54,889
Recorded events
120
Counties covered
502
Direct deaths
$3.5B
Property damage
Kentucky severe weather history covers 54,889 recorded events across 120 counties between 1950 and 2026.
The Kentucky severe weather history record is dominated by thunderstorm wind, which accounts for 35.4% of everything logged statewide across 120 counties. Statewide, recorded events have caused 502 direct deaths since 1950.
By hazard type
Kentucky severe weather history by hazard
| Hazard | Events | Counties | Deaths | Damage | Span |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind | 19,430 | 120 | 25 | $338.2M | 1955–2026 |
| Hail | 6,595 | 120 | 0 | $620.8M | 1955–2026 |
| Flash Flood | 4,487 | 120 | 106 | $284.3M | 1996–2026 |
| Flood | 3,694 | 120 | 53 | $584.1M | 1996–2026 |
| Winter Weather | 3,167 | 0 | 6 | $1.6M | 1996–2026 |
| Heavy Snow | 2,262 | 0 | 7 | $11.5M | 1996–2026 |
| Winter Storm | 1,988 | 0 | 5 | $16.4M | 1996–2026 |
| Dense Fog | 1,869 | 0 | 0 | $70K | 1997–2026 |
| Strong Wind | 1,701 | 0 | 4 | $4.4M | 1999–2026 |
| Frost/Freeze | 1,690 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 1997–2025 |
| Tornado | 1,476 | 119 | 242 | $1.1B | 1950–2026 |
| Heat | 1,460 | 0 | 7 | $0 | 1997–2025 |
| Drought | 999 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 1996–2025 |
| High Wind | 834 | 0 | 5 | $173.4M | 1996–2025 |
| Heavy Rain | 739 | 103 | 1 | $970K | 1998–2025 |
| Ice Storm | 647 | 0 | 3 | $338.8M | 1996–2026 |
| Excessive Heat | 613 | 0 | 2 | $0 | 2000–2025 |
| Cold/Wind Chill | 437 | 0 | 12 | $318K | 1996–2026 |
| Lightning | 239 | 82 | 19 | $8.8M | 1996–2025 |
| Funnel Cloud | 224 | 47 | 0 | $25K | 1997–2025 |
| Extreme Cold/Wind Chill | 156 | 0 | 5 | $1.5M | 2000–2026 |
| Debris Flow | 60 | 21 | 0 | $67K | 2001–2025 |
| Wildfire | 48 | 2 | 0 | $25K | 1996–2019 |
| Freezing Fog | 45 | 0 | 0 | $90K | 2009–2026 |
| Sleet | 27 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2008–2021 |
| Dust Devil | 1 | 1 | 0 | $0 | 2025–2025 |
| Blizzard | 1 | 0 | 0 | $0 | 2016–2016 |
County index
Most active counties
| County | Events | Deaths |
|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County | 1,158 | 8 |
| Pulaski County | 760 | 7 |
| Pike County | 741 | 4 |
| Christian County | 620 | 1 |
| Laurel County | 590 | 24 |
| Warren County | 583 | 19 |
| Breathitt County | 566 | 13 |
| Daviess County | 553 | 1 |
| Floyd County | 543 | 1 |
| McCracken County | 525 | 2 |
| Fayette County | 482 | 4 |
| Hardin County | 478 | 4 |
| Whitley County | 477 | 4 |
| Calloway County | 460 | 2 |
| Estill County | 457 | 1 |
| Graves County | 432 | 27 |
| Madison County | 401 | 16 |
| Muhlenberg County | 392 | 15 |
| Perry County | 387 | 7 |
| Boone County | 380 | 0 |
| Powell County | 380 | 1 |
| Marshall County | 375 | 8 |
| Bell County | 374 | 1 |
| Henderson County | 373 | 2 |
| Morgan County | 372 | 6 |
Full index
Every county in Kentucky
- Jefferson County
- Pulaski County
- Pike County
- Christian County
- Laurel County
- Warren County
- Breathitt County
- Daviess County
- Floyd County
- McCracken County
- Fayette County
- Hardin County
- Whitley County
- Calloway County
- Estill County
- Graves County
- Madison County
- Muhlenberg County
- Perry County
- Boone County
- Powell County
- Marshall County
- Bell County
- Henderson County
- Morgan County
- Hopkins County
- Logan County
- Breckinridge County
- Taylor County
- Barren County
- Ohio County
- Leslie County
- Clay County
- Rockcastle County
- Nelson County
- Oldham County
- Greenup County
- Shelby County
- Johnson County
- Bath County
- Montgomery County
- Bullitt County
- Wayne County
- Grayson County
- Ballard County
- McCreary County
- Jackson County
- Magoffin County
- Trigg County
- Scott County
- Harlan County
- Butler County
- Hart County
- Knox County
- Wolfe County
- Letcher County
- Lee County
- Rowan County
- Meade County
- Union County
- Todd County
- Kenton County
- Boyd County
- Fleming County
- Simpson County
- Adair County
- Campbell County
- Casey County
- Franklin County
- Owen County
- Mason County
- Lawrence County
- Allen County
- Fulton County
- Green County
- Carter County
- Livingston County
- Menifee County
- Edmonson County
- Pendleton County
- Webster County
- Carlisle County
- Henry County
- Marion County
- Bourbon County
- Grant County
- Martin County
- Larue County
- Lincoln County
- Lewis County
- Hickman County
- Russell County
- Clark County
- Anderson County
- Mercer County
- Owsley County
- Knott County
- Metcalfe County
- Bracken County
- Harrison County
- Hancock County
- McLean County
- Caldwell County
- Boyle County
- Woodford County
- Jessamine County
- Carroll County
- Monroe County
- Clinton County
- Garrard County
- Spencer County
- Washington County
- Gallatin County
- Crittenden County
- Trimble County
- Cumberland County
- Elliott County
- Lyon County
- Nicholas County
- Robertson County
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many severe weather events are recorded in Kentucky?
54,889 events are on record across Kentucky, covering 120 counties between 1950 and 2026.
Which county in Kentucky has the most severe weather on record?
Jefferson County leads Kentucky with 1,158 recorded events. Ranking reflects reported events, so densely populated counties tend to report more than sparsely populated ones.
Where does the Kentucky severe weather history data come from?
Totals are aggregated from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of United States severe weather reports, with FEMA and U.S. Census records providing risk and population context. Dates are UTC and recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Kentucky Severe Weather History.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/state/kentucky/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.