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.

Elliott County: records by hazard, 1950 to June 30, 2026
HazardRecordsDaysFirst, lastKilledInjuredDamageRank 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)
Every tornado recorded in Elliott County, newest first
DatePlaceCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
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).

The 11 most recent records kept for Elliott County
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
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

Records with deaths or injuries in Elliott County, most deaths first
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
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.

The costliest records in Elliott County since 1993, damage in 2025 dollars
DateRecordCharacterKilledInjuredDamage
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).

Elliott County: records per decade (the 2020s to June 30, 2026)
Hazard1950s1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s2020-26
Severe thunderstorm wind001210253115
Winter storms––––5203413
Hail0020812110
Floods––––58190
Extreme cold––––3491

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).

Declarations including Elliott County, newest first
DeclaredNumberTypeTitle
2026-01-24EM-3633Winter StormSevere Winter Storm
2025-04-24DR-4864Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
2025-04-03EM-3626Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2025-02-24DR-4860Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
2025-02-16EM-3624Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Landslides
2024-11-26DR-4848Tropical StormRemnants of Hurricane Helene
2023-05-09DR-4711FloodSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
2021-04-23DR-4595FloodSevere, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
2021-03-31DR-4592Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storms, Landslides, and Mudslides
2020-03-28DR-4497BiologicalCovid-19 Pandemic
2020-03-13EM-3469BiologicalCovid-19
2019-04-17DR-4428Severe StormSevere Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
2015-08-12DR-4239Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslide
2015-05-12DR-4218FloodSevere Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
2015-05-01DR-4217FloodSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides
2011-05-04DR-1976Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding
2010-07-23DR-1925Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, and Mudslides
2010-05-11DR-1912Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Tornadoes
2009-02-05DR-1818Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storm and Flooding
2009-01-28EM-3302Severe Ice StormSevere Winter Storm
2005-09-10EM-3231HurricaneHurricane Katrina
2004-06-10DR-1523Severe StormSevere Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, and Mudslides
2003-07-02DR-1475Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes
2003-06-03DR-1471Severe StormSevere Storms, Flooding, Mud and Rock Slides, and Tornadoes
2003-03-14DR-1454Severe StormSevere Winter Ice and Snow Storms, Heavy Rain, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Mud and
2002-04-04DR-1407Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding
2001-08-15DR-1388Severe StormSevere Storms and Flooding
1998-03-03DR-1207Severe StormSevere Winter Storm
1997-03-04DR-1163Severe StormSevere Storm, Flooding, and Tornadoes
1996-01-13DR-1089SnowstormBlizzard of 96
1995-06-13DR-1055TornadoTornadoes, Severe Winds, Hail
1994-03-16DR-1018SnowstormSevere Weather, Freezing Rain, Sleet, Snw
1993-03-16EM-3104SnowstormSevere Snowfall & Winter Storm
1989-02-24DR-821FloodSevere 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.

National Risk Index ratings for Elliott County (December 2025 release), by FEMA's rating, then score
HazardRisk ratingExpected annual lossModeled frequency
LandslideRelatively Low$25Kabout once a year (modeled)
Heat WaveRelatively Low$185K2.6 modeled event-days a year
Winter WeatherRelatively Low$25K15 a year (modeled)
Ice StormRelatively Low$17Konce in about 2 years (modeled)
Strong WindRelatively Low$161K3.9 a year (modeled)
LightningRelatively Low$60K50 a year (modeled)
WildfireVery Low$44Konce in about 681 years (modeled)
HurricaneVery Low$13Konce 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

  1. Morgan County 543
  2. Rowan County 429
  3. Carter County 403
  4. Lawrence County 400
  5. Elliott County 255

Source: U.S. Census Bureau county adjacency file; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1950. The Census Bureau's adjacency file.

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