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 | Laurel County | 6 | 0 | $212K | 1997–2024 |
| #8 | Barren County | 6 | 1 | $125K | 2000–2022 |
| #9 | Calloway County | 5 | 1 | $20K | 1999–2019 |
| #10 | Scott County | 5 | 0 | $50K | 2008–2021 |
| #11 | Oldham County | 4 | 0 | $208K | 1998–2012 |
| #12 | Madison County | 4 | 3 | $100K | 1996–2018 |
| #13 | Warren County | 4 | 0 | $200K | 2007–2019 |
| #14 | Hopkins County | 4 | 1 | $13K | 2009–2022 |
| #15 | Boone County | 4 | 0 | $110K | 1996–2020 |
| #16 | Shelby County | 4 | 2 | $15K | 2005–2021 |
| #17 | Hardin County | 4 | 1 | $401K | 2002–2025 |
| #18 | Graves County | 3 | 0 | $45K | 1997–2023 |
| #19 | Webster County | 3 | 0 | $100K | 2009–2012 |
| #20 | Logan County | 3 | 1 | $108K | 2010–2018 |
| #21 | Jessamine County | 3 | 2 | $30K | 2007–2020 |
| #22 | Powell County | 3 | 0 | $26K | 2014–2017 |
| #23 | Floyd County | 3 | 0 | $63K | 2002–2022 |
| #24 | Estill County | 3 | 0 | $56K | 1996–2013 |
| #25 | Mercer County | 3 | 0 | $103K | 1998–2007 |
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 |
| Aug 7, 2005 | Shelby County | — | 1 | 0 |
| May 2, 2007 | Jessamine County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 10, 2009 | Shelby County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jun 27, 2000 | Barren County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 26, 2012 | Jessamine County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 25, 2023 | Bath County | — | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 5, 2010 | Logan County | — | 1 | 1 |
| Sep 5, 1996 | Madison County | — | 1 | 0 |