Clark County, Kentucky
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 21049 · population 36,972 · 252 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 242 records for Clark County, Kentucky from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 186 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (131 records). The deadliest single record is the December 5, 2009 winter weather, filed for the forecast zone Clark, which covers the county: 1 death and $21,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 27 declarations naming the county since 1974, 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
- 242on 186 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 117 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $104Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest F4
- 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 Clark County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 131 since 1961. 47% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1961 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 | 131 | 107 | 1961-2025 | 0 | 4 | $99M | 31 of 118 |
| Floods | 41 | 34 | 1996-2021 | 0 | 0 | $2.9M | 66 of 118 |
| Winter storms | 29 | 29 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $176K | 83 of 118 |
| Hail | 20 | 17 | 1982-2024 | 0 | 0 | $122K | 113 of 118 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 6 | 1974-2024 | 0 | 13 | $1.8M | 78 of 118 |
| Extreme cold | 6 | 6 | 2016-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 70 of 118 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 5 | 2009-2024 | 0 | 0 | $10K | 87 of 118 |
| Lightning | 2 | 2 | 1998-1998 | 0 | 0 | $13K | 26 of 118 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2009-2009 | 0 | 0 | – | 83 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 Clark County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Clark County from 1974 to 2024, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 13 injuries recorded in the county. 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 7 tornadoes whose track touched Clark County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 7 people, 0 of them in Clark County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-03 18:20, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F4 | 31.9 mi | 7 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kentucky.
Every tornado record filed for Clark County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-04-02 | Renick, Clark County | EF1 4.82 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-02 | Becknerville, Clark County | EF1 1.94 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-02-06 | Wades Mill, Clark County | EF0 0.92 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $274K |
| 1983-08-11 | Clark County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $30 step |
| 1982-06-16 | Clark County | F2 12 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 4 | $250K step |
| 1982-03-16 | Clark County | F2 4 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1974-04-03 | Clark County | F4 15 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 8 | – |
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 Clark County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 2, 2015 thunderstorm wind ($1.2 million in damage in 2025 dollars).
Law enforcement reported several trees down in the county. The Clark County KY Mesonet observation recorded a 53 mph wind gust.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 564401)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormClark County · forecast zone Clark | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-24 | Frost/FreezeClark County · forecast zone Clark | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindWinchester, Clark County | 53 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-01-05 | Winter StormClark County · forecast zone Clark | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2024-08-17 | Thunderstorm WindWinchester Heliport, Clark County | 71 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-02 | TornadoRenick, Clark County | EF1 4.82 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-02 | TornadoBecknerville, Clark County | EF1 1.94 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindRenick, Clark County | 67 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2020-01-11 | Thunderstorm WindLisletown, Clark County | 85 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2015-04-02 | Thunderstorm WindWinchester, Clark County | 46 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2012-03-02 | HailTrapp, Clark County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-12-05 | Winter WeatherClark County · forecast zone Clark | 1 | 0 | $21K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-12-05 | Winter WeatherClark County · forecast zone Clark Light snow fell during the day with accumulations of less than one half inch. This snow across the Bluegrass Region brought slick roads that lead to an automobile accident on The Mountain Parkway Highway 10 miles east of Winchester. A fatality occurred. | 1 | 0 | $21K | |
| 1974-04-03 | TornadoClark County | F4 15 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 8 | – |
| 1982-06-16 | TornadoClark County | F2 12 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 4 | $250K step |
| 1995-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindWinchester, Clark County The damage path was from Combs Ferry Road Northeast through the county. The roof off the Red Carpet Inn on West Lexington Avenue was blown off. Debris from the roof was thrown on Shoney's Restaurant and Hatfield Chrysler-Plymouth. Three workers at OHI America were injured when the roof collapsed. Three ... | 0 | 3 | $97M | |
| 1991-07-08 | Thunderstorm WindClark County | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1982-03-16 | TornadoClark County | F2 4 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindWinchester, Clark County | 0 | 3 | $97M | |
| 2015-04-02 | Thunderstorm WindWinchester, Clark County | 46 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1.2M |
| 2008-02-06 | TornadoWades Mill, Clark County | EF0 0.92 mi x 125 yd | 0 | 0 | $274K |
| 2008-02-06 | Thunderstorm WindRight Angle, Clark County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $247K |
| 1995-07-15 | HailClark County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $122K |
| 2009-12-05 | Winter WeatherClark County · forecast zone Clark | 1 | 0 | $21K |
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: June 16, 1982 (tornado, Clark County); March 16, 1982 (tornado, Clark 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 Clark 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 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 18 | 38 | 35 | 21 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 9 | 15 | 8 | 9 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 2 | 7 | 12 | 8 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
47% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1961 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 13 · Feb 19 · Mar 19 · Apr 28 · May 40 · Jun 36 · Jul 43 · Aug 19 · Sep 5 · Oct 8 · Nov 3 · Dec 9 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Clark County
FEMA's register lists 27 declarations that include Clark County: 20 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) 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 |
| 2024-11-26 | DR-4848 | Tropical Storm | Remnants of Hurricane Helene |
| 2023-04-10 | DR-4702 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2021-04-23 | DR-4595 | Flood | Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2021-03-31 | DR-4592 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4497 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3469 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2015-05-01 | DR-4217 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-04-30 | DR-4216 | Snowstorm | Severe Winter Storms, Snowstorms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3231 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2004-06-10 | DR-1523 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides |
| 2003-03-14 | DR-1454 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Ice and Snow Storms, Heavy Rain, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Mud and |
| 1998-03-03 | DR-1207 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 1997-03-04 | DR-1163 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1089 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1995-06-13 | DR-1055 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Winds, Hail |
| 1994-03-16 | DR-1018 | Snowstorm | Severe Weather, Freezing Rain, Sleet, Snw |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3104 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 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 |
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 Clark County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 41 flood or flash flood records for Clark County from 1996 to 2021, on 34 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Clark County ranks 766th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $6.1 million on 288 claims filed in Clark County; the most in one year was 53 in 2010. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 15 · 1984: 31 · 1986: 1 · 1989: 25 · 1990: 4 · 1991: 1 · 1992: 1 · 1993: 2 · 1994: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1996: 5 · 1997: 5 · 1998: 5 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 9 · 2003: 39 · 2004: 4 · 2006: 3 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 53 · 2011: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 37 · 2022: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 29; 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 Clark County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Clark County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $13.6 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 | $1.5M | 5.5 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $2.7M | once in about 9 years (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $127K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $324K | 51 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $93K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $268K | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $6.9M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $878K | 1.3 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 Clark 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 Clark CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Clark County's FEMA declarations (CSV)27 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis