321
Recorded events
1
Direct deaths
8
Direct injuries
$63.2M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Fayette County, Kentucky: 321 recorded events between 1955 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 83. That places the county #381 nationally and #5 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Fayette County, Kentucky: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Fayette County is the 2010s, when 101 of the county's 321 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 Fayette County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 66.6% of all recorded severe weather across 7 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #381 for this hazard and #5 within Kentucky, putting it in the 87.9 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Fayette County with 98 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 10, 2000 | LEXINGTON | 60 | 1 | 0 | $0 |
| Jul 20, 2010 | BRACKTOWN | 52 | 0 | 3 | $0 |
| Apr 2, 2024 | VILEY | 83 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Feb 21, 1993 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $5.0M | |
| Sep 1, 1989 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 | |
| Jul 6, 1987 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 | |
| Mar 12, 1986 | 0 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 28, 2026 | (LEX)BLU GRS FLD LEX | 55 | $0 |
| Jun 26, 2025 | LEXINGTON | 50 | $0 |
| Jun 26, 2025 | DONERAIL | 50 | $0 |
| Jun 26, 2025 | VILEY | 50 | $0 |
| Jun 19, 2025 | GREENDALE | 52 | $0 |
| May 17, 2025 | LEXINGTON | 50 | $0 |
| May 17, 2025 | (LEX)BLU GRS FLD LEX | 55 | $0 |
| Aug 17, 2024 | COLETOWN | 50 | $0 |
| Aug 17, 2024 | JONESTOWN | 52 | $0 |
| Aug 17, 2024 | JONESTOWN | 50 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Fayette County
- Hail 75
- Flash Flood 49
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Thunderstorm winds did extensive damage at Hughes Aircraft…estimated by builder to be around 5 million dollars. Condo and tree damaged was reported around Griffin Gate in Lexington. Around six miles of straight line wind damaged occurred over northern Fayette county where part of a roof was blown off a school.
A severe thunderstorm and strong winds knocked over trees, blew roofs off buildings, and left thousands of people without electricity. One person was injured by flying glass in Lexington. At least 30 roads were blocked by falling trees.
A NWS Storm Survey team in conjunction with the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture Food and Environment determined that 70 to 80 mph straight line winds across the Spindletop area of northern Fayette County. Very strong winds 50 feet off the ground hit over 10 agricultural barns causing significant damage to roofs and side panels. The debris pattern was spread downwind and eastward at least 1/2 mile. Several power poles were knocked over and several trees snapped and uprooted. The majority of the damage orginated on the southwest corners of the barns and pushed out to the northeast. The overall damage path extended 3 miles and had a maximum width of 1/2 mile. The duration of the thunderstorm event was approximately 3 minutes. Damage to the UK agricultural facilities was estimated to be in excess of 4 million dollars.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Fayette County, Kentucky?
321 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Fayette County between 1955 and 2026, causing 1 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Fayette County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Fayette County measured 83.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Fayette 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 Fayette County, Kentucky.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kentucky/fayette-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.