Powell County, Kentucky
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 21197 · population 13,107 · 179 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 543 records for Powell County, Kentucky from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 308 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (202 records). The deadliest single record is the November 16, 2016 wildfire, filed for the forecast zone Powell, which covers the county: 1 death and 20 injuries. FEMA has issued 35 declarations naming the county since 1967, 33 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
- 543on 308 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 325 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $29Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 7strongest F2
- FEMA declarations
- 35latest 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 Powell County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 202 since 1983. 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 | 202 | 127 | 1983-2026 | 1 | 1 | $892K | 5 of 118 |
| Floods | 121 | 70 | 1996-2025 | 0 | 1 | $24M | 5 of 118 |
| Winter storms | 108 | 67 | 1996-2025 | 1 | 0 | $8K | 11 of 118 |
| Hail | 53 | 33 | 1955-2023 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 of 118 |
| High wind and dust storms | 13 | 9 | 2001-2024 | 0 | 1 | $77K | 40 of 118 |
| Extreme cold | 12 | 12 | 2007-2020 | 0 | 0 | – | 29 of 118 |
| Heavy rain | 10 | 8 | 2010-2022 | 0 | 0 | $92K | 9 of 118 |
| Tornadoes | 7 | 7 | 1978-2004 | 0 | 1 | $4.2M | 50 of 118 |
| Heat | 6 | 6 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 34 of 118 |
| Drought | 3 | 3 | 2016-2019 | 0 | 0 | – | 30 of 118 |
| Lightning | 3 | 3 | 2014-2017 | 0 | 1 | $31K | 9 of 118 |
| Fog, smoke and funnel clouds | 3 | 2 | 2009-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 31 of 118 |
| Landslides and avalanches | 1 | 1 | 2010-2010 | 0 | 0 | – | 11 of 118 |
| Wildfires | 1 | 1 | 2016-2016 | 1 | 20 | – | 9 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 Powell County had?
NOAA records 7 tornadoes in Powell County from 1978 to 2004, the strongest rated F2, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 50th 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 7 tornadoes whose track touched Powell County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 7, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 0 people.
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kentucky.
Every tornado record filed for Powell County (7)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-05-30 | Clay City, Powell County | F0 0.1 mi x 17 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 1997-03-02 | Stanton, Powell County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.3M |
| 1997-03-01 | Stanton, Powell County | F1 6 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $919K |
| 1990-05-21 | Powell County | F0 0.5 mi x 23 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1982-03-16 | Powell County | F2 4 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K step |
| 1980-07-02 | Powell County | F1 2.7 mi x 200 yd | 0 | 0 | $25K step |
| 1978-08-30 | Powell County | F2 5.2 mi x 800 yd | 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 Powell County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the March 16, 2026 thunderstorm wind ($1,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindKnowlton, Powell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Thunderstorm WindClay City, Powell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindRosslyn, Powell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindSlade, Powell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $2K |
| 2025-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindWaltersville, Powell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindStanton, Powell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $4K |
| 2025-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindRosslyn, Powell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $35K |
| 2025-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindNada, Powell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $22K |
| 2025-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindRosslyn, Powell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2025-03-30 | Thunderstorm WindNada, Powell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $3K |
| 2025-01-31 | FloodBowen, Powell County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-01-05 | Winter StormPowell County · forecast zone Powell | 0 | 0 | $8K |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-11-16 | WildfirePowell County · forecast zone Powell On the morning of November 16th, near-zero visibilities developed on Mountain Parkway just east of the Slade exit as smoke became extremely dense at ground level. A 12 car pileup resulted, injuring approximately 20 people and causing one fatality as a man stepped out of his coal truck to help others. Mountain Parkway ... | 1 | 20 | – | |
| 2015-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindNatural Bridge, Powell County A dead tree fell onto a tent at a campsite at the Middlefork campground, killing one person inside the tent and critically injuring a second person. No other tree damage was noted by first responders except for the dead tree. | 35 kt wind | 1 | 1 | – |
| 2015-01-23 | Winter WeatherPowell County · forecast zone Powell One to three inches of snow fell across Powell county. Icy roads in that area lead to a car accident in which one person was fatally injured. | 1 | 0 | – | |
| 2023-04-01 | High WindPowell County · forecast zone Powell Per Powell County Search and Rescue, a hiker was struck by a falling branch around noon on the Whittleton Branch Campground Hiking Trail, and fell unconcious while pinned beneath the branch. First responders were able to successfully get the hiker out for further treatment. Then at 1:50 PM EDT, public reported a large ... | 50 kt wind | 0 | 1 | $1K |
| 2014-04-28 | LightningClay City, Powell County A county employee was struck by lightning. The person was taken to a hospital but there were no details available on specific injuries. | 0 | 1 | – | |
| 1997-06-16 | Flash FloodStanton, Powell County Three to five inches of rain within a 1 to 3 hour period resulted in extensive flash flooding. In Powell County about 50 homes and a dozen businesses sustained flood damage, and numerous roads had to be closed. The gift shops along Mill Creek at Natural Bridge suffered heavy flood damage. A car was swept off the road ... | 0 | 1 | $9.2M | |
| 1982-03-16 | TornadoPowell County | F2 4 mi x 400 yd | 0 | 1 | $250K 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.
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003-02-16 | FloodPowell County · forecast zone Powell | 0 | 0 | $2.8M | |
| 1997-03-02 | TornadoStanton, Powell County | F0 1 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | $2.3M |
| 1997-03-01 | TornadoStanton, Powell County | F1 6 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $919K |
| 1997-03-01 | Flash FloodClay City, Powell County | 0 | 0 | $368K | |
| 2004-05-30 | Thunderstorm WindSlade, Powell County | 75 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $78K |
| 2025-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindRosslyn, Powell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $23K |
| 2025-04-03 | Thunderstorm WindNada, Powell County | 50 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $22K |
| 2025-01-05 | Winter StormPowell County · forecast zone Powell | 0 | 0 | $8K |
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 $250K, in the dollars of the day) holds: March 16, 1982 (tornado, Powell 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 Powell 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 | 2 | 12 | 60 | 60 | 68 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 8 | 34 | 66 | 13 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 31 | 58 | 16 |
| Hail | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 18 | 4 |
| High wind and dust storms | – | – | – | – | 0 | 9 | 0 | 4 |
| Extreme cold | – | – | – | – | 0 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
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 Powell County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 60 · Feb 73 · Mar 36 · Apr 61 · May 77 · Jun 47 · Jul 62 · Aug 51 · Sep 22 · Oct 8 · Nov 11 · Dec 35 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Powell County
FEMA's register lists 35 declarations that include Powell County: 28 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (15) and flood (8).
| 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 |
| 2023-05-09 | DR-4711 | Flood | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2020-04-24 | 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 |
| 2018-04-12 | DR-4358 | Flood | Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-05-12 | DR-4218 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, 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 |
| 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 |
| 1989-02-24 | DR-821 | Flood | Severe Storms & Flooding |
| 1978-12-12 | DR-568 | Flood | Severe Storms & 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 Powell County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 121 flood or flash flood records for Powell County from 1996 to 2025, on 70 days, with 0 deaths. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Powell County ranks 1189th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $1.8 million on 125 claims filed in Powell County; the most in one year was 29 in 2004. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 9 · 1984: 1 · 1989: 5 · 1990: 1 · 1996: 1 · 1997: 3 · 1998: 1 · 2001: 1 · 2002: 1 · 2003: 11 · 2004: 29 · 2005: 1 · 2006: 1 · 2007: 1 · 2009: 2 · 2010: 11 · 2013: 2 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2019: 1 · 2021: 27 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2025: 7; 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 Powell County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Powell County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $6.7 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 | $788K | 5.7 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $51K | 15 a year (modeled) |
| Riverine Flooding | Relatively Low | $4.6M | 2.5 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $121K | 51 a year (modeled) |
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $501K | once in about 16 years (modeled) |
| Hail | Relatively Low | $100K | 3.3 a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $332K | 1 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $20K | 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 Powell 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 Powell CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Powell County's FEMA declarations (CSV)35 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis