Elliott County, Kentucky
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 21063 · population 7,354 · 234 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 255 records for Elliott County, Kentucky from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 198 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (84 records). The most damaging was the March 1, 1997 flash flood ($2.0 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 34 declarations naming the county since 1989, 32 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
- 255on 198 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 014 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $6.8Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 1strongest F1
- FEMA declarations
- 34latest 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 Elliott County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 84 since 1973. 60% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1973 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 | 84 | 60 | 1973-2025 | 0 | 5 | $2.4M | 96 of 118 |
| Winter storms | 72 | 63 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 6 | $50K | 30 of 118 |
| Hail | 33 | 29 | 1973-2017 | 0 | 0 | $102K | 53 of 118 |
| Floods | 32 | 24 | 1996-2018 | 0 | 0 | $2.7M | 87 of 118 |
| Extreme cold | 17 | 16 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 28 of 118 |
| Heat | 8 | 8 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 118 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 5 | 2006-2023 | 0 | 0 | $39K | 82 of 118 |
| Drought | 2 | 2 | 2016-2016 | 0 | 0 | – | 43 of 118 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 49 of 118 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 1974-1974 | 0 | 3 | $1.5M | 114 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 Elliott County had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Elliott County from 1974 to 1974, the strongest rated F1, with 0 deaths and 3 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 1 tornado whose track touched Elliott County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 1, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kentucky.
Every tornado record filed for Elliott County (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-01 | Elliott County | F1 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $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 Elliott County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 13, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($1,500 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindDewdrop, Elliott County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-01-05 | Winter StormElliott County · forecast zone Elliott | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-01-02 | Winter WeatherElliott County · forecast zone Elliott | 0 | 6 | – | |
| 2012-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindSandy Hook, Elliott County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-03-02 | HailSandy Hook, Elliott County | 2.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-06-17 | Flash FloodCountywide, Elliott County | 0 | 0 | $353K | |
| 1997-03-01 | Flash FloodSandy Hook, Elliott County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 1995-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Elliott County | 0 | 2 | $1.9M | |
| 1993-02-21 | HailElliott County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $102K |
| 1987-07-06 | Thunderstorm WindElliott County | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 1974-04-01 | TornadoElliott County | F1 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $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; 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-02 | Winter WeatherElliott County · forecast zone Elliott The Elliott county EM reported that 6 accidents occurred on icy roads around the county. None of the accidents involved major injuries. | 0 | 6 | – | |
| 1987-07-06 | Thunderstorm WindElliott County | 0 | 3 | – | |
| 1974-04-01 | TornadoElliott County | F1 2 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 3 | $250K step |
| 1995-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Elliott County | 0 | 2 | $1.9M |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-03-01 | Flash FloodSandy Hook, Elliott County | 0 | 0 | $2.0M | |
| 2003-06-17 | Flash FloodCountywide, Elliott County | 0 | 0 | $353K | |
| 2025-06-13 | Thunderstorm WindDewdrop, Elliott County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
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: April 1, 1974 (tornado, Elliott 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 Elliott 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 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 25 | 31 | 15 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 5 | 20 | 34 | 13 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 12 | 11 | 0 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 8 | 19 | 0 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 4 | 9 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
60% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1973 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 25 · Feb 34 · Mar 19 · Apr 25 · May 27 · Jun 41 · Jul 30 · Aug 19 · Sep 4 · Oct 8 · Nov 5 · Dec 18 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Elliott County
FEMA's register lists 34 declarations that include Elliott County: 27 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (17) and flood (5).
| 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 |
| 2025-02-24 | 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 |
| 2024-11-26 | DR-4848 | Tropical Storm | Remnants of Hurricane Helene |
| 2023-05-09 | DR-4711 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, 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 |
| 2019-04-17 | DR-4428 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-08-12 | DR-4239 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslide |
| 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 |
| 2011-05-04 | DR-1976 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2010-07-23 | DR-1925 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, 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 |
| 2003-07-02 | DR-1475 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes |
| 2003-06-03 | DR-1471 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes |
| 2003-03-14 | DR-1454 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Ice and Snow Storms, Heavy Rain, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Mud and |
| 2002-04-04 | DR-1407 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-08-15 | DR-1388 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
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 Elliott County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 32 flood or flash flood records for Elliott County from 1996 to 2018, on 24 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Elliott County ranks 2756th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $10,000 on 2 claims filed in Elliott County; the most in one year was 1 in 2003. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
2003: 1 · 2021: 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 Elliott County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Elliott County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $3.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landslide | Relatively Low | $25K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $185K | 2.6 modeled event-days a year |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $25K | 15 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $17K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $161K | 3.9 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $60K | 50 a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Very Low | $44K | once in about 681 years (modeled) |
| Hurricane | Very Low | $13K | once in about 43 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Elliott 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 Elliott CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Elliott County's FEMA declarations (CSV)34 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis