Martin County, Kentucky
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 21159 · population 11,285 · 230 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 336 records for Martin County, Kentucky from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 236 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (116 records). The most damaging was the May 31, 2004 flood ($6.2 million in 2025 dollars). FEMA has issued 37 declarations naming the county since 1967, 35 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
- 336on 236 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 04 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $15Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 1strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 37latest 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 Martin County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 116 since 1996. 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 | 116 | 72 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 4 | $730K | 71 of 118 |
| Winter storms | 78 | 66 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $3K | 29 of 118 |
| Floods | 60 | 48 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 0 | $11M | 31 of 118 |
| Hail | 44 | 30 | 1986-2015 | 0 | 0 | $8K | 40 of 118 |
| Extreme cold | 17 | 17 | 1996-2020 | 0 | 0 | $28K | 25 of 118 |
| High wind and dust storms | 12 | 10 | 2008-2024 | 0 | 0 | $35K | 47 of 118 |
| Heat | 4 | 4 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 118 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 2016-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 33 of 118 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 48 of 118 |
| Tornadoes | 1 | 1 | 2012-2012 | 0 | 0 | $2.6M | 113 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 Martin County had?
NOAA records 1 tornado in Martin County from 2012 to 2012, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 0 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 Martin County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 1, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 2 people, 0 of them in Martin County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-03-02 17:50, as SPC files it | Salyersville to WarfieldCrossed KY, WV | EF3 | 49.04 mi | 2 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kentucky.
Every tornado record filed for Martin County (1)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-03-02 | Davisport, Martin County | EF2 14.43 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.6M |
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 Martin County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the May 16, 2025 thunderstorm wind ($17,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindPilgrim, Martin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $17K |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindMilo, Martin County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-04-04 | Flash FloodDebord, Martin County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-19 | Heavy SnowMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-10 | Heavy SnowMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-05 | Winter StormMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2012-07-01 | Thunderstorm WindInez, Martin County | 65 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2012-03-02 | TornadoDavisport, Martin County | EF2 14.43 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.6M |
| 2004-06-01 | FloodMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | $4.7M | |
| 2004-05-31 | FloodMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | $6.2M | |
| 2003-07-10 | Thunderstorm WindInez, Martin County | 65 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-01-05 | Thunderstorm WindInez, Martin County A house trailer was blown off its foundation. A man sustained shoulder injuries, and two childern received minor cuts. | 0 | 3 | $28K | |
| 2001-10-24 | Thunderstorm WindInez, Martin County Strong winds blew a tree down onto a car along Kentucky Route 40. The driver of the car received minor injuries. Winds also blew the metal roof off the H and R Block Building in downtown Inez and dropped it onto Main Street. All businesses along Main Street were forced to close the day after as crews removed the ... | 0 | 1 | $25K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05-31 | FloodMartin County · forecast zone Martin | 0 | 0 | $6.2M | |
| 2012-03-02 | TornadoDavisport, Martin County | EF2 14.43 mi x 500 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.6M |
| 1997-01-05 | Thunderstorm WindInez, Martin County | 0 | 3 | $28K | |
| 2001-10-24 | Thunderstorm WindInez, Martin County | 0 | 1 | $25K |
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 Martin 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 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 36 | 43 | 24 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 6 | 18 | 40 | 14 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 5 | 25 | 24 | 6 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 33 | 4 | 0 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 3 | 3 | 10 | 1 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records per calendar decade; zone records from the CZ_TYPE field (Z).
What time of year?
Records by month in Martin County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 42 · Feb 55 · Mar 28 · Apr 42 · May 39 · Jun 33 · Jul 37 · Aug 18 · Sep 4 · Oct 15 · Nov 8 · Dec 15 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Martin County
FEMA's register lists 37 declarations that include Martin County: 27 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 3 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (15) and flood (9).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2015-05-12 | DR-4218 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2012-03-06 | DR-4057 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds and Flooding |
| 2011-05-04 | DR-1976 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding |
| 2009-02-05 | DR-1818 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2009-01-28 | EM-3302 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2007-05-25 | DR-1703 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, Mudslides, and Rockslides |
| 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 |
| 2003-03-14 | DR-1454 | Severe Storm | Severe Winter Ice and Snow Storms, Heavy Rain, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Mud and |
| 2002-05-07 | DR-1414 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes and Flooding |
| 2002-04-04 | DR-1407 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 2001-11-02 | FM-2386 | Fire | Ky - Eastern Fire Complex - 11/02/2001 |
| 2000-11-04 | FM-2350 | Fire | Ky - Eastern District Fire Complex - 11/03/00 |
| 1999-11-20 | FM-2288 | Fire | Ky, Wildfires #001 |
| 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 |
| 1984-05-15 | DR-705 | Severe Storm | High Winds, Tornadoes & Flooding |
| 1978-12-12 | DR-568 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1977-04-06 | DR-529 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1970-02-02 | DR-282 | Flood | Heavy Snowmelt, Rains & Flooding |
| 1967-03-27 | DR-226 | 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 Martin County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 60 flood or flash flood records for Martin County from 1996 to 2025, on 48 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Martin County ranks 539th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $6.6 million on 462 claims filed in Martin County; the most in one year was 125 in 1984. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 37 · 1980: 24 · 1981: 2 · 1982: 6 · 1984: 125 · 1986: 3 · 1987: 1 · 1989: 4 · 1991: 10 · 1994: 5 · 1996: 2 · 1997: 2 · 1998: 1 · 2002: 9 · 2003: 26 · 2004: 54 · 2005: 34 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 1 · 2011: 4 · 2012: 3 · 2013: 1 · 2014: 8 · 2015: 5 · 2016: 2 · 2019: 7 · 2020: 2 · 2021: 32 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2025: 48; 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 Martin County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Martin County Relatively Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $8.8 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 Moderate | $29K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Wildfire | Relatively Low | $171K | once in about 71 years (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $7.6M | 1.7 a year (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Low | $198K | 2.4 modeled event-days a year |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $256K | 2.7 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $28K | 15 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $266K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $52K | 49 a year (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Martin 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 Martin CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Martin County's FEMA declarations (CSV)37 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis