | 0 | 0 | $9.4 million |
| Butler | 300 | 1 | 1 | $4.0 million |
| Scott | 297 | 1 | 70 | $9.5 million |
| Hart | 296 | 3 | 27 | $7.2 million |
| Harlan | 294 | 2 | 3 | $8.6 million |
| Knox | 291 | 1 | 6 | $7.6 million |
| Wolfe | 289 | 0 | 0 | $8.2 million |
| Letcher | 285 | 3 | 0 | $5.5 million |
| Meade | 284 | 31 | 293 | $6.1 million |
| Rowan | 283 | 3 | 14 | $3.2 million |
| Lee | 281 | 1 | 25 | $4.3 million |
| Union | 278 | 1 | 23 | $24 million |
| Kenton | 275 | 4 | 11 | $26 million |
| Todd | 275 | 0 | 12 | $16 million |
| Boyd | 272 | 0 | 1 | $13 million |
| Letcher zone | 272 | 0 | 5 | $319,000 |
| Breathitt zone | 264 | 2 | 0 | $5.9 million |
| Fleming | 259 | 0 | 8 | $5.9 million |
| Simpson | 258 | 5 | 25 | $9.2 million |
| Adair | 255 | 7 | 71 | $12 million |
| Campbell | 253 | 1 | 50 | $2.4 million |
| Franklin | 252 | 9 | 86 | $15 million |
| Casey | 249 | 1 | 3 | $12 million |
| Pike zone | 248 | 2 | 3 | $12 million |
| Mason | 246 | 1 | 7 | $8.6 million |
| Owen | 243 | 4 | 6 | $3.4 million |
| Lawrence | 236 | 2 | 13 | $8.8 million |
| Allen | 234 | 7 | 12 | $2.6 million |
| Fulton | 232 | 2 | 11 | $7.6 million |
| Carter | 229 | 4 | 3 | $27 million |
| Livingston | 228 | 0 | 10 | $7.6 million |
| Menifee | 226 | 3 | 31 | $7.6 million |
| Pendleton | 224 | 6 | 358 | $39 million |
| Edmonson | 223 | 1 | 7 | $1.1 million |
| Green | 223 | 0 | 4 | $5.3 million |
| Henry | 222 | 1 | 46 | $7.0 million |
| Webster | 220 | 2 | 40 | $29 million |
| Carlisle | 217 | 1 | 3 | $6.7 million |
| Grant | 217 | 1 | 1 | $3.0 million |
| Marion | 216 | 1 | 7 | $7.1 million |
| Harlan zone | 215 | 0 | 0 | $690,000 |
| Bourbon | 214 | 3 | 4 | $2.6 million |
| Martin | 211 | 0 | 4 | $2.8 million |
| Larue | 207 | 1 | 28 | $5.7 million |
| Lewis | 207 | 4 | 22 | $18 million |
| Lincoln | 207 | 1 | 75 | $5.0 million |
| Perry zone | 205 | 0 | 0 | $1.0 million |
| Hickman | 202 | 4 | 6 | $3.2 million |
| Mercer | 201 | 2 | 17 | $23 million |
| Floyd zone | 201 | 3 | 4 | $8.3 million |
| Russell | 199 | 2 | 74 | $4.7 million |
| Clark | 198 | 0 | 17 | $53 million |
| Anderson | 197 | 0 | 13 | $7.0 million |
| Harrison | 194 | 0 | 31 | $4.0 million |
| Owsley | 194 | 0 | 0 | $886,000 |
| Metcalfe | 193 | 3 | 9 | $9.8 million |
| Bracken | 191 | 4 | 11 | $5.0 million |
| Knott | 190 | 16 | 0 | $2.1 million |
| Jessamine | 187 | 4 | 34 | $2.6 million |
| McLean | 185 | 1 | 2 | $8.0 million |
| Hancock | 183 | 0 | 1 | $613,000 |
| Greenup zone | 183 | 0 | 1 | $6.9 million |
| Boyd zone | 181 | 4 | 70 | $4.1 million |
| Garrard | 180 | 0 | 4 | $3.7 million |
| Caldwell | 179 | 7 | 24 | $5.7 million |
| Carroll | 178 | 1 | 18 | $8.0 million |
| Woodford | 178 | 0 | 3 | $2.2 million |
| Boyle | 177 | 1 | 45 | $2.3 million |
| Clinton | 175 | 9 | 68 | $1.6 million |
| Monroe | 175 | 1 | 0 | $6.1 million |
| Boone zone | 175 | 3 | 0 | $14 million |
| Carter zone | 174 | 1 | 0 | $6.5 million |
| Morgan zone | 171 | 0 | 0 | $4.3 million |
| Spencer | 168 | 1 | 1 | $3.4 million |
| Gallatin | 164 | 3 | 22 | $1.4 million |
| Lawrence zone | 164 | 1 | 0 | $1.6 million |
| Washington | 163 | 3 | 24 | $1.3 million |
| Powell zone | 162 | 2 | 21 | $8.8 million |
| Bell zone | 158 | 1 | 0 | $28 million |
| Crittenden | 156 | 1 | 10 | $8.1 million |
Every year
- 2026
- 2025
- 2024
- 2023
- 2022
- 2021
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
- 2010
- 2009
- 2008
- 2007
- 2006
- 2005
- 2004
- 2003
- 2002
- 2001
- 2000
- 1999
- 1998
- 1997
- 1996
- 1995
- 1994
- 1993
- 1992
- 1991
- 1990
- 1989
- 1988
- 1987
- 1986
- 1985
- 1984
- 1983
- 1982
- 1981
- 1980
- 1979
- 1978
- 1977
- 1976
- 1975
- 1974
- 1973
- 1972
- 1971
- 1970
- 1969
- 1968
- 1967
- 1966
- 1965
- 1964
- 1963
- 1962
- 1961
- 1960
- 1959
- 1958
- 1957
- 1956
- 1955
- 1954
- 1952
- 1951
- 1950
More
Every tornado in KentuckyEvery warning in Kentucky since 1986River gauges in KentuckyEvery state
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.