Lincoln County, Kentucky
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 21137 · population 24,271 · 333 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 247 records for Lincoln County, Kentucky from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 178 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (134 records). The deadliest single record is the May 2, 2010 flash flood: 1 death and $41,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 28 declarations naming the county since 1970, 26 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
- 247on 178 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 175 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $8.7Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 12strongest F3
- FEMA declarations
- 28latest 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 Lincoln County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 134 since 1971. 42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1971 fell in May and June. 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 | 134 | 100 | 1971-2026 | 0 | 1 | $2.1M | 78 of 118 |
| Floods | 33 | 24 | 1996-2022 | 1 | 0 | $2.5M | 106 of 118 |
| Hail | 30 | 22 | 1983-2020 | 0 | 0 | $155K | 114 of 118 |
| Winter storms | 27 | 26 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 100 of 118 |
| Tornadoes | 12 | 12 | 1973-2025 | 0 | 74 | $3.8M | 54 of 118 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 2016-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 90 of 118 |
| High wind and dust storms | 5 | 5 | 2010-2024 | 0 | 0 | $26K | 94 of 118 |
| Heavy rain | 1 | 1 | 2013-2013 | 0 | 0 | – | 91 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 Lincoln County had?
NOAA records 12 tornadoes in Lincoln County from 1973 to 2025, the strongest rated F3, with 0 deaths and 74 injuries recorded in the county. That is 54th of 118 Kentucky counties by days with tornadoes per 1,000 square miles since 1950. 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 12 tornadoes whose track touched Lincoln County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 12, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 1 person, 0 of them in Lincoln County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-03 17:35, as SPC files it | Danville | F3 | 21.1 mi | 1 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kentucky.
Every tornado record filed for Lincoln County (12)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-04-03 | Rowland, Lincoln County | EF1 6.95 mi x 90 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2011-02-28 | Stanford, Lincoln County | EF1 8.7 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $131K |
| 2009-04-10 | Waynesburg, Lincoln County | EF1 6.95 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $138K |
| 2006-01-02 | Mc Kinney, Lincoln County | F2 8.7 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 2 | $512K |
| 2002-11-10 | Hustonville, Lincoln County | F0 0.1 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-08-19 | Crab Orchard, Lincoln County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $124K |
| 1996-05-28 | Mc Kinney, Lincoln County | F0 12 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1996-04-20 | Mc Kinney, Lincoln County | F2 12 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 7 | $2.8M |
| 1989-04-02 | Lincoln County | F0 0.1 mi x 20 yd | 0 | 0 | $250 step |
| 1985-06-07 | Lincoln County | F0 0.2 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1974-04-03 | Lincoln County | F3 7.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 65 | – |
| 1973-06-27 | Lincoln County | F1 0.9 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $3K 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 Lincoln County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 8, 2020 thunderstorm wind ($34,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A roof was torn off of a double-wide mobile home and thrown southeast. The resident stated winds lasted for 2 to 3 minutes. NWS remote survey estimated winds at 90 mph.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 889027)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindJumbo, Lincoln County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindChicken Bristle, Lincoln County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormLincoln County · forecast zone Lincoln | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-11 | Heavy SnowLincoln County · forecast zone Lincoln | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-24 | Frost/FreezeLincoln County · forecast zone Lincoln | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-09-22 | Thunderstorm WindArabia, Lincoln County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-06-06 | Thunderstorm WindStanford, Lincoln County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindCrab Orchard, Lincoln County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindPreachersville, Lincoln County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindBroughtentown, Lincoln County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindPreachersville, Lincoln County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindWalnut Flat, Lincoln County | 50 kt wind | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-05-02 | Flash FloodStanford, Lincoln County Heavy rains caused flash flooding of the Hanging Fork River on KY 300 near Stanford. One person died when a van with multiple passengers was swept off the road into the river. The driver of the van exited the vehicle and climbed onto the roof. He then lost his grip and fell into the rushing water. M47VE. | 1 | 0 | $41K | |
| 1974-04-03 | TornadoLincoln County | F3 7.2 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 65 | – |
| 1996-04-20 | TornadoMc Kinney, Lincoln County A tornado embedded in straight-line winds moved through Lincoln county destroying or damaging 20 houses and mobile homes and 6 buildings. DES coordinator Winfred Todd reported the damage path went from near McKinney across the western part of the county to Preachersville across the eastern part of the county near the ... | F2 12 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 7 | $2.8M |
| 2006-01-02 | TornadoMc Kinney, Lincoln County Two people were injured as an F2 tornado swept through western and central Lincoln County. A man received minor injures when a barn he was in collapsed around him. An elderly woman was hospitalized with a broken collar bone and nose. She had been sucked out of her mobile home by strong winds when she tried to open her ... | F2 8.7 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 2 | $512K |
| 2004-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindKings Mtn, Lincoln County Several homes and barns were damaged. The major portion of the roof was blown off one of the homes. One barn was completely destroyed, and some farm equipment inside was damaged or destroyed. | 70 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $234K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-04-20 | TornadoMc Kinney, Lincoln County | F2 12 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 7 | $2.8M |
| 1996-07-19 | Flash FloodCountywide, Lincoln County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 1994-07-21 | Thunderstorm WindWaynesburg, Lincoln County | 0 | 0 | $995K | |
| 2006-01-02 | TornadoMc Kinney, Lincoln County | F2 8.7 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 2 | $512K |
| 2018-06-26 | Flash FloodChicken Bristle, Lincoln County | 0 | 0 | $353K | |
| 2002-04-28 | Thunderstorm WindWaynesburg, Lincoln County | 90 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $328K |
| 2004-05-26 | Thunderstorm WindKings Mtn, Lincoln County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $234K |
| 2009-04-10 | TornadoWaynesburg, Lincoln County | EF1 6.95 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $138K |
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 $25K, in the dollars of the day) holds: June 7, 1985 (tornado, Lincoln 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 Lincoln 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 | 9 | 14 | 28 | 36 | 46 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 7 | 18 | 3 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 14 | 4 | 1 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 2 | 11 | 11 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
42% of its severe thunderstorm wind events since 1971 fell in May and June. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 14 · Feb 16 · Mar 17 · Apr 31 · May 55 · Jun 30 · Jul 28 · Aug 24 · Sep 8 · Oct 9 · Nov 7 · Dec 8 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Lincoln County
FEMA's register lists 28 declarations that include Lincoln County: 21 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (6).
| 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 |
| 2023-04-10 | DR-4702 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2022-07-29 | DR-4663 | Flood | Severe Storms, 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 |
| 2015-08-12 | DR-4239 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslide |
| 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 |
| 2002-05-07 | DR-1414 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 1998-03-03 | DR-1207 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 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 |
| 1974-04-04 | DR-420 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
| 1972-05-15 | DR-332 | Flood | Heavy Rains & Flooding |
| 1970-06-05 | DR-288 | 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 Lincoln County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 33 flood or flash flood records for Lincoln County from 1996 to 2022, on 24 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Lincoln County ranks 1960th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $377,000 on 27 claims filed in Lincoln County; the most in one year was 6 in 1996. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 3 · 1981: 1 · 1982: 2 · 1983: 1 · 1984: 3 · 1992: 1 · 1996: 6 · 1997: 2 · 1999: 1 · 2004: 1 · 2010: 3 · 2025: 2; 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 Lincoln County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Lincoln County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $892K | 6.4 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Moderate | $81K | 9.3 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $444K | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $1.0M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $87K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $181K | 53 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.4M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $671K | once in about 6 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Lincoln 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 Lincoln CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Lincoln County's FEMA declarations (CSV)28 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis