Fayette County, Kentucky
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 21067 · population 322,301 · 284 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 554 records for Fayette County, Kentucky from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 361 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (322 records). The deadliest single record is the September 23, 2006 flash flood: 2 deaths. FEMA has issued 21 declarations naming the county since 1978, 19 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
- 554on 361 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 943 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $242Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 9strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 21latest 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 Fayette County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 322 since 1955. 51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 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 | 322 | 220 | 1955-2026 | 1 | 8 | $123M | 2 of 118 |
| Hail | 75 | 53 | 1955-2026 | 0 | 0 | $62K | 13 of 118 |
| Floods | 68 | 49 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 0 | $4.1M | 44 of 118 |
| Winter storms | 38 | 38 | 1996-2026 | 2 | 1 | $29M | 73 of 118 |
| High wind and dust storms | 17 | 14 | 1996-2024 | 0 | 0 | $57K | 41 of 118 |
| Lightning | 14 | 13 | 1996-2023 | 1 | 7 | $3.2M | 3 of 118 |
| Extreme cold | 9 | 9 | 2015-2025 | 3 | 1 | – | 51 of 118 |
| Tornadoes | 9 | 9 | 1956-2004 | 0 | 26 | $82M | 62 of 118 |
| Heat | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | – | 69 of 118 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2018-2018 | 0 | 0 | – | 86 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 Fayette County had?
NOAA records 9 tornadoes in Fayette County from 1956 to 2004, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 26 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 9 tornadoes whose track touched Fayette County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 9, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05-27 20:15, as SPC files it | Lexington-Fayette | F3 | 3 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kentucky.
Every tornado record filed for Fayette County (9)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05-27 | Blue Grass Lex Airport, Fayette County | F3 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $12M |
| 1996-05-28 | Keene, Fayette County | F0 5 mi x 575 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1995-05-18 | Lexington, Fayette County | F2 1.7 mi x 350 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1986-03-10 | Fayette County | F2 3.5 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 20 | $25M step |
| 1980-07-02 | Fayette County | F1 1.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1980-06-10 | Fayette County | F0 3.6 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1977-10-01 | Fayette County | F1 9.2 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1962-03-21 | Fayette County | F1 0.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1956-07-13 | Fayette County | F1 | 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 Fayette County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the January 24, 2026 winter storm (1 death).
Fayette County received a combination of snow and sleet totaling 4 to 5 inches. In addition, Fayette County saw 0.25 to 0.35 inches of ice accumulation.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1315816)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodLexington, Fayette County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodLexington, Fayette County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodCadentown, Fayette County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodLexington, Fayette County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-22 | Flash FloodLexington, Fayette County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindBlu Grs Field Lex, Fayette County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | HailSouth Elkhorn, Fayette County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | HailLexington, Fayette County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | HailViley, Fayette County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-02-19 | HailLittle Texas, Fayette County | 1.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormFayette County · forecast zone Fayette | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-11 | Heavy SnowFayette County · forecast zone Fayette | 0 | 0 | – |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006-09-23 | Flash FloodLexington, Fayette County Two women were knocked down and swept away by rapidly flowing water, after trying to cross a flooded intersection. Sixty intersections in town were covered by high water, some with water depths up to three or four feet. Interstate 75 at mile marker 115 was flooded. Interstate 64 at mile marker 81 also had high water. | 2 | 0 | – | |
| 2016-01-11 | Cold/Wind ChillFayette County · forecast zone Fayette Bitterly cold temperatures encompassed central Kentucky during the morning hours of January 11th. Widespread lows were in the single digits to low teens and Bluegrass Airport in Lexington recorded a minimum temperature of 10 degrees. A slight breeze kept wind chill values in the single digits above and below zero. A ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormFayette County · forecast zone Fayette Fayette County received a combination of snow and sleet totaling 4 to 5 inches. In addition, Fayette County saw 0.25 to 0.35 inches of ice accumulation. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-02-17 | Cold/Wind ChillFayette County · forecast zone Fayette A man died due to exposure in his unheated mobile home early on the 17th. The Lexington ASOS recorded an early morning temperature of -1. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2015-02-15 | Cold/Wind ChillFayette County · forecast zone Fayette A woman slipped and fell in the parking lot of her apartment after leaving a friend's home. Her body was found the next morning. The coroner ruled her death to be exposure and hypothermia. The low temperature at the Lexington ASOS that morning was 4 degrees. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2008-12-23 | Winter WeatherFayette County · forecast zone Fayette Light freezing rain brought a rash of accidents on highways around the Lexington area. Broadcast media reported at least 50 accidents from early afternoon into the evening. Interstates 71, 75 and the Interstate 275 loop were reported as virtually impassable. An out-of-state driver was killed on Interstate 75 in ... | 1 | 0 | $137K | |
| 2006-05-25 | LightningLexington, Fayette County A woman was struck by lightning while placing yard waste in a container near her home. The time is estimated. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2000-08-09 | Thunderstorm WindLexington, Fayette County A was killed in Lexington when a tree was blown on to the vehicle he was driving. | 60 kt wind | 1 | 0 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993-05-18 | Thunderstorm WindFayette County | 0 | 0 | $102M | |
| 2003-02-15 | Ice StormFayette County · forecast zone Fayette | 0 | 0 | $29M | |
| 2004-05-27 | TornadoBlue Grass Lex Airport, Fayette County | F3 3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 6 | $12M |
| 1993-02-21 | Thunderstorm WindFayette County | 0 | 1 | $10M | |
| 2017-03-01 | Thunderstorm WindDonerail, Fayette County | 55 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $5.4M |
| 2016-12-18 | LightningLoradale, Fayette County | 0 | 0 | $3.1M | |
| 2004-05-27 | Thunderstorm WindCountywide, Fayette County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $781K |
| 2017-03-01 | Thunderstorm WindGreendale, Fayette County | 61 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $602K |
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 $25M, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 10, 1986 (tornado, Fayette 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 Fayette 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 | 5 | 15 | 11 | 30 | 31 | 70 | 102 | 58 |
| Hail | 1 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 22 | 14 | 14 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 17 | 28 | 16 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 8 | 17 | 10 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| Lightning | – | – | – | – | 1 | 4 | 7 | 2 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
51% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1955 fell in June and July. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 20 · Feb 39 · Mar 28 · Apr 55 · May 77 · Jun 93 · Jul 122 · Aug 60 · Sep 12 · Oct 20 · Nov 14 · Dec 14 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Fayette County
FEMA's register lists 21 declarations that include Fayette County: 14 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (9) and flood (3).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EM-3633 | Winter Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 2024-05-22 | DR-4782 | 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 |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4497 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3469 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 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 |
| 2008-02-21 | 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 |
| 2003-03-14 | DR-1454 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Ice and Snow Storms, Heavy Rain, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Mud and |
| 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 |
| 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 Fayette County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 68 flood or flash flood records for Fayette County from 1996 to 2026, on 49 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Fayette County ranks 545th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $5.4 million on 457 claims filed in Fayette County; the most in one year was 54 in 1992. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 24 · 1979: 12 · 1980: 2 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 3 · 1983: 8 · 1984: 35 · 1989: 13 · 1990: 2 · 1991: 3 · 1992: 54 · 1993: 6 · 1994: 3 · 1995: 4 · 1996: 13 · 1997: 46 · 1998: 29 · 2000: 5 · 2002: 5 · 2003: 16 · 2004: 13 · 2006: 39 · 2007: 3 · 2008: 28 · 2010: 36 · 2011: 2 · 2013: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 14 · 2017: 2 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 6 · 2021: 5 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 8 · 2026: 4; 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 Fayette County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Fayette County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $113 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively High | $24M | once in about 7 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively High | $16M | 1.3 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $876K | 12 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively High | $2.1M | 52 a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively High | $3.1M | 5.7 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $1.1M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $2.3M | 3.1 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $8.9M | once in about 486 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Fayette 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 Fayette CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Fayette County's FEMA declarations (CSV)21 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis