239
Recorded events
82
Counties affected
19
Direct deaths
$8.8M
Property damage
Kentucky lightning history: 239 recorded events across 82 counties between 1996 and 2025.
Decade by decade
Kentucky lightning history by decade
The 2010s are the busiest decade on record with 98 reported lightning 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 lightning events in Kentucky
| Rank | County | Events | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Jefferson County | 24 | 0 | $685K | 1996–2021 |
| #2 | Fayette County | 14 | 1 | $2.6M | 1996–2023 |
| #3 | McCracken County | 14 | 0 | $190K | 1998–2023 |
| #4 | Daviess County | 12 | 0 | $195K | 1996–2016 |
| #5 | Christian County | 9 | 0 | $162K | 1996–2019 |
| #6 | Pulaski County | 7 | 0 | $125K | 1996–2020 |
| #7 | Barren County | 6 | 1 | $125K | 2000–2022 |
| #8 | Laurel County | 6 | 0 | $212K | 1997–2024 |
| #9 | Calloway County | 5 | 1 | $20K | 1999–2019 |
| #10 | Scott County | 5 | 0 | $50K | 2008–2021 |
| #11 | Warren County | 4 | 0 | $200K | 2007–2019 |
| #12 | Boone County | 4 | 0 | $110K | 1996–2020 |
| #13 | Hopkins County | 4 | 1 | $13K | 2009–2022 |
| #14 | Shelby County | 4 | 2 | $15K | 2005–2021 |
| #15 | Hardin County | 4 | 1 | $401K | 2002–2025 |
| #16 | Oldham County | 4 | 0 | $208K | 1998–2012 |
| #17 | Madison County | 4 | 3 | $100K | 1996–2018 |
| #18 | Greenup County | 3 | 0 | $26K | 2011–2017 |
| #19 | Todd County | 3 | 0 | $45K | 2009–2023 |
| #20 | Henderson County | 3 | 0 | $21K | 2000–2011 |
| #21 | Boyd County | 3 | 0 | $20K | 2011–2015 |
| #22 | Graves County | 3 | 0 | $45K | 1997–2023 |
| #23 | Webster County | 3 | 0 | $100K | 2009–2012 |
| #24 | Logan County | 3 | 1 | $108K | 2010–2018 |
| #25 | Jessamine County | 3 | 2 | $30K | 2007–2020 |
Significant events
Deadliest lightning events in Kentucky
| Date | County | Scale | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 21, 2013 | Madison County | — | 2 | 3 |
| Aug 24, 2000 | Nelson County | — | 2 | 0 |
| Apr 5, 2025 | Casey County | — | 1 | 0 |
| May 26, 2006 | Fayette County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 27, 2010 | Hardin County | — | 1 | 2 |
| Jun 14, 2005 | Pendleton County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 2, 2022 | Hopkins County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 8, 2000 | Rowan County | — | 1 | 1 |
| May 2, 2007 | Jessamine County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 7, 2005 | Shelby County | — | 1 | 0 |