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Hopkins County, Kentucky severe weather history spans 357 recorded events between 1956 and 2025. The dominant hazard is thunderstorm wind, accounting for 38.7% of all recorded events. It ranks #1,443 nationally and #26 in Kentucky.
357
Recorded events
17
Direct deaths
267
Direct injuries
$43.5M
Property damage
The record
What the Hopkins County, Kentucky severe weather history record shows
Across the archive, Hopkins County, Kentucky severe weather history averages 5.2 recorded events a year. The busiest stretch on record is the 2010s, with 122 events logged in that decade alone. Roughly 44 events fall before 1990 and 313 from 1990 onward — a gap that reflects the expansion of NOAA reporting practice as much as the weather itself.
The deadliest hazard in the Hopkins County, Kentucky record is tornado, responsible for 16 direct deaths. The costliest is tornado, with $39.4M in reported property damage. In total, 8 distinct hazard types appear in this county archive, each listed with its own dated record below.
By hazard type
Every hazard type recorded in Hopkins County
| Hazard | Events | Deaths | Damage | Max | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 138 | 0 | $1.4M | 87 | 1958–2025 |
| Hail | 86 | 0 | $106K | 2.75 | 1959–2025 |
| Flash Flood | 34 | 0 | $1.6M | 0 | 1997–2025 |
| Flood | 33 | 0 | $932K | 0 | 1997–2025 |
| Funnel Cloud | 24 | 0 | $0 | 0 | 2004–2019 |
| Tornado | 20 | 16 | $39.4M | F4 | 1956–2024 |
| Heavy Rain | 18 | 0 | $10K | 0 | 2004–2015 |
| Lightning | 4 | 1 | $13K | 0 | 2009–2022 |
Decade by decade
Hopkins County, Kentucky severe weather history by decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
Tornado tracks
Paths crossing this county
23 mapped tornado paths intersect this county: 15 touched down inside it and 8 crossed in from a neighbouring county. This comes from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
| Date | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Path length | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-10 | EF4 | 57 | 515 | 168.5 mi | Crossed in |
| 2005-11-15 | EF4 | 0 | 40 | 15.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2024-05-26 | EF3 | 1 | 21 | 34.1 mi | Crossed in |
| 2013-11-17 | EF3 | 0 | 1 | 8.2 mi | Touched down here |
| 2009-04-10 | EF3 | 0 | 2 | 2.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 2002-04-28 | EF3 | 0 | 26 | 22.0 mi | Crossed in |
| 1961-05-07 | EF3 | 0 | 3 | 58.0 mi | Touched down here |
| 2011-09-25 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 mi | Touched down here |
| 2007-10-18 | EF2 | 0 | 1 | 1.9 mi | Crossed in |
| 2004-05-30 | EF2 | 0 | 0 | 7.0 mi | Touched down here |
Significant events
Deadliest events on record in Hopkins County
| Date | Type | Location | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 11, 2021 | Tornado | DAWSON SPGS | 15 | 200 | $0 |
| May 27, 2024 | Tornado | OLNEY | 1 | 17 | $2.7M |
| Jul 2, 2022 | Lightning | MADISONVILLE | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Nov 15, 2005 | Tornado | EARLINGTON | 0 | 40 | $31.0M |
| May 7, 1961 | Tornado | 0 | 3 | $2.5M | |
| Feb 27, 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | ANTON | 0 | 2 | $80K |
| Nov 17, 2013 | Tornado | ROMNEY | 0 | 1 | $700K |
| Jun 3, 2009 | Lightning | MADISONVILLE | 0 | 1 | $0 |
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
An EF-3 tornado, which began northeast of Eddyville in Lyon County, crossed through the entirety of Caldwell County, then entered Hopkins County east of White School Rd. The tornado intensified and widened to its peak width of 700 yds destroying several mobile homes and wood and brick frame structures as it approached and moved just south of the Charleston community in western Hopkins County. It continued eastward just north of I-69 destroying more mobile homes and at least one more permanent residence. Two mobile homes were destroyed just north of Morton's Gap with a vehicle also flipped before the path abruptly ended just west of I-69. Widespread significant tree damage was noted along the path. A few dozen buildings were either destroyed or sustained major damage along the path with another few dozen structures sustaining damage. In Hopkins County, 17 people were injured, with 1 person (48f, direct) north of Dawson Springs dying as a result of the tornado. Peak winds with this tornado were estimated at 160 mph.
This violent tornado reached its peak intensity on the north side of Earlington, near the beginning of its track. Peak winds there were estimated near 220 MPH. Several houses in this area, on either side of U.S. Highway 41, were levelled. Large oak trees were reduced to nubs, and the ground was scoured to bare dirt. A steel beam was carried some distance and became wedged against trees and other debris. 24 people were treated for injuries at a local hospital, and three of the injuries were critical. About 151 homes and buildings were destroyed, 67 suffered major damage, and 303 received minor damage. Damage indications, as well as eyewitness accounts, indicate the occurrence of multiple vortices near Earlington. The tornado continued northeast and weakened, crossing the Pennyrile Parkway at mile marker 41. The tornado lifted less than a mile from the Mclean County border. The average path width was 525 yards. The tornado was close to a half mile wide in places.
The tornado crossed into Hopkins County just west-northwest of Nebo, and finally lifted after moving through Hanson. The tornado was rated at F-3 intensity in the Nebo area, where four chicken houses were blown off their foundations. About 45,000 chickens were left in the debris. Damage to one chicken facility was estimated between one and two million dollars. The tornado weakened as it progressed across the county. About 10 to 15 residences were significantly damaged.
Context
Risk, population and federal disasters
Relatively Low
FEMA NRI risk rating
45,119
Population (ACS)
$143K
Median home value
30
Federal declarations
| Declared | Incident | Title | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | SEVERE WINTER STORM | EM |
| Apr 24, 2025 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR |
| Apr 3, 2025 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, AND FLOODING | EM |
| Feb 24, 2025 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR |
| Feb 16, 2025 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, FLOODING, AND LANDSLIDES | EM |
| Jul 23, 2024 | Severe Storm | SEVERE STORMS, STRAIGHT-LINE WINDS, TORNADOES, LANDSLIDES, AND MUDSLIDES | DR |
Within the county
Most affected places
- Madisonville 144
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events have been recorded in Hopkins County, Kentucky?
357 events are on record between 1956 and 2025, causing 17 direct deaths and $43.5M in property damage.
What is the most common severe weather hazard in Hopkins County?
Thunderstorm Wind, with 138 recorded events — 38.7% of everything in the archive for this county.
How many tornadoes have crossed Hopkins County?
23 mapped tornado paths intersect the county boundary; 15 of them touched down inside it. This is derived from path geometry, not county-tagged reports.
How many federal disaster declarations cover Hopkins County?
30 federal disaster declarations from FEMA include Hopkins County, each tied to a specific incident period.
How risky is Hopkins County compared with the rest of the country?
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Hopkins County as relatively low risk, placing it in the 73 percentile of its state for expected annual loss.
Where does the Hopkins County, Kentucky severe weather history data come from?
Every figure is drawn from United States federal public-domain records: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events for the event archive, NOAA SPC SVRGIS for mapped tornado paths, FEMA for disaster declarations and risk ratings, and the U.S. Census for population context. Dates are shown in UTC and recent entries may still be revised by NOAA.
Nearby
Neighbouring counties
- Hickman County 201
- Jackson County 308
- Henry County 214
- Jefferson County 1,158
- Henderson County 373
- Jessamine County 177
Cite this page
“Hopkins County, Kentucky.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kentucky/hopkins-county/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.