Bullitt County, Kentucky
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 21029 · population 82,200 · 297 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 372 records for Bullitt County, Kentucky from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 242 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (198 records). The deadliest single record is the February 17, 2015 cold/wind chill, filed for the forecast zone Bullitt, which covers the county: 1 death and 1 injury. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1970, 26 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on September 1, 2026.
The record, 1950 to 2026
Storm records filed for the county each year (2026 to June 30, 2026). Before 1996 NOAA recorded only tornadoes (from 1950), thunderstorm wind and hail (from 1955).
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $100,000
- $100,000 or more
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more, or a death
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- 1955: wind and hail recorded from 1955
- 1996: all 48 event types from 1996
- Storm records
- 372on 242 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 426 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $221Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 13strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 2026
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026 (file revision 20260918); damage converted to 2025 dollars with the BLS CPI-U. Search the record at NCEI. BLS consumer price index.
What hazards hit Bullitt County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 198 since 1960. 46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in June and July. The rank column places the county among Kentucky's counties by days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land over each hazard's complete period.
| Hazard | Records | Days | First, last | Killed | Injured | Damage | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 198 | 132 | 1960-2026 | 1 | 0 | $806K | 24 of 118 |
| Floods | 57 | 36 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $29M | 78 of 118 |
| Hail | 50 | 37 | 1979-2025 | 0 | 0 | $139K | 52 of 118 |
| Winter storms | 36 | 36 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $66K | 80 of 118 |
| Tornadoes | 13 | 12 | 1969-2025 | 0 | 25 | $191M | 44 of 118 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 6 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 86 of 118 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 2015-2025 | 1 | 1 | – | 78 of 118 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 3 | 2006-2011 | 0 | 0 | – | 60 of 118 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 2009-2010 | 0 | 0 | $27K | 36 of 118 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (county and forecast-zone records attributed to the county; a zone record shows its own totals on each county it covers). Days: dates with at least one record of the hazard in the county. Ranks: days with a record per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer), since 1950 for tornadoes, 1955 for hail and thunderstorm wind, 1996 for the rest.
How many tornadoes has Bullitt County had?
NOAA records 13 tornadoes in Bullitt County from 1969 to 2025, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 25 injuries recorded in the county. That is 44th of 118 Kentucky counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. A tornado that crossed a county line is counted in each county it touched, with the length of its path inside the county.
Counted as whole tornadoes rather than county records, the Storm Prediction Center's database holds 12 tornadoes whose track touched Bullitt County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 13: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-05-28 16:40, as SPC files it | Spring Mill | F4 | 30 mi | 0 |
| 1969-05-10 15:00, as SPC files it | Shepherdsville | F3 | 4.3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kentucky.
Every tornado record filed for Bullitt County (13)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-30 | Cupio, Bullitt County | EF1 8.08 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2025-03-30 | Cupio, Bullitt County | EFU 0.93 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-03-18 | Belmont, Bullitt County | EF1 0.33 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-07-10 | Belmont, Bullitt County | EF0 0.9 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $93K |
| 2014-05-14 | Lotus, Bullitt County | EF0 1.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2010-10-26 | Mt Washington, Bullitt County | EF0 0.09 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2007-10-18 | Hubers, Bullitt County | EF1 1.64 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 1996-05-28 | Brooks, Bullitt County | F4 13.8 mi x 575 yd | 0 | 10 | $188M |
| 1996-04-20 | Mt Washington, Bullitt County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $564K |
| 1995-05-18 | Shepardsville, Bullitt County | F1 2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $97K |
| 1995-05-14 | Near Lebanon Jct., Bullitt County | F1 15 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 1989-04-03 | Bullitt County | F0 0.2 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1969-05-10 | Bullitt County | F3 4.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 14 | $250K step |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, tornado records by county (path length in the county, maximum width); ratings as published: F scale before February 1, 2007, EF scale after. Whole-track figures: NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database (1950-2025). SPC severe weather database.
When was the last damaging storm in Bullitt County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 5, 2025 flash flood (1 death and $20,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A 50 year old male drove through flood waters in a Dodge Ram 3500 near his home on Lee Booth Road near Kentucky 61. He was last seen alive on the evening of Saturday 5th. His body was found in flood waters near his truck at 11:45 AM on Tuesday the 8th. Exact timing is unknown, but it's believed that after his truck stalled, the man exited his truck on foot before drowning.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1277349)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Flash FloodSalt River, Bullitt County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-27 | Flash FloodLebanon Jct, Bullitt County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-27 | Flash FloodBarrallton, Bullitt County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindStibbins, Bullitt County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-06-18 | Flash FloodMt Washington, Bullitt County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindBrooks, Bullitt County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindBrooks, Bullitt County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindClermont, Bullitt County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Thunderstorm WindLebanon Jct, Bullitt County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormBullitt County · forecast zone Bullitt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-11 | Heavy SnowBullitt County · forecast zone Bullitt | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-24 | Frost/FreezeBullitt County · forecast zone Bullitt | 0 | 0 | – |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database; every record of 2025-2026 is listed, earlier ones when they caused deaths, injuries or $250,000 of damage (2025 dollars), and every tornado.
The deadliest and costliest records
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-02-17 | Cold/Wind ChillBullitt County · forecast zone Bullitt A 30-year old woman was discovered in a creek behind her boyfriend's home in Shepherdsville three days after the pair had fled to avoid police. The boyfriend was treated for exposure and hypothermia in a Louisville hospital later in the day. Home weather stations in the area showed low temperatures around -5 degrees ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2025-04-05 | Flash FloodLebanon Jct, Bullitt County A 50 year old male drove through flood waters in a Dodge Ram 3500 near his home on Lee Booth Road near Kentucky 61. He was last seen alive on the evening of Saturday 5th. His body was found in flood waters near his truck at 11:45 AM on Tuesday the 8th. Exact timing is unknown, but it's believed that after his truck ... | 1 | 0 | $20K | |
| 2015-03-05 | Winter StormBullitt County · forecast zone Bullitt A 55 year old man died of an apparent heart attack after shoveling snow. Between 12 and 18 inches of wet, heavy snow had accumulated. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1985-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindBullitt County | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 1969-05-10 | TornadoBullitt County | F3 4.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 14 | $250K step |
| 1996-05-28 | TornadoBrooks, Bullitt County The supercell that crossed the Ohio River from Harrison county produced the second a most destructive tornado in its long history. This second tornado formed 4 miles northwest of Brooks at 540 pm est in extreme south central Jefferson county. The tornado was initially estimated at F0-F1 intensity and moved ... | F4 13.8 mi x 575 yd | 0 | 10 | $188M |
| 2025-03-30 | TornadoCupio, Bullitt County The National Weather Service surveyed a long-track EF-1 tornado that moved from Midway through the north side of Fort Knox and then ended just west of the Clermont exit on I-65. Numerous trees were downed or snapped along the damage path, which ran a little over 30 miles and was on the ground a little over 30 minutes. ... | EF1 8.08 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 1 | – |
A damage figure marked "step" is a record from before 1993: NOAA then filed damage by category, and the figure is the category as entered, in the dollars of that year, not an estimate of the loss.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-05-28 | TornadoBrooks, Bullitt County | F4 13.8 mi x 575 yd | 0 | 10 | $188M |
| 1997-03-01 | FloodBullitt County · forecast zone Bullitt | 0 | 0 | $28M | |
| 1996-04-20 | TornadoMt Washington, Bullitt County | F1 1 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $564K |
| 2018-02-22 | FloodStibbins, Bullitt County | 0 | 0 | $323K | |
| 1995-05-18 | TornadoShepardsville, Bullitt County | F1 2 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $97K |
| 2015-07-10 | TornadoBelmont, Bullitt County | EF0 0.9 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $93K |
| 2004-07-13 | Thunderstorm WindShepherdsville, Bullitt County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $78K |
| 2007-10-18 | TornadoHubers, Bullitt County | EF1 1.64 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
Before 1993 NOAA filed damage by category, not amount, so the list above starts in 1993. The highest category filed here before then (entered as $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: May 10, 1969 (tornado, Bullitt County).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths and injuries direct and indirect; damage is property plus crops as estimated by the National Weather Service, converted to 2025 dollars.
Is it getting more frequent?
Records per decade for Bullitt County's most frequent hazards. Counts rose everywhere after 1996, when NOAA began recording every event type, so compare decades within a hazard's complete period only (the shaded cells come before it).
| Hazard | 1950s | 1960s | 1970s | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020-26 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 26 | 48 | 62 | 45 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 12 | 20 | 18 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 17 | 15 | 5 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 19 | 7 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
46% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 24 · Feb 37 · Mar 44 · Apr 37 · May 65 · Jun 57 · Jul 61 · Aug 15 · Sep 7 · Oct 9 · Nov 6 · Dec 10 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Bullitt County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Bullitt County: 21 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (11) and flood (7).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4937 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3633 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-04-24 | DR-4864 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2025-04-03 | EM-3626 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2025-02-24 | DR-4860 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2025-02-16 | EM-3624 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2023-04-10 | DR-4702 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2021-12-12 | DR-4630 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2021-12-11 | EM-3575 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4497 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3469 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-04-26 | DR-4361 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-05-12 | DR-4218 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-05-01 | DR-4217 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2009-02-05 | DR-1818 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2009-01-28 | EM-3302 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-10-09 | DR-1802 | Severe Storm | Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3231 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2004-06-10 | DR-1523 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2003-06-03 | DR-1471 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes |
| 1997-03-04 | DR-1163 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1996-06-01 | DR-1117 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1089 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1989-02-24 | DR-821 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-12-12 | DR-568 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1974-04-04 | DR-420 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 1972-05-15 | DR-332 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1970-06-05 | DR-288 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries (v2), declarations through October 2, 2026; one declaration is counted once however many areas it names. OpenFEMA dataset page.
How many floods has Bullitt County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 57 flood or flash flood records for Bullitt County from 1996 to 2026, on 36 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Bullitt County ranks 626th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $6.7 million on 379 claims filed in Bullitt County; the most in one year was 196 in 1997. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 4 · 1979: 1 · 1983: 4 · 1984: 1 · 1985: 1 · 1989: 29 · 1990: 9 · 1993: 1 · 1994: 3 · 1995: 6 · 1996: 7 · 1997: 196 · 2000: 2 · 2007: 1 · 2008: 4 · 2009: 4 · 2010: 9 · 2011: 13 · 2015: 11 · 2017: 1 · 2018: 8 · 2019: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 38 · 2026: 20; the other years: 0.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims, as of September 8, 2026; claims by year of loss, payments in the dollars of the year paid. OpenFEMA dataset page.
FEMA's modeled risk for Bullitt County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Bullitt County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $45.5 million. These are FEMA's model estimates of future loss from 18 hazards, not a count of what happened; they can differ from the record above.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Expected annual loss | Modeled frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $3.5M | 6.8 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $9.8M | once in about 5 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.5M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Moderate | $23M | 1.1 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $201K | 8.9 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Moderate | $751K | 53 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Moderate | $280K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $1.2M | once in about 443 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Bullitt County
Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.
Next
- Tornadoes in KentuckyEvery Kentucky tornado since 1950 and the counties with the most per square mile
- Severe thunderstorm wind in KentuckyThe state's severe thunderstorm wind events, by county, year and month
- The Kentucky recordEvery hazard in the state, its deadliest events and its federal declarations
- FEMA's risk rating for each hazard in Bullitt CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Bullitt County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis