Estill County, Kentucky
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 21065 · population 14,163 · 253 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 594 records for Estill County, Kentucky from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 346 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (267 records). The deadliest single record is the April 3, 2015 flash flood: 1 death and $1,245 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 38 declarations naming the county since 1978, 36 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
- 594on 346 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 140 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $35Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 8strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 38latest 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 Estill County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 267 since 1960. 41% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 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 | 267 | 157 | 1960-2025 | 0 | 1 | $2.2M | 8 of 118 |
| Floods | 138 | 74 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 1 | $7.0M | 13 of 118 |
| Winter storms | 70 | 59 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $11K | 38 of 118 |
| Hail | 44 | 33 | 1993-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 42 of 118 |
| High wind and dust storms | 22 | 19 | 1998-2024 | 0 | 0 | $207K | 26 of 118 |
| Heavy rain | 13 | 9 | 2009-2021 | 0 | 0 | $7K | 13 of 118 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 12 | 2007-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 37 of 118 |
| Tornadoes | 8 | 7 | 1961-2022 | 0 | 38 | $25M | 70 of 118 |
| Heat | 7 | 7 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 39 of 118 |
| Drought | 4 | 4 | 2016-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 118 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 3 | 2 | 2010-2022 | 0 | 0 | – | 5 of 118 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 1996-2013 | 0 | 0 | $104K | 16 of 118 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 3 | 2009-2014 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 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 Estill County had?
NOAA records 8 tornadoes in Estill County from 1961 to 2022, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 38 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 8 tornadoes whose track touched Estill County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 8, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person, 0 of them in Estill County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961-06-09 14:00, as SPC files it | Unnamed | F3 | 2.6 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kentucky.
Every tornado record filed for Estill County (8)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-01-01 | Palmer, Estill County | EF1 1.1 mi x 140 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2009-10-09 | Wagersville, Estill County | EF1 0.25 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2009-10-09 | Jinks, Estill County | EF1 3.75 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $138K |
| 2009-05-08 | Friend, Estill County | EF0 0.25 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $21K |
| 2004-06-01 | Ravenna, Estill County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-04-20 | Red Lick, Estill County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $376K |
| 1977-08-03 | Estill County | F2 2.3 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1961-06-09 | Estill County | F3 1.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 38 | $2.5M 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 Estill County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 20, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindWest Irvine, Estill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindWisemantown, Estill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindPryse, Estill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindPitts, Estill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindWest Irvine, Estill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindWinston, Estill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-05-13 | Flash FloodRavenna, Estill County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-13 | Flash FloodIrvine, Estill County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-04-30 | HailSprout Spgs, Estill County | 0.88 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-04-29 | Thunderstorm WindSouth Irvine, Estill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindWisemantown, Estill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindWillow Tree, Estill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-04-03 | Flash FloodCrystal, Estill County A vehicle attempted to drive through flash flood waters from a creek along KY Hwy 52 near the Estill and Lee county line. The vehicle was eventually swept downstream with the driver trapped inside. The person was alone in the car and ended up drowning inside the vehicle. | 1 | 0 | $1K | |
| 1961-06-09 | TornadoEstill County | F3 1.3 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 38 | $2.5M step |
| 2017-03-01 | Thunderstorm WindWinston, Estill County A microburst with 90 to 100 mph winds caused severe damage to vehicles and buildings near Winston. One man was injured by flying glass as he attempted to shut the front door of his home. One vehicle had been rolled over by the wind. Roof damage also occurred to several structures in the area, and a garage was ... | 90 kt wind | 0 | 1 | – |
| 2002-06-02 | Flash FloodIrvine, Estill County One person was rescued from fast flowing, high water along Wagersville Road. | 0 | 1 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-06-10 | Thunderstorm WindFurnace, Estill County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $685K |
| 1996-04-20 | TornadoRed Lick, Estill County | F1 5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $376K |
| 1997-06-16 | Flash FloodIrvine, Estill County | 0 | 0 | $276K | |
| 2003-05-11 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Estill County | 80 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $160K |
| 2009-10-09 | TornadoJinks, Estill County | EF1 3.75 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $138K |
| 2022-01-01 | TornadoPalmer, Estill County | EF1 1.1 mi x 140 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindPryse, Estill County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2004-06-01 | Thunderstorm WindRavenna, Estill County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $47K |
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: June 9, 1961 (tornado, Estill 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 Estill 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 | 1 | 6 | 16 | 88 | 94 | 61 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 49 | 58 | 24 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 21 | 31 | 15 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 24 | 11 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 1 | 11 | 3 | 7 |
| Heavy rain | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 8 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
41% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1960 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 56 · Feb 48 · Mar 41 · Apr 61 · May 104 · Jun 91 · Jul 73 · Aug 49 · Sep 19 · Oct 18 · Nov 13 · Dec 21 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Estill County
FEMA's register lists 38 declarations that include Estill County: 31 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (21) and flood (5).
| 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 |
| 2024-11-26 | DR-4848 | Tropical Storm | Remnants of Hurricane Helene |
| 2024-07-23 | DR-4804 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2019-04-17 | DR-4428 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2018-04-12 | DR-4358 | Flood | Severe Storms, 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 |
| 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 |
| 2010-05-11 | DR-1912 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Tornadoes |
| 2009-05-29 | DR-1841 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding and Mudslides |
| 2009-02-05 | DR-1818 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2009-01-28 | EM-3302 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-02-21 | DR-1746 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3231 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 1994-03-16 | DR-1018 | Snowstorm | Severe Weather, Freezing Rain, Sleet, Snw |
| 1993-03-16 | EM-3104 | Snowstorm | Severe Snowfall & Winter Storm |
| 1984-05-15 | DR-705 | Severe Storm | High Winds, Tornadoes & 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 Estill County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 138 flood or flash flood records for Estill County from 1996 to 2025, on 74 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Estill County ranks 1748th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.1 million on 42 claims filed in Estill County; the most in one year was 25 in 2021. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1984: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2021: 25 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 9; 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 Estill County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Estill County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $7.0M | 2.6 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $60K | 14 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $350K | 5.9 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $123K | 52 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $128K | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $461K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $528K | once in about 11 years (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $23K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Estill 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 Estill CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Estill County's FEMA declarations (CSV)38 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis