186
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
2
Direct injuries
$619K
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Bell County, Kentucky: 186 recorded events between 1980 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 60. That places the county #1,156 nationally and #35 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Bell County, Kentucky: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Bell County is the 2010s, when 62 of the county's 186 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Bell County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 49.7% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #1,156 for this hazard and #35 within Kentucky, putting it in the 63.2 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
May is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Bell County with 50 recorded events, while Dec is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 1990 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 | |
| Jul 6, 1987 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 21, 2025 | BEVERLY | 50 | $0 |
| May 21, 2025 | HULEN | 50 | $0 |
| May 21, 2025 | BLANCHE | 50 | $1K |
| May 21, 2025 | DORTON BRANCH | 50 | $1K |
| May 20, 2025 | WASIOTO | 50 | $0 |
| May 8, 2025 | BINGHAMTON | 50 | $0 |
| May 2, 2025 | PONZA | 50 | $0 |
| May 2, 2025 | EAST PINEVILLE | 50 | $0 |
| May 2, 2025 | CARY | 50 | $0 |
| Jul 5, 2024 | EDGEWOOD | 50 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Bell County
- Flash Flood 61
- Hail 60
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Local media reported numerous large trees downed in Pineville, resulting in damage to several personal and official vehicles as well as damage to a few homes. A local business lost its roof as a result of the high winds. Due to the damage, city officials cancelled the Fourth of July Festival that was planned for the evening.
Radio station WRIL reported a snapped power pole on KY-987 near the intersection of Baker Hill Road (close to Community Harvest Tabernacle). In addition, the KSP post in Harlan also reported a tree had blown down onto KY-987 in the same vicinity, blocking both lanes.
An 8 by 12 foot shed was moved about 40 feet by a thunderstorm wind gust. A few shingles and some siding was torn off one structure. An unsupported concrete block wall was also knocked over. The damage occurred at the corner of 23rd and Winchester Streets in Middlesboro.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Bell County, Kentucky?
186 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Bell County between 1980 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Bell County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Bell County measured 60.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Bell County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Bell County, Kentucky.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kentucky/bell-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.