Search
Menu

Explore

Hazards

Analysis

Rankings

Reference

Kentucky

120 counties105 tornadoes rated F3/EF3+95 county disaster declarations

Kentucky has recorded 1,259 tornadoes since 1950, 23rd among the states; 8 tropical storms and hurricanes within 50 miles since 1851; 1.04 million acres burned by large wildfires since 1984.

2025
  • Tornadoes rated F2/EF2+ since 1950
  • Tropical cyclone tracks since 1851
  • Large wildfires since 1984

Statewide totals

Unique events: a tornado that crossed three counties counts once.

Tornadoes since 1950
1,259
23rd of 51
Rated F3/EF3 or stronger
105
14th of 51
Tropical cyclones within 50 mi
8
26th of 51
At hurricane strength
0
—
Acres burned since 1984
1.04M
310 large fires
Flood insurance claims
27,378
$521 million paid

County leaders

Where in Kentucky each hazard has struck most.

Most tornadoes

  1. 1Christian County58
  2. 2Calloway County45
  3. 3Graves County42
  4. 4Daviess County33
  5. 5Jefferson County33

Most tropical cyclones within 50 mi

  1. 1Allen County4
  2. 2Boyd County4
  3. 3Greenup County4
  4. 4Johnson County4
  5. 5Lawrence County4

Most acres burned

  1. 1Pike County214K
  2. 2Floyd County127K
  3. 3Breathitt County123K
  4. 4Knott County85K
  5. 5Martin County58K

Most flood claims

  1. 1Jefferson County5,557
  2. 2Floyd County2,618
  3. 3Pike County2,480
  4. 4Franklin County1,518
  5. 5Oldham County1,083

Notable events

The strongest tornadoes, hurricanes and fires in Kentucky’s record. Each opens its own page.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

  1. Unnamed 1888Tropical storm
  2. Hugo 1989Tropical storm
  3. Helene 2024Tropical storm
  4. Unnamed 1892Tropical storm
  5. Frederic 1979Tropical storm
  6. Audrey 1957Tropical storm
  7. Unnamed 1941Tropical storm
  8. Unnamed 1906Tropical storm

Every county

Sort by any column. Each county opens its full record.

Counties of Kentucky
Adair County1330127
Allen County9401122
Anderson County10205925
Ballard County22104528
Barren County21302122
Bath County103010029
Bell County7223,45656629
Boone County16103913
Bourbon County53039522
Boyd County54046233
Boyle County12301521
Bracken County71011318
Breathitt County42122,93120749
Breckinridge County19102728
Bullitt County121037928
Butler County10203430
Caldwell County18101127
Calloway County45102820
Campbell County31045017
Carlisle County700327
Carroll County9107022
Carter County33044937
Casey County7302434
Christian County581097825
Clark County73028827
Clay County7224,1936648
Clinton County17231119
Crittenden County12101528
Cumberland County123848424
Daviess County331032719
Edmonson County102640126
Elliott County132,120234
Estill County833,6204238
Fayette County93045721
Fleming County10304926
Floyd County23127,2292,61848
Franklin County11101,51827
Fulton County16302526
Gallatin County3103317
Garrard County11302320
Grant County810318
Graves County42108022
Grayson County1510630
Green County1130327
Greenup County74071333
Hancock County9101125
Hardin County302047827
Harlan County2142,89244333
Harrison County92014124
Hart County1821,5001127
Henderson County270038024
Henry County18103223
Hickman County15101328
Hopkins County21107330
Jackson County332,9822637
Jefferson County33105,55725
Jessamine County73017926
Johnson County4437,40730948
Kenton County121028615
Knott County1285,38820543
Knox County3338,91912039
Larue County14202125
Laurel County2027521228
Lawrence County5426,1353249
Lee County237,3663342
Leslie County3237,3065439
Letcher County229,24718840
Lewis County73011634
Lincoln County12302728
Livingston County13102429
Logan County24203519
Lyon County1510022
Madison County19394013828
Magoffin County3245,80526049
Marion County12301023
Marshall County28106829
Martin County1358,34446237
Mason County11201623
McCracken County291030723
McCreary County10218,575123
McLean County81013424
Meade County16101825
Menifee County6391732
Mercer County153018726
Metcalfe County1930732
Monroe County1330222
Montgomery County3307524
Morgan County533,8444934
Muhlenberg County25101524
Nelson County122012224
Nicholas County2304832
Ohio County1212,5951531
Oldham County14101,08318
Owen County5107323
Owsley County3219,523649
Pendleton County91018022
Perry County2239,59559447
Pike County22214,4442,48047
Powell County733,58012535
Pulaski County2727102925
Robertson County220024
Rockcastle County935,0251935
Rowan County23029332
Russell County930323
Scott County15207915
Shelby County21103120
Simpson County17302420
Spencer County11105630
Taylor County1330824
Todd County21201120
Trigg County2811,492126
Trimble County10104322
Union County29001628
Warren County322012426
Washington County10203229
Wayne County921,215126
Webster County2310924
Whitley County5327,5363038
Wolfe County434,861134
Woodford County72050925

Cities

Places of 10,000 people or more with their own records.

  • Louisville
    Hazard fingerprint for Louisville Tornado: 92th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 97th percentile. Hail & wind: 98th percentile. Heat: 19th percentile. Cold: 34th percentile. Winter: 26th percentile.
  • Lexington
    Hazard fingerprint for Lexington Tornado: 41th percentile. Tropical: 20th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 86th percentile. Hail & wind: 93th percentile. Heat: 4th percentile. Cold: 46th percentile. Winter: 26th percentile.
  • Bowling Green
    Hazard fingerprint for Bowling Green Tornado: 75th percentile. Tropical: 7th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 80th percentile. Hail & wind: 79th percentile. Heat: 4th percentile. Cold: 16th percentile. Winter: 17th percentile.
  • Owensboro
    Hazard fingerprint for Owensboro Tornado: 85th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 91th percentile. Hail & wind: 84th percentile. Heat: 90th percentile. Cold: 95th percentile. Winter: 76th percentile.
  • Covington
    Hazard fingerprint for Covington Tornado: 86th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 96th percentile. Hail & wind: 93th percentile. Heat: 47th percentile. Cold: 22th percentile. Winter: 63th percentile.
  • Georgetown
    Hazard fingerprint for Georgetown Tornado: 68th percentile. Tropical: 7th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 86th percentile. Hail & wind: 77th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 34th percentile. Winter: 24th percentile.
  • Richmond
    Hazard fingerprint for Richmond Tornado: 56th percentile. Tropical: 20th percentile. Wildfire: 18th percentile. Flood: 83th percentile. Hail & wind: 73th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 39th percentile. Winter: 20th percentile.
  • Elizabethtown
    Hazard fingerprint for Elizabethtown Tornado: 62th percentile. Tropical: 7th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 69th percentile. Hail & wind: 56th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 28th percentile. Winter: 30th percentile.
  • Florence
    Hazard fingerprint for Florence Tornado: 79th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 90th percentile. Hail & wind: 92th percentile. Heat: 47th percentile. Cold: 22th percentile. Winter: 81th percentile.
  • Nicholasville
    Hazard fingerprint for Nicholasville Tornado: 53th percentile. Tropical: 20th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 78th percentile. Hail & wind: 82th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 34th percentile. Winter: 20th percentile.
  • Hopkinsville
    Hazard fingerprint for Hopkinsville Tornado: 90th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 81th percentile. Hail & wind: 70th percentile. Heat: 89th percentile. Cold: 94th percentile. Winter: 68th percentile.
  • Independence
    Hazard fingerprint for Independence Tornado: 86th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 96th percentile. Hail & wind: 93th percentile. Heat: 47th percentile. Cold: 22th percentile. Winter: 63th percentile.
  • Jeffersontown
    Hazard fingerprint for Jeffersontown Tornado: 92th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 97th percentile. Hail & wind: 98th percentile. Heat: 19th percentile. Cold: 34th percentile. Winter: 26th percentile.
  • Frankfort
    Hazard fingerprint for Frankfort Tornado: 68th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 90th percentile. Hail & wind: 85th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 39th percentile. Winter: 22th percentile.
  • Henderson
    Hazard fingerprint for Henderson Tornado: 77th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 89th percentile. Hail & wind: 69th percentile. Heat: 92th percentile. Cold: 96th percentile. Winter: 75th percentile.
  • Paducah
    Hazard fingerprint for Paducah Tornado: 97th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 98th percentile. Hail & wind: 95th percentile. Heat: 93th percentile. Cold: 93th percentile. Winter: 72th percentile.
  • Radcliff
    Hazard fingerprint for Radcliff Tornado: 62th percentile. Tropical: 7th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 69th percentile. Hail & wind: 56th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 28th percentile. Winter: 30th percentile.
  • Ashland
    Hazard fingerprint for Ashland Tornado: 40th percentile. Tropical: 34th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 97th percentile. Hail & wind: 92th percentile. Heat: 75th percentile. Cold: 81th percentile. Winter: 42th percentile.
  • Erlanger
    Hazard fingerprint for Erlanger Tornado: 86th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 96th percentile. Hail & wind: 93th percentile. Heat: 47th percentile. Cold: 22th percentile. Winter: 63th percentile.
  • Winchester
    Hazard fingerprint for Winchester Tornado: 36th percentile. Tropical: 20th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 77th percentile. Hail & wind: 60th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 34th percentile. Winter: 20th percentile.
  • Madisonville
    Hazard fingerprint for Madisonville Tornado: 50th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 75th percentile. Hail & wind: 56th percentile. Heat: 89th percentile. Cold: 95th percentile. Winter: 73th percentile.
  • Mount Washington
    Hazard fingerprint for Mount Washington Tornado: 52th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 82th percentile. Hail & wind: 82th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 34th percentile. Winter: 25th percentile.
  • Murray
    Hazard fingerprint for Murray Tornado: 97th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 89th percentile. Hail & wind: 88th percentile. Heat: 90th percentile. Cold: 93th percentile. Winter: 65th percentile.
  • Shelbyville
    Hazard fingerprint for Shelbyville Tornado: 71th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 60th percentile. Hail & wind: 69th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 28th percentile. Winter: 23th percentile.
  • St. Matthews
    Hazard fingerprint for St. Matthews Tornado: 92th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 97th percentile. Hail & wind: 98th percentile. Heat: 19th percentile. Cold: 34th percentile. Winter: 26th percentile.
  • Danville
    Hazard fingerprint for Danville Tornado: 81th percentile. Tropical: 20th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 69th percentile. Hail & wind: 67th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 28th percentile. Winter: 21th percentile.
  • Fort Thomas
    Hazard fingerprint for Fort Thomas Tornado: 28th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 96th percentile. Hail & wind: 93th percentile. Heat: 47th percentile. Cold: 16th percentile. Winter: 65th percentile.
  • Berea
    Hazard fingerprint for Berea Tornado: 56th percentile. Tropical: 20th percentile. Wildfire: 18th percentile. Flood: 83th percentile. Hail & wind: 73th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 39th percentile. Winter: 20th percentile.
  • Shively
    Hazard fingerprint for Shively Tornado: 92th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 97th percentile. Hail & wind: 98th percentile. Heat: 19th percentile. Cold: 34th percentile. Winter: 26th percentile.
  • Glasgow
    Hazard fingerprint for Glasgow Tornado: 56th percentile. Tropical: 20th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 56th percentile. Hail & wind: 61th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 22th percentile. Winter: 19th percentile.
  • Shepherdsville
    Hazard fingerprint for Shepherdsville Tornado: 52th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 82th percentile. Hail & wind: 82th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 34th percentile. Winter: 25th percentile.
  • Bardstown
    Hazard fingerprint for Bardstown Tornado: 37th percentile. Tropical: 7th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 84th percentile. Hail & wind: 63th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 28th percentile. Winter: 25th percentile.
  • Newport
    Hazard fingerprint for Newport Tornado: 28th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 96th percentile. Hail & wind: 93th percentile. Heat: 47th percentile. Cold: 16th percentile. Winter: 65th percentile.
  • Somerset
    Hazard fingerprint for Somerset Tornado: 53th percentile. Tropical: 20th percentile. Wildfire: 9th percentile. Flood: 77th percentile. Hail & wind: 87th percentile. Heat: 43th percentile. Cold: 59th percentile. Winter: 59th percentile.
  • Lawrenceburg
    Hazard fingerprint for Lawrenceburg Tornado: 64th percentile. Tropical: 7th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 77th percentile. Hail & wind: 75th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 28th percentile. Winter: 23th percentile.
  • Campbellsville
    Hazard fingerprint for Campbellsville Tornado: 63th percentile. Tropical: 20th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 82th percentile. Hail & wind: 88th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 28th percentile. Winter: 18th percentile.
  • Lyndon
    Hazard fingerprint for Lyndon Tornado: 92th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 97th percentile. Hail & wind: 98th percentile. Heat: 19th percentile. Cold: 34th percentile. Winter: 26th percentile.
  • Alexandria
    Hazard fingerprint for Alexandria Tornado: 28th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 96th percentile. Hail & wind: 93th percentile. Heat: 47th percentile. Cold: 16th percentile. Winter: 65th percentile.
  • Franklin
    Hazard fingerprint for Franklin Tornado: 85th percentile. Tropical: 7th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 87th percentile. Hail & wind: 72th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 9th percentile. Winter: 15th percentile.
  • Versailles
    Hazard fingerprint for Versailles Tornado: 48th percentile. Tropical: 7th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 69th percentile. Hail & wind: 78th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 34th percentile. Winter: 20th percentile.
  • La Grange
    Hazard fingerprint for La Grange Tornado: 86th percentile. Tropical: 0th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 91th percentile. Hail & wind: 94th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 28th percentile. Winter: 24th percentile.
  • Paris
    Hazard fingerprint for Paris Tornado: 25th percentile. Tropical: 20th percentile. Wildfire: 0th percentile. Flood: 91th percentile. Hail & wind: 45th percentile. Heat: 0th percentile. Cold: 34th percentile. Winter: 22th percentile.