Excessive Heat in Kentucky

Events

613

Deaths

2

Injuries

75

Damage

None recorded

• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, August 9 to 15, 201049 injured · 22 eventsA strong and very persistent high in the upper levels of the atmosphere was responsible for seven consecutive days of heat indices at or above 105 degrees.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, July 4 to 8, 202223 injured · 22 eventsA prolonged heat wave gripped most of western Kentucky for several days. From the 4th to the 8th, peak afternoon heat indices ranged from 103 to 119 degrees.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, August 3 to 4, 20101 death · 22 eventsExcessively high heat indices were recorded in the late morning and afternoon hours of both the 3rd and 4th. On the 3rd, the heat index peaked at 115 degrees at the Paducah airport, 118 at the Owensboro airport, and 112 degrees at the Fort Campbell airfield near Hopkinsville.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, May 21, 20111 death · 1 injured · 1 eventThe temperatures reached into the mid 80s during the afternoon of May 21 with a high temperature of 87. A child left in a car for an unknown number of hours died from the heat.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Kentucky, July 19 to 24, 20115 injured · 32 eventsA large and strong high in the upper levels of the atmosphere drifted slowly east from the central Plains across the Lower Ohio Valley.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Kentucky, July 1 to 5, 201844 eventsThe prolonged period of hazardous heat and humidity that began on June 29th persisted through the first several days of July. The most dangerous heat index values occurred on July 5th, when afternoon heat indices peaked from 110 to 115 degrees.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Kentucky, August 1 to 3, 20111 injured · 31 eventsA large and strong high in the upper levels of the atmosphere remained centered over the south central United States. The strength and size of the high brought excessive heat as far northeast as the Lower Ohio Valley and Mid-Mississippi Valley.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, August 4, 201032 eventsA large area of high pressure, both at the surface and aloft, brought record breaking heat to eastern Kentucky during the afternoon and evening hours of August 4th. High temperatures across the area were between 95 and 100 degrees for numerous locations.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, July 10 to 12, 20111 injured · 22 eventsHigh pressure in the middle and upper levels of the atmosphere expanded east-northeast from the southern Plains. As this high expanded across the Lower Ohio Valley, it brought a few days of excessive heat and humidity.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Kentucky, August 14 to 19, 202529 eventsBroad high pressure over the middle Mississippi River Valley resulted in temperatures surging to the mid-to-upper 90s with dew points in the mid 70s, yielding heat indices around 105-110 mainly from the 16th-19th in Western Kentucky with some locally higher values, mainly in the…
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Kentucky, July 22 to 30, 202529 eventsAn extended heat wave across the Quad State region occurred from mid to late July. On the synoptic scale, at 500mb, a 594dam ridge was present across the Southeast U.S., with the ridge building northward to include the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes by July 22nd-23rd.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Kentucky, July 10 to 14, 201828 eventsSeveral days of oppressive heat and humidity were experienced across parts of west Kentucky. The extreme western end of the state was impacted the most. From Paducah south and west, heat indices peaked in the triple digits on five consecutive days.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Kentucky, July 27 to 29, 202327 eventsA heat wave brought three consecutive days of heat indices near or above 105 degrees. Excessive heat occurred over the Henderson/Owensboro region on the afternoons of the 27th and 28th, when heat indices peaked mostly from 109 to 115 degrees.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Kentucky, July 16 to 22, 202527 eventsAn extended heat wave across the Quad State region occurred from mid to late July. On the synoptic scale, at 500mb, a 594dam ridge was present across the Southeast U.S., with the ridge building northward to include the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes by July 22nd-23rd.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Kentucky, July 29 to 31, 202426 eventsFar Western Southwest Kentucky reached heat indices of 103-108F on the 29th, with more widespread heat indices of 105-117F throughout Western Kentucky on the 30th and 31st, extending into the start of August. Dew points reached the upper 70s on the 30th and 31st.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, August 12, 201023 eventsStrong high pressure continued to bring very hot and humid weather to eastern Kentucky during the afternoon and early evening hours of August 12th. High temperatures for numerous counties reached 93 to 98 degrees, with heat index values at or above 100 degrees.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Kentucky, July 3 to 4, 202423 eventsHeat indices of 105-115F were reached in much of Southwest Kentucky on the 3rd and 4th. Strong moisture advection raised dew points to the mid 70s to lower 80s both days.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, July 1 to 8, 201222 eventsThe historic heat wave that began in late June continued into July. This heat was comparable to the intense heat experienced in the 1930's. The high temperature reached or exceeded 100 degrees on 9 out of 10 days going back to June 28 and ending on July 7.
• Excessive Heat and Heat in Kentucky, June 28 to 30, 201222 eventsThis stretch of heat was the beginning of an historic heat wave comparable to the intense heat experienced in the 1930's. The high temperature exceeded 100 degrees on the final three consecutive days of the month. At Paducah, a record high of 105 degrees was set on the 28th.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, July 18 to 19, 201222 eventsHigh temperatures once again climbed over the 100-degree mark after being in the 90's for about ten days. The high at Paducah was 101 on the 18th and 19th. The high on the 18th broke the daily record by one degree. Overnight lows were in the mid 70's.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, July 27 to 29, 201522 eventsAfternoon heat indices peaked from around 105 to 115 degrees on three consecutive days. On the 27th, heat indices topped out around 105. The peak heat index on the following two days was around 110.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, July 21 to 23, 201722 eventsA large upper-level high resulted in two to three days of dangerously high heat indices from 105 to 115 degrees. The large high in the upper levels of the atmosphere expanded over much of the southern two-thirds of the United States for a few days.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, July 20, 202222 eventsHeat indices topped 110 degrees across most of western Kentucky in the afternoon. Peak heat indices ranged from 109 at Marion to 113 at Paducah and 115 at Henderson. A hot and humid southwest wind flow ahead of a cold front brought temperatures up to the mid 90's.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, June 12 to 16, 202222 eventsA strong upper level ridge of high pressure developed across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, producing a record-breaking early season heat wave. Low temperatures in the lower 80's were observed in several locations, setting monthly records.
• Excessive Heat in Kentucky, June 29 to 30, 202322 eventsExcessive heat and humidity invaded western Kentucky for the first time in the 2023 summer season. Peak heat indices ranged from 115 to 120 degrees at most locations on the 30th. On the 29th, thunderstorms kept most areas east of Kentucky Lake relatively cool.

Excessive Heat 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.