McCracken County, Kentucky
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 21145 · population 67,799 · 249 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 1,031 records for McCracken County, Kentucky from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 851 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (219 records). The deadliest single record is the March 2, 2011 flood: 1 death, 4 injuries and $66,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 23 declarations naming the county since 1973, 21 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
- 1,031on 851 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 6149 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $139Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 28strongest EF2
- FEMA declarations
- 23latest 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 McCracken County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 219 since 1959. 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 | 219 | 186 | 1959-2025 | 0 | 5 | $5.5M | 3 of 118 |
| Floods | 164 | 151 | 1996-2025 | 2 | 10 | $20M | 1 of 118 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 106 | 105 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 of 118 |
| Winter storms | 106 | 106 | 1996-2026 | 3 | 9 | $38M | 8 of 118 |
| High wind and dust storms | 87 | 87 | 1997-2026 | 0 | 2 | $21M | 2 of 118 |
| Heat | 86 | 86 | 1997-2025 | 0 | 104 | – | 5 of 118 |
| Hail | 77 | 64 | 1956-2026 | 0 | 1 | $32M | 5 of 118 |
| Extreme cold | 62 | 62 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $46K | 7 of 118 |
| Drought | 40 | 40 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | $16M | 6 of 118 |
| Heavy rain | 39 | 39 | 2003-2015 | 0 | 0 | $27K | 1 of 118 |
| Tornadoes | 28 | 24 | 1958-2024 | 0 | 13 | $6.4M | 2 of 118 |
| Lightning | 14 | 14 | 1998-2023 | 0 | 5 | $266K | 1 of 118 |
| Wildfires | 3 | 3 | 1996-2006 | 0 | 0 | – | 2 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 McCracken County had?
NOAA records 28 tornadoes in McCracken County from 1958 to 2024, the strongest rated EF2, with 0 deaths and 13 injuries recorded in the county. That is 2nd of 118 Kentucky counties and 46th of 3,080 U.S. 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 29 tornadoes whose track touched McCracken County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 28: they file a crossing tornado once per county segment, and the two databases differ on some tracks); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people, 0 of them in McCracken County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013-11-17 14:05, as SPC files it | PaducahCrossed IL, KY | EF3 | 42.5 mi | 3 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kentucky.
Every tornado record filed for McCracken County (28)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-08 | Tyler, McCracken County | EFU 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2024-04-02 | Woodville, McCracken County | EF1 0.6 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $71K |
| 2023-03-03 | Hardmoney, McCracken County | EF2 1.49 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
| 2023-01-12 | Ragland, McCracken County | EF1 1.3 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2019-06-23 | Cammelia, McCracken County | EF1 15.98 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $577K |
| 2019-03-14 | Cammelia, McCracken County | EF2 11.17 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.5M |
| 2018-02-24 | St Johns, McCracken County | EF1 1.93 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | $100K |
| 2016-07-06 | Ragland, McCracken County | EF1 2.55 mi x 250 yd | 0 | 0 | $49K |
| 2014-06-02 | Reidland, McCracken County | EF1 1.53 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 0 | $50K |
| 2013-11-17 | Woodville, McCracken County | EF2 13.42 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 1 | $443K |
| 2013-10-31 | Melber, McCracken County | EF1 2.15 mi x 225 yd | 0 | 0 | $127K |
| 2013-10-31 | Melber, McCracken County | EF1 3.25 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2013-10-31 | Reidland, McCracken County | EF1 0.45 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $44K |
| 2013-10-31 | Shady Grove, McCracken County | EF0 0.98 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $19K |
| 2012-02-29 | Ragland, McCracken County | EF2 6.11 mi x 150 yd | 0 | 5 | $193K |
| 2011-04-04 | Heath, McCracken County | EF0 0.51 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $39K |
| 2005-11-15 | Rossington, McCracken County | F0 0.2 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2004-05-30 | Barkley Airport Pa, McCracken County | F0 1.5 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 0 | $31K |
| 2003-05-06 | Lone Oak, McCracken County | F1 3.5 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2003-05-06 | Melber, McCracken County | F0 2 mi x 75 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1999-01-22 | Barkley Airport Pa, McCracken County | F1 1.3 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 2 | $886K |
| 1996-01-18 | Paducah, McCracken County | F1 1 mi x 50 yd | 0 | 2 | $141K |
| 1973-04-19 | McCracken County | F2 9.1 mi x 33 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1971-12-15 | McCracken County | F2 3.6 mi x 10 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1967-07-10 | McCracken County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $3K step |
| 1966-06-06 | McCracken County | F2 7.4 mi x 67 yd | 0 | 2 | $25K step |
| 1963-04-19 | McCracken County | F1 | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1958-05-02 | McCracken County | F1 | 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 McCracken County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the April 16, 2026 hail ($5,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
Hail measured to two inches fell south of Freemont and dented back porch wood.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 1347281)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-16 | HailHardmoney, McCracken County | 2.00 in hail | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 2026-04-09 | DroughtMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-04-02 | Strong WindMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-02-27 | Dense FogMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-02-16 | Dense FogMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-26 | Cold/Wind ChillMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 0 | 0 | $30K | |
| 2026-01-23 | Cold/Wind ChillMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-21 | Winter WeatherMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 1 | 0 | $30K | |
| 2026-01-08 | Strong WindMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-01-08 | Dense FogMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-11-23 | Dense FogMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-03-02 | FloodRowlandtown, McCracken County Flooding of the Ohio River occurred for most of the month of March. The flooding was considered moderate. The flooding was due to a prolonged active weather pattern that carried over from February. From February 23 through March 14, a total of 8.31 inches fell at Evansville, IN and 9.43 inches at Paducah, KY. Isolated ... | 1 | 4 | $66K | |
| 2018-01-12 | Winter StormMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken An Arctic cold front moved southeast across western Kentucky on the night of the 11th. Rain changed to a brief period of freezing rain, then to sleet during the overnight hours. The sleet changed to snow on the 12th as the Arctic air flooded in. A vigorous disturbance in the upper levels of the atmosphere prolonged ... | 1 | 1 | – | |
| 2026-01-21 | Winter WeatherMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken A light wintry mix developed during the early morning hours of the 21st across portions of western Kentucky. Temperatures were highly variable across the region between 32-36 degrees, but colder ground temperatures allowed for areas of light freezing rain to develop before temperatures quickly warmed that day, ... | 1 | 0 | $30K | |
| 2019-03-01 | FloodRagland, McCracken County A prolonged major river flood that peaked in February subsided in March. Information on the February crest height and the total property damage estimate is contained in the February report. The flood damaged about 50 homes in McCracken County. Levee and flood wall gates were installed in the Paducah area. This action ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2014-01-06 | Cold/Wind ChillMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken Dangerously cold wind chills were observed from late on the night of the 5th through early on the morning of the 7th. Wind chills during this entire period were colder than 10 below zero. The coldest wind chill readings were in the Henderson and Owensboro area during the daytime hours of the 6th...when the average ... | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2009-01-26 | Ice StormMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken This historic, prolonged ice storm was called the biggest disaster in modern Kentucky history by the governor of Kentucky. The storm produced at least one inch of ice across western Kentucky. Locally very destructive icing around 1.5 inches occurred from the Mississippi River counties east across Paducah and ... | 1 | 0 | $37M | |
| 2007-08-08 | HeatMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken Surface high pressure located over the Deep South remained nearly stationary. A persistent hot and humid southwest wind flow around this high brought an extended period of dangerously high heat indices, ranging from 105 to 110 degrees on several afternoons. In northern Christian County, heat was ruled as the secondary ... | 0 | 40 | – | |
| 2022-07-04 | Excessive HeatMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken A prolonged heat wave gripped most of western Kentucky for several days. From the 4th to the 8th, peak afternoon heat indices ranged from 103 to 119 degrees. The exception was the Owensboro and Henderson area, where the dangerous levels of heat lasted only from the 4th until the 6th. The hottest days in western ... | 0 | 23 | – |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-01-26 | Ice StormMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 1 | 0 | $37M | |
| 2003-05-04 | HailMassac, McCracken County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 1 | $32M |
| 2008-09-14 | High WindMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $20M |
| 2011-05-01 | FloodPaducah, McCracken County | 0 | 0 | $13M | |
| 2013-06-01 | Flash FloodLone Oak, McCracken County | 0 | 0 | $1.9M | |
| 2019-03-14 | TornadoCammelia, McCracken County | EF2 11.17 mi x 300 yd | 0 | 1 | $1.5M |
| 2015-07-07 | Flash FloodMelber, McCracken County | 0 | 0 | $1.5M | |
| 2023-03-03 | TornadoHardmoney, McCracken County | EF2 1.49 mi x 175 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.3M |
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 6, 1966 (tornado, McCracken County); April 19, 1963 (tornado, McCracken County); December 15, 1971 (tornado, McCracken 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 McCracken 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 | 1 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 43 | 50 | 62 | 35 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 23 | 42 | 64 | 35 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | – | – | – | – | 5 | 19 | 49 | 33 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 10 | 30 | 45 | 21 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 23 | 32 | 29 |
| Heat | – | – | – | – | 5 | 12 | 41 z | 28 |
Heat in the 2010s: 41 records against 12 in the decade before, 41 of them forecast-zone records. Cells marked z rose mostly through zone records. The local National Weather Service office files these once per forecast zone, so a change in how it draws its zones or splits a storm into records moves this count as much as the weather does; read it beside the McCracken County days with a record above.
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 McCracken County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 113 · Feb 100 · Mar 84 · Apr 125 · May 91 · Jun 100 · Jul 126 · Aug 66 · Sep 39 · Oct 47 · Nov 56 · Dec 84 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for McCracken County
FEMA's register lists 23 declarations that include McCracken County: 17 major disasters, 6 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (10) and flood (5).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 2020-04-24 | DR-4540 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding, 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 |
| 2018-04-26 | DR-4361 | 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 |
| 2009-02-05 | DR-1818 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm and Flooding |
| 2009-01-28 | EM-3302 | Severe Ice Storm | Severe Winter Storm |
| 2008-10-09 | DR-1802 | Severe Storm | Severe Wind Storm Associated With Tropical Depression Ike |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3231 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 1997-03-04 | DR-1163 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1089 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1991-01-29 | DR-893 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1989-02-24 | DR-821 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1975-03-29 | DR-461 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1973-05-11 | DR-381 | 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 McCracken County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 164 flood or flash flood records for McCracken County from 1996 to 2025, on 151 days, with 2 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), McCracken County ranks 737th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $8.6 million on 307 claims filed in McCracken County; the most in one year was 67 in 2011. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 6 · 1983: 7 · 1984: 6 · 1985: 14 · 1986: 1 · 1987: 1 · 1988: 1 · 1989: 5 · 1990: 2 · 1991: 3 · 1996: 3 · 1997: 32 · 1998: 2 · 2000: 4 · 2002: 3 · 2003: 1 · 2006: 2 · 2008: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2011: 67 · 2013: 20 · 2014: 2 · 2015: 24 · 2016: 3 · 2017: 3 · 2018: 4 · 2019: 25 · 2020: 3 · 2021: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2025: 54 · 2026: 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 McCracken County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates McCracken County Relatively Moderate overall, with an expected annual loss of $78.9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ice Storm | Relatively High | $1.3M | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively High | $367K | 6.7 a year (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Relatively Moderate | $38M | once in about 95 years (modeled) |
| Heat Wave | Relatively Moderate | $6.1M | 11 modeled event-days a year |
| Tornado | Relatively Moderate | $5.3M | once in about 4 years (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Moderate | $5.0M | about once a year (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Moderate | $1.4M | 4 a year (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Moderate | $942K | 3 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 McCracken 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 McCracken CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download McCracken County's FEMA declarations (CSV)23 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis