Drought in Kentucky

Events

1,021

Deaths

0

Injuries

0

Damage

$272 million

• Drought in Kentucky, September 1 to 30, 1999$154 million · 22 eventsThe severe summer drought took a major toll on crops and plants across West Kentucky. Rainfall at Paducah for the three-month period from July through September was about an inch and a half. This compares to a 3-month average of around 10 inches.
• Drought in Kentucky, September 1 to 30, 2002$70 million · 22 eventsA prolonged summer drought gradually worsened, becoming severe in early September. Many parts of western Kentucky received no measurable rainfall through the first two weeks of September.
• Drought in Kentucky, September 1 to 30, 2007$48 million · 22 eventsSevere to extreme drought conditions persisted across western Kentucky through September. The persistent 500 mb high over the southeast and south central U.S. started to break down at times, allowing an increase in rainfall. At Paducah, monthly rainfall was 1.99 inches.
• Drought in Kentucky, October 1 to 29, 201927 eventsLate summer and early fall heat combined with persistent dry weather led to increasing drought intensity across eastern Kentucky. This dry period contributed to a 7 day stretch of temperatures in the 90s from September 27th through October 3rd.
• Drought in Kentucky, November 8 to 30, 201626 eventsAn abnormally dry start to the autumn season in September and October continued through the majority of November.
• Drought in Kentucky, August 15 to 31, 199622 eventsThe drought severity index showed extreme drought conditions over much of western Kentucky during the last week of August. The National Weather Service office in Paducah recorded the driest August ever. August of 1996 was the second driest month since 1962.
• Drought in Kentucky, September 1 to 30, 199822 eventsSeptember, 1998 was the driest September on record at Paducah, where rainfall for the month totalled only 0.12 inch. The dry weather was very costly to farmers of certain crops, especially soybean farmers.
• Drought in Kentucky, August 1 to 31, 199922 eventsAfter one of the wettest Junes on record, the rest of the summer was extremely dry. By the end of August, Western Kentucky was in a severe drought, according to the Palmer Drought Index.
• Drought in Kentucky, November 1 to 30, 199922 eventsThe unseasonably warm and dry fall allowed drought conditions to worsen. The Palmer Drought Index fell into the severe category during the month. Total rainfall for the month of November at Paducah was 0.90 inches, which is 3.42 inches below normal.
• Drought in Kentucky, October 1 to 31, 199922 eventsThe severe summer-long drought was greatly alleviated by heavy rain on October 8th and 9th. During a 36-hour period, anywhere from 3 to 6 inches of rain soaked the ground.
• Drought in Kentucky, December 1 to 31, 199922 eventsWestern Kentucky continued to flirt with severe drought conditions into early winter. The Palmer Drought Index indicated severe drought conditions at the start of December.
• Drought in Kentucky, August 1 to 31, 200222 eventsModerate drought conditions developed over western Kentucky during August as a result of persistent dryness that began in June. At Paducah, total rainfall during the period from June 1 to August 31 was only 4.71 inches, well below the normal of 11.95 inches.
• Drought in Kentucky, September 22 to 30, 200422 eventsThis was the driest September on record for western Kentucky. At Paducah, the monthly rainfall was only 0.02 inch, which set a record not only for driest September but also for driest month. Lawns and fields turned brown.
• Drought in Kentucky, June 10 to 26, 200722 eventsBy mid-month, drought conditions were classified as severe for parts of western Kentucky. The severe drought classification was south of a line from Murray to Madisonville, including the Hopkinsville area.
• Drought in Kentucky, August 3 to 31, 200722 eventsSevere drought conditions near the Tennessee border at the start of the month overspread the remainder of western Kentucky. By the end of the month, the severe drought worsened to the extreme drought category for all but the Henderson/Owensboro area.
• Drought in Kentucky, December 1 to 31, 201022 eventsSevere drought lingered across parts of western Kentucky. This drought began during the summer, and a cold and dry December resulted in little improvement.
• Drought in Kentucky, November 1 to 30, 201022 eventsSevere drought continued across much of western Kentucky during the month of November. Widespread heavy rainfall on the 24th and 25th resulted in some improvement in drought conditions.
• Drought in Kentucky, October 1 to 31, 201022 eventsSevere drought expanded across all of western Kentucky during the month of October. A small area of extreme drought developed in a couple of counties near the Mississippi River.
• Drought in Kentucky, January 1 to 31, 201122 eventsSevere drought lingered across parts of western Kentucky. This drought began during the summer of 2010, and a cold and dry January resulted in little improvement. Only 1.14 inches of precipitation fell at Paducah in January, compared to a normal amount of almost 3.5 inches.
• Drought in Kentucky, October 1 to 31, 201222 eventsSlow improvement in long-term drought conditions occurred during the month of October. While the more active fall weather pattern resulted in more frontal passages in October, most locations still reported below normal precipitation for the month.
• Drought in Kentucky, July 1 to 31, 201222 eventsThe drought which began in May worsened considerably across western Kentucky as summer progressed. By the end of July, all of western Kentucky was upgraded to extreme to exceptional drought.
• Drought in Kentucky, June 1 to 30, 201222 eventsThe spring drought worsened considerably across western Kentucky as summer arrived. By the end of June, all of western Kentucky west of a line from Owensboro to Hopkinsville was upgraded to extreme drought. Severe drought spread across the remainder of western Kentucky.
• Drought in Kentucky, September 1 to 30, 201222 eventsSignificant improvement in drought conditions occurred during the month of September. Heavy rain from the remnants of Hurricane Isaac at the start of the month was a notable factor.
• Drought in Kentucky, August 1 to 31, 201222 eventsThe drought which began in May reached its most extreme stage by early August. Exceptional drought conditions persisted across far western Kentucky, west of a line from Henderson to Kentucky Lake.
• Drought in Kentucky, December 1 to 20, 201622 eventsAdditional rounds of widespread rainfall allowed for continued drought improvement across eastern Kentucky.

Drought everywhereEvery kind of event in Kentucky

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.