Caldwell County, Kentucky
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 21033 · population 12,649 · 345 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 617 records for Caldwell County, Kentucky from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 565 days; the most frequent are winter storm records (110 records). 438 of them are forecast-zone records, which the National Weather Service files once per zone: a county covered by several zones receives each one, so a single storm can add several records on the same day. The deadliest single record is the December 10, 2021 tornado: 4 deaths and 11 injuries. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1989, 25 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Winter Storm” on January 24, 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
- 617on 565 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 732 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $50Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 18strongest EF4
- FEMA declarations
- 27latest 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 Caldwell County most?
The most frequent records are winter storm records: 110 since 1996. 68% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | 110 | 110 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 3 | $18M | 21 of 118 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 87 | 86 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 13 of 118 |
| Heat | 74 | 74 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 4 | – | 13 of 118 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 70 | 67 | 1968-2026 | 0 | 1 | $2.8M | 113 of 118 |
| Extreme cold | 69 | 68 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $40K | 12 of 118 |
| High wind and dust storms | 64 | 63 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 1 | $9.8M | 14 of 118 |
| Hail | 46 | 38 | 1969-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 65 of 118 |
| Drought | 37 | 37 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $16M | 12 of 118 |
| Floods | 33 | 31 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 0 | $1.5M | 95 of 118 |
| Tornadoes | 18 | 16 | 1958-2024 | 5 | 23 | $2.9M | 30 of 118 |
| Heavy rain | 7 | 7 | 2005-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 38 of 118 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2025-2025 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 21 of 118 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2004-2004 | 0 | 0 | – | 20 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 Caldwell County had?
NOAA records 18 tornadoes in Caldwell County from 1958 to 2024, the strongest rated EF4, with 5 deaths and 23 injuries recorded in the county. That is 30th 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 17 tornadoes whose track touched Caldwell County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 18: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people, 5 of them in Caldwell County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968-04-03 23:50, as SPC files it | Murray | F4 | 50.6 mi | 2 |
| 2024-05-26 19:01, as SPC files it | Eddyville to Dawson Springs | EF3 | 34.14 mi | 1 |
| 1970-04-24 00:55, as SPC files it | Gilbertsville | F3 | 25.4 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kentucky.
Every tornado record filed for Caldwell County (18)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-26 | Crider, Caldwell County | EF2 15.43 mi x 700 yd | 1 | 4 | $470K |
| 2023-07-18 | Black Hawk, Caldwell County | EF1 0.45 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $73K |
| 2021-12-10 | Dulaney, Caldwell County | EF4 16.17 mi x 2,480 yd | 4 | 11 | – |
| 2020-01-11 | Hopson, Caldwell County | EF1 7.18 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $114K |
| 2020-01-11 | Friendship, Caldwell County | EF0 4.41 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $57K |
| 2014-02-20 | Claxton, Caldwell County | EF0 1.59 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $10K |
| 2013-11-17 | Princeton, Caldwell County | EF1 3.16 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $253K |
| 2011-04-26 | Cobb, Caldwell County | EF0 0.31 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-04-25 | Bakers, Caldwell County | EF1 8.36 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2007-10-18 | Creswell, Caldwell County | EF1 5.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $36K |
| 2007-10-18 | Otter Pond, Caldwell County | EF2 8.83 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $356K |
| 2005-11-15 | Princeton, Caldwell County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-10-15 | Princeton, Caldwell County | F1 0.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $78K |
| 1995-05-13 | Fredonia, Caldwell County | F2 5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 1970-04-24 | Caldwell County | F3 6.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | – |
| 1969-01-23 | Caldwell County | F1 0.1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1968-04-04 | Caldwell County | F4 9.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 5 | – |
| 1958-04-24 | Caldwell County | F2 0.5 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K 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 Caldwell County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 16, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-25 | Dense FogCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-16 | Thunderstorm WindPrinceton, Caldwell County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-09 | DroughtCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-27 | Dense FogCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-19 | Dense FogCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-15 | Dense FogCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-30 | Cold/Wind ChillCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-26 | Extreme Cold/Wind ChillCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-23 | Cold/Wind ChillCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-21 | Winter WeatherCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-23 | Dense FogCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-12-10 | TornadoDulaney, Caldwell County This historic EF-4 tornado was associated with a very long-track supercell that originally formed over eastern Arkansas. The supercell produced a nearly continuous tornado damage path from northeast Arkansas across western Tennessee and western Kentucky. The starting point of this particular tornado was in northwest ... | EF4 16.17 mi x 2,480 yd | 4 | 11 | – |
| 2024-05-26 | TornadoCrider, Caldwell County An EF-3 tornado (max of EF-2 in Caldwell County) began northeast of Eddyville in Lyon County before crossing into Caldwell County near Pleasant Valley Rd. The tornado tracked east-northeastward through the entirety of Caldwell County, crossing over into Hopkins County north of I-69 and south of Young Cemetery Rd. The ... | EF2 15.43 mi x 700 yd | 1 | 4 | $470K |
| 2025-02-16 | FloodFarmersville, Caldwell County Flash flooding on the 15th transitioned to areal flooding early on the 16th. Portions of several state highways were closed, including Highway 139 south of Farmersville, Highway 91 northwest of White Sulphur, Highway 293 southwest of Princeton, and Highway 126 from Highway 128 to the Trigg County line. The bulk of the ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-07-28 | Flash FloodBlack Hawk, Caldwell County Torrential rain caused flash flooding of a creek along the Caldwell/Trigg County border known as Long Pond Branch. Kentucky Highway 276 was washed out where the creek crosses the highway through a culvert. The washout was estimated to be about 20 feet deep and 60 feet wide where it crosses the highway. One vehicle ... | 1 | 0 | $100K | |
| 1968-04-04 | TornadoCaldwell County | F4 9.7 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 5 | – |
| 2005-07-21 | HeatCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell Several days of excessive heat and humidity caused a significant increase in heat-related illnesses. A 46-year-old construction worker from Livingston County suffered a heart attack in which heat was a factor, but heat was not the direct cause of death. The heat index peaked around 110 degrees each afternoon, and ... | 0 | 4 | – | |
| 1970-04-24 | TornadoCaldwell County | F3 6.8 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 3 | – |
| 2012-01-12 | Winter WeatherCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell A strong upper-level low brought about an inch of snow to parts of western Kentucky. The 500 mb low moved southeast from the central Plains across the Lower Ohio Valley. A surface low pressure system over the Great Lakes region produced a strong northwest wind across the Lower Ohio Valley. About an inch of snow fell ... | 0 | 2 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-01-26 | Ice StormCaldwell County · forecast zone Caldwell | 0 | 0 | $17M | |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindLakeview, Caldwell County | 81 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2.1M |
| 1995-05-13 | TornadoFredonia, Caldwell County | F2 5 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.1M |
| 2024-05-26 | TornadoCrider, Caldwell County | EF2 15.43 mi x 700 yd | 1 | 4 | $470K |
| 2007-10-18 | TornadoOtter Pond, Caldwell County | EF2 8.83 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 0 | $356K |
| 2011-05-01 | FloodDulaney, Caldwell County | 0 | 0 | $328K | |
| 2013-11-17 | TornadoPrinceton, Caldwell County | EF1 3.16 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $253K |
| 2020-01-11 | TornadoHopson, Caldwell County | EF1 7.18 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $114K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: April 24, 1958 (tornado, Caldwell 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 Caldwell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 11 | 32 | 46 | 21 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 4 | 15 | 43 | 25 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 5 | 10 | 35 z | 24 |
| Severe thunderstorm wind | 0 | 2 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 20 | 16 | 8 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 4 | 23 | 23 | 19 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 19 | 24 | 19 |
Heat in the 2010s: 35 records against 10 in the decade before, 35 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the Caldwell County days with a record above.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
68% of its winter storm records since 1996 fell in January and February. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 84 · Feb 75 · Mar 40 · Apr 67 · May 51 · Jun 34 · Jul 66 · Aug 45 · Sep 16 · Oct 33 · Nov 45 · Dec 61 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Caldwell County
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Caldwell County: 20 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (13) and flood (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3633 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2025-05-23 | DR-4875 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 2024-07-23 | DR-4804 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2023-05-09 | DR-4711 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2016-08-26 | DR-4278 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-04-30 | DR-4216 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2011-05-04 | DR-1976 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2005-02-08 | DR-1578 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storm and Record Snow |
| 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 |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1089 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1989-02-24 | DR-821 | 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 Caldwell County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 33 flood or flash flood records for Caldwell County from 1996 to 2025, on 31 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Caldwell County ranks 2321st of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $253,000 on 11 claims filed in Caldwell County; the most in one year was 4 in 2016. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1998: 1 · 2005: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 1 · 2016: 4 · 2025: 1; 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 Caldwell County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Caldwell County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $665K | 1.6 a year (modeled) |
| Drought | Relatively Moderate | $450K | 6.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $623K | 4.3 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Low | $2.4M | once in about 147 years (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.4M | once in about 3 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $320K | 8.8 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $45K | 7.1 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $150K | 2.9 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Caldwell 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
- Winter storms in KentuckyThe state's winter storm records, 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 Caldwell CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Caldwell County's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis