4,487
Recorded events
120
Counties affected
106
Direct deaths
$284.3M
Property damage
Kentucky flash flood history: 4,487 recorded events across 120 counties between 1996 and 2026.
Decade by decade
Kentucky flash flood history by decade
The 2010s are the busiest decade on record with 1,534 reported flash flood events across Kentucky. Earlier decades are thinner because systematic reporting for this hazard expanded over time, not because the weather was calmer.
County ranking
Counties with the most flash flood events in Kentucky
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Jefferson County | 166 | 1 | $47.5M | 1997–2026 |
| #2 | Pike County | 137 | 3 | $12.1M | 1996–2025 |
| #3 | Floyd County | 112 | 0 | $10.7M | 1996–2025 |
| #4 | Whitley County | 92 | 3 | $332K | 1996–2024 |
| #5 | Breathitt County | 80 | 10 | $1.1M | 1996–2025 |
| #6 | McCracken County | 73 | 0 | $3.7M | 1996–2025 |
| #7 | Estill County | 64 | 1 | $146K | 1996–2025 |
| #8 | Powell County | 62 | 0 | $3.8M | 1996–2022 |
| #9 | Madison County | 61 | 3 | $1.2M | 1997–2025 |
| #10 | Bell County | 61 | 0 | $178K | 1996–2024 |
| #11 | Calloway County | 60 | 0 | $4.5M | 1997–2025 |
| #12 | Laurel County | 59 | 0 | $301K | 1996–2024 |
| #13 | Pulaski County | 57 | 0 | $246K | 1996–2022 |
| #14 | Hardin County | 57 | 1 | $923K | 1997–2025 |
| #15 | Warren County | 55 | 1 | $50K | 1996–2025 |
| #16 | Perry County | 55 | 7 | $1.6M | 1996–2022 |
| #17 | Simpson County | 53 | 0 | $20K | 1997–2026 |
| #18 | Knox County | 53 | 1 | $4.1M | 1996–2021 |
| #19 | Scott County | 53 | 1 | $2.5M | 1996–2025 |
| #20 | Lewis County | 51 | 4 | $11.5M | 1996–2025 |
| #21 | Daviess County | 50 | 1 | $672K | 1996–2025 |
| #22 | Montgomery County | 49 | 1 | $352K | 1996–2025 |
| #23 | Fayette County | 49 | 2 | $1.2M | 1996–2025 |
| #24 | Letcher County | 49 | 3 | $1.9M | 1996–2022 |
| #25 | Johnson County | 48 | 4 | $7.1M | 1998–2025 |
Significant events
Deadliest flash flood events in Kentucky
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 28, 2022 | Knott County | — | 16 | 0 |
| Jul 28, 2022 | Breathitt County | — | 10 | 0 |
| Jul 28, 2022 | Perry County | — | 6 | 0 |
| May 28, 2004 | Lewis County | — | 4 | 0 |
| Feb 25, 2011 | Hickman County | — | 4 | 0 |
| Jul 13, 2015 | Johnson County | — | 4 | 15 |
| Jul 28, 2022 | Clay County | — | 3 | 0 |
| Jul 28, 2022 | Letcher County | — | 3 | 0 |
| Feb 21, 2014 | Whitley County | — | 3 | 0 |
| Aug 4, 2001 | Pike County | — | 2 | 0 |