Carroll County, Kentucky
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 21041 · population 10,774 · 129 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 253 records for Carroll County, Kentucky from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 200 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (91 records). The deadliest single record is the November 22, 1992 tornado: 1 death and 9 injuries. FEMA has issued 22 declarations naming the county since 1978, 20 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
- 253on 200 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 118 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $38Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 22latest 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 Carroll County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 91 since 1964. 43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1964 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 | 91 | 75 | 1964-2026 | 0 | 3 | $833K | 13 of 118 |
| Floods | 56 | 44 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $1.4M | 9 of 118 |
| Winter storms | 47 | 46 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $376K | 14 of 118 |
| Hail | 28 | 22 | 1964-2023 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 19 of 118 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 10 | 1957-2026 | 1 | 15 | $33M | 3 of 118 |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 1999-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 25 of 118 |
| High wind and dust storms | 7 | 7 | 2000-2024 | 0 | 0 | $1.7M | 34 of 118 |
| Extreme cold | 3 | 3 | 1996-2022 | 0 | 0 | $699K | 71 of 118 |
| Heavy rain | 3 | 1 | 2013-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 67 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 Carroll County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Carroll County from 1957 to 2026, the strongest rated F4, with 1 death and 15 injuries recorded in the county. That is 3rd of 118 Kentucky counties and 119th of 3,080 U.S. 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 9 tornadoes whose track touched Carroll County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-11-22 14:52, as SPC files it | WarsawCrossed IN, KY | F4 | 26.7 mi | 1 |
| 1959-02-10 08:30, as SPC files it | Sanders | F3 | 1.5 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kentucky.
Every tornado record filed for Carroll County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | Prestonville, Carroll County | EF1 8.73 mi x 750 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2024-03-14 | Prestonville, Carroll County | EF0 0.44 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2024-03-14 | Locust, Carroll County | EF2 5.51 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $47K |
| 2012-03-02 | Locust, Carroll County | EF1 2.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 1992-11-22 | Carroll County | F4 16 mi x 60 yd | 1 | 9 | $2.5M step |
| 1991-08-08 | Carroll County | F0 0.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1988-07-20 | Carroll County | F0 0.1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1976-09-26 | Carroll County | F1 0.2 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-03-04 | Carroll County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 1959-02-10 | Carroll County | F3 1.5 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.5M step |
| 1957-05-22 | Carroll County | F2 0.8 mi x 440 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 Carroll County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 18, 2026 tornado ($100,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
The tornado developed at 0245EST in Switzerland County, Indiana, two miles north of Carrollton. The tornado moved southeast and entered Carroll County at 0246EST about 2 miles east-northeast of Carrollton. Along U.S. Route 42 near the Ohio River, several wooden electrical power lines were downed and extensive tree damage occurred. Just to the west of Tom Harris Road, a hillside had extensive tree damage as well. The tornado continued across rural areas east of Carrollton where additional damage occurred along State Route 36. Here, several power lines were downed along with extensive tree damage. The tornado continued near the Easterday community near Boone Road and State Route 36. Several tree lines and residences sustained damage. …
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1340875)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-18 | TornadoPrestonville, Carroll County | EF1 8.73 mi x 750 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2026-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindPrestonville, Carroll County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2026-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindEagle Station, Carroll County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $7K |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindCarrollton, Carroll County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-04-27 | Thunderstorm WindLocust, Carroll County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2026-04-27 | FloodCarrollton, Carroll County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-03 | Winter WeatherCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-13 | Winter WeatherCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-01 | Winter StormCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindCarrollton, Carroll County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $15K |
| 2025-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindPrestonville, Carroll County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992-11-22 | TornadoCarroll County | F4 16 mi x 60 yd | 1 | 9 | $2.5M step |
| 1959-02-10 | TornadoCarroll County | F3 1.5 mi x 440 yd | 0 | 6 | $2.5M step |
| 1990-06-02 | Thunderstorm WindCarroll County | 0 | 2 | – | |
| 2012-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindLocust, Carroll County Multiple trees were reported down in the area. One tree fell on a car, injuring one person. | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $13K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09-14 | High WindCarroll County · forecast zone Carroll | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 2012-03-02 | TornadoLocust, Carroll County | EF1 2.4 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.6M |
| 2017-03-01 | Thunderstorm WindCarrollton, Carroll County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $241K |
| 2026-06-18 | TornadoPrestonville, Carroll County | EF1 8.73 mi x 750 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2024-03-14 | TornadoLocust, Carroll County | EF2 5.51 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $47K |
| 2025-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindPrestonville, Carroll County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20K |
| 2024-03-14 | TornadoPrestonville, Carroll County | EF0 0.44 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2012-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindLocust, Carroll County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $13K |
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 $2.5M, in the dollars of the day) holds: November 22, 1992 (tornado, Carroll County, 1 killed); February 10, 1959 (tornado, Carroll 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 Carroll 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 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 22 | 33 | 21 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 18 | 22 | 8 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 10 | 23 | 9 |
| Hail | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 3 |
| Tornadoes | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
43% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1964 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 14 · Feb 23 · Mar 37 · Apr 23 · May 32 · Jun 31 · Jul 31 · Aug 19 · Sep 12 · Oct 3 · Nov 13 · Dec 15 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Carroll County
FEMA's register lists 22 declarations that include Carroll County: 16 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (11) and flood (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 2025-02-16 | EM-3624 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Landslides |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4497 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3469 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2019-04-17 | DR-4428 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2018-04-26 | DR-4361 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-08-12 | DR-4239 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslide |
| 2012-03-06 | DR-4057 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 2011-05-04 | DR-1976 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2010-05-11 | DR-1912 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Tornadoes |
| 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 |
| 1997-03-04 | DR-1163 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1089 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1991-01-29 | DR-893 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1989-02-24 | DR-821 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-12-12 | DR-568 | 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 Carroll County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 56 flood or flash flood records for Carroll County from 1996 to 2026, on 44 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Carroll County ranks 1488th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.6 million on 70 claims filed in Carroll County; the most in one year was 23 in 2025. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 5 · 1979: 5 · 1981: 1 · 1983: 1 · 1990: 1 · 1991: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1997: 17 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 2 · 2018: 7 · 2019: 2 · 2025: 23; 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 Carroll County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Carroll County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.6 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 Moderate | $532K | 5.6 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $1.3M | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.2M | 1.5 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $44K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $78K | 51 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $417 | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $91K | once in about 607 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Very Low | $236K | 1.7 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 Carroll 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 Carroll CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Carroll County's FEMA declarations (CSV)22 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis