242
Recorded events
0
Direct deaths
3
Direct injuries
$1.6M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Whitley County, Kentucky: 242 recorded events between 1973 and 2025. The strongest on record measured 75. That places the county #730 nationally and #12 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Whitley County, Kentucky: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Whitley County is the 2010s, when 101 of the county's 242 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 Whitley County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 50.7% of all recorded severe weather across 9 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #730 for this hazard and #12 within Kentucky, putting it in the 76.8 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Apr is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Whitley County with 44 recorded events, while Oct 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 31, 2013 | HIGHLAND PARK | 52 | 0 | 1 | $10K |
| Apr 4, 2011 | CORBIN | 52 | 0 | 1 | $1K |
| Apr 4, 2011 | FABER | 52 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 17, 2025 | HIGHLAND PARK | 50 | $2K |
| May 21, 2025 | CARPENTER | 50 | $0 |
| May 21, 2025 | LOT | 50 | $0 |
| May 21, 2025 | MOUNTAIN ASH | 50 | $0 |
| May 21, 2025 | BALLTOWN | 50 | $2K |
| May 21, 2025 | YOUNGS CREEK | 50 | $0 |
| Apr 4, 2025 | MEADOW CREEK | 50 | $2K |
| Sep 24, 2024 | BARTON | 50 | $12K |
| Sep 22, 2024 | WOODBINE | 50 | $1K |
| Aug 1, 2024 | YOUNGS CREEK | 50 | $0 |
Other hazards here
More from Whitley County
- Flash Flood 92
- Hail 71
- Flood 52
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
The NWS Survey team determined that damage incurred near the community of Deering was consistent with straight line winds, with maximum wind gusts estimated to be between 80 and 90 mph. The most significant damage occurred to a barn just off Akins Lane, about 7 miles SW of Corbin – in which the barn was destroyed. There were numerous trees uprooted between Frankfort School Road and Bee Creek Road, and from there to Linda Lane, just off Casey Road. Several homes sustained damage from trees that fell on roofs. Of notable interest were eyewitness reports of a circulation that tracked across a small pond in one of the residential areas. Based on the description of the circulation not being in contact with the cloud base, and the location of this event over a pond approximately 300 years off the flanking (west) side of the core of the most destructive winds, the NWS believes this may have been a book-end vortex.
Park officials reported that numerous trees had been blown down by straight line winds. Some trees fell on occupired cabins, cars, and the Cumberland Falls State Park gift shop. Numerous minor injuries were reported, none of which required medical attention.
Trees were blown down in the Wolf Creek, Tackett Creek, and Corn Creek areas. Trees were also down along the Cumberland Falls Highway and north of Williamsburg. Other trees were blown down on Highway 204 east of Williamsburg and Highway 1804 in the south part of the county. All damage caused by wind gusts estimated at 63 mph.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Whitley County, Kentucky?
242 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Whitley County between 1973 and 2025, causing 0 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Whitley County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Whitley County measured 75.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Whitley 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 Whitley County, Kentucky.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/kentucky/whitley-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.