Spencer County, Kentucky
County storm and disaster record · FIPS 21215 · population 19,456 · 187 sq mi
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 211 records for Spencer County, Kentucky from 1950 through June 30, 2026, on 166 days; the most frequent are severe thunderstorm wind events (88 records). The deadliest single record is the June 17, 2019 flood: 1 death and $115,000 in damage in 2025 dollars. FEMA has issued 30 declarations naming the county since 1974, 28 of them for natural hazards; the latest for a natural hazard was “Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides” on September 1, 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
- 211on 166 days, 1950 to June 30, 2026
- Deaths recorded
- 11 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $7.0Mas filed (scale steps before 1993)
- Tornadoes
- 11strongest F4
- FEMA declarations
- 30latest 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 Spencer County most?
The most frequent records are severe thunderstorm wind events: 88 since 1971. 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 | 88 | 73 | 1971-2025 | 0 | 0 | $548K | 43 of 118 |
| Floods | 41 | 29 | 1996-2026 | 1 | 0 | $2.4M | 50 of 118 |
| Hail | 30 | 25 | 1974-2025 | 0 | 0 | $129K | 35 of 118 |
| Winter storms | 30 | 30 | 1996-2026 | 0 | 0 | – | 64 of 118 |
| Tornadoes | 11 | 9 | 1974-2025 | 0 | 1 | $4.0M | 27 of 118 |
| High wind and dust storms | 6 | 6 | 2009-2024 | 0 | 0 | $6K | 66 of 118 |
| Extreme cold | 5 | 5 | 2016-2025 | 0 | 0 | – | 62 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 Spencer County had?
NOAA records 11 tornadoes in Spencer County from 1974 to 2025, the strongest rated F4, with 0 deaths and 1 injury recorded in the county. That is 27th 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 11 tornadoes whose track touched Spencer County since 1950 (NOAA's county records number 11, the same count); along their whole tracks they killed 3 people, 0 of them in Spencer County.
| Date | Tornado | Rating | Path | Killed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974-04-03 15:45, as SPC files it | Elizabethtown | F4 | 37.9 mi | 3 |
| 1996-05-28 16:40, as SPC files it | Spring Mill | F4 | 30 mi | 0 |
Map of the strongest tornado tracks in Kentucky.
Every tornado record filed for Spencer County (11)
| Date | Place | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-03-30 | Snider, Spencer County | EF1 2.5 mi x 80 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-13 | Normandy, Spencer County | EF0 0.12 mi x 60 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2022-04-13 | Waterford, Spencer County | EF0 0.07 mi x 30 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2021-12-11 | Crenshaw, Spencer County | EF1 1.9 mi x 100 yd | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2008-02-06 | Taylorsville, Spencer County | EF0 0.56 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 1 | $411K |
| 2008-02-06 | Waterford, Spencer County | EF0 0.66 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 0 | $206K |
| 2005-03-19 | Mt Eden, Spencer County | F0 0.4 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 1996-05-28 | Taylorsville, Spencer County | F3 18 mi x 850 yd | 0 | 0 | $1.9M |
| 1989-04-03 | Spencer County | F0 0.5 mi x 40 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1984-07-26 | Spencer County | F2 2.5 mi x 70 yd | 0 | 0 | $250K step |
| 1974-04-03 | Taylorsville, Spencer County | F4 5.3 mi x 400 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 Spencer County?
The most recent record with damage, injuries or deaths is the June 17, 2019 flood (1 death and $115,000 in damage in 2025 dollars).
A vehicle attempted to navigate a flooded low water crossing that was flowing with water at the time. A family of four was in the vehicle. The mother and two children were rescued. The father's body was found several hours later downstream.
National Weather Service event narrative, NOAA Storm Events Database (search the full record, event 841676)
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-06-27 | Flash FloodWaterford, Spencer County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-06-27 | Flash FloodElk Creek, Spencer County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2026-01-24 | Winter StormSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-12-11 | Heavy SnowSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-24 | Frost/FreezeSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-10-07 | Flash FloodWilsonville, Spencer County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-07-18 | Flash FloodWilsonville, Spencer County | 0 | 0 | – | |
| 2025-06-18 | Thunderstorm WindTaylorsville, Spencer County | 52 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-16 | HailTaylorsville, Spencer County | 0.75 in hail | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindWakefield, Spencer County | 51 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-05-16 | Thunderstorm WindWilsonville, Spencer County | 56 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2025-03-30 | Thunderstorm WindWaterford, Spencer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-06-17 | FloodWilsonville, Spencer County A vehicle attempted to navigate a flooded low water crossing that was flowing with water at the time. A family of four was in the vehicle. The mother and two children were rescued. The father's body was found several hours later downstream. | 1 | 0 | $115K | |
| 2008-02-06 | TornadoTaylorsville, Spencer County This tornado destroyed two barns, and did heavy damage to several other barns and homes. | EF0 0.56 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 1 | $411K |
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997-03-01 | FloodSpencer County · forecast zone Spencer | 0 | 0 | $1.1M | |
| 2008-04-04 | Flash FloodElk Creek, Spencer County | 0 | 0 | $1.0M | |
| 2008-02-06 | TornadoTaylorsville, Spencer County | EF0 0.56 mi x 220 yd | 0 | 1 | $411K |
| 2012-03-02 | HailMt Eden, Spencer County | 2.50 in hail | 0 | 0 | $129K |
| 2019-06-17 | FloodWilsonville, Spencer County | 1 | 0 | $115K | |
| 2017-05-20 | Thunderstorm WindTaylorsville, Spencer County | 70 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $60K |
| 2005-03-19 | TornadoMt Eden, Spencer County | F0 0.4 mi x 25 yd | 0 | 0 | $5K |
| 1996-04-20 | Thunderstorm WindTaylorsville, Spencer County | 0 | 0 | $4K |
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: July 26, 1984 (tornado, Spencer County); April 3, 1989 (tornado, Spencer 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 Spencer 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 | 3 | 11 | 13 | 23 | 26 | 12 |
| Floods | – | – | – | – | 7 | 7 | 19 | 8 |
| Hail | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 12 | 4 |
| Winter storms | – | – | – | – | 3 | 7 | 14 | 6 |
| Tornadoes | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
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 Spencer County. The two busiest months are in violet.
The values, month by month
Jan 12 · Feb 28 · Mar 30 · Apr 34 · May 21 · Jun 22 · Jul 27 · Aug 12 · Sep 3 · Oct 5 · Nov 4 · Dec 13 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began.
Federal disaster declarations for Spencer County
FEMA's register lists 30 declarations that include Spencer County: 23 major disasters, 7 emergencies and 0 fire management assistance declarations. Most were for severe storm (16) and tornado (4).
| Declared | Number | Type | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-01 | DR-4937 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 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 |
| 2023-04-10 | DR-4702 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2021-12-12 | DR-4630 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2021-12-11 | EM-3575 | Tornado | Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 2020-03-28 | DR-4497 | Biological | Covid-19 Pandemic |
| 2020-03-13 | EM-3469 | Biological | Covid-19 |
| 2018-04-26 | DR-4361 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-08-12 | DR-4239 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslide |
| 2015-05-12 | DR-4218 | Flood | Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides |
| 2015-05-01 | DR-4217 | Flood | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, 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 |
| 2008-05-19 | DR-1757 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Mudslides, and Landslides |
| 2008-02-21 | DR-1746 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-Line Winds, and |
| 2005-09-10 | EM-3231 | Hurricane | Hurricane Katrina |
| 2004-08-06 | DR-1537 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms and Flooding |
| 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 |
| 2000-01-10 | DR-1310 | Tornado | Tornadoes, Severe Storms, Torrential Rains, and Flash Flooding |
| 1997-03-04 | DR-1163 | Severe Storm | Severe Storm, Flooding, and Tornadoes |
| 1996-06-01 | DR-1117 | Severe Storm | Severe Storms, Flooding and Tornadoes |
| 1996-01-13 | DR-1089 | Snowstorm | Blizzard of 96 |
| 1974-04-04 | DR-420 | Tornado | Tornadoes |
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 Spencer County had?
NOAA's Storm Events Database holds 41 flood or flash flood records for Spencer County from 1996 to 2026, on 29 days, with 1 death. By flood insurance claims since 1978 (OpenFEMA, as of September 8, 2026), Spencer County ranks 1612th of 2,942 U.S. counties.
The National Flood Insurance Program has paid $858,000 on 56 claims filed in Spencer County; the most in one year was 10 in 2015. Claims count insured losses only: uninsured flood damage is not in this file.
The values, year by year
1978: 1 · 1979: 1 · 1980: 2 · 1989: 2 · 1990: 1 · 1995: 1 · 1997: 3 · 2000: 5 · 2002: 1 · 2004: 3 · 2006: 3 · 2007: 2 · 2008: 2 · 2010: 1 · 2011: 3 · 2014: 1 · 2015: 10 · 2018: 2 · 2019: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2025: 3 · 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 Spencer County
FEMA's National Risk Index rates Spencer County Very Low overall, with an expected annual loss of $9.3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado | Relatively Low | $2.6M | once in about 8 years (modeled) |
| Strong Wind | Relatively Low | $892K | 6.6 a year (modeled) |
| Lightning | Relatively Low | $226K | 52 a year (modeled) |
| Ice Storm | Relatively Low | $60K | about once a year (modeled) |
| Cold Wave | Relatively Low | $604K | 1.2 a year (modeled) |
| Winter Weather | Relatively Low | $42K | 9.4 a year (modeled) |
| Landslide | Very Low | $1K | once in about 2 years (modeled) |
| Earthquake | Very Low | $243K | once in about 475 years (modeled) |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, county table, December 2025 release. FEMA's National Risk Index map.
Counties that share a border with Spencer 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 Spencer CountyThe hazard risk calculator: 18 hazards beside the county's record
- Download Spencer County's FEMA declarations (CSV)30 rows: every declaration that named the county, for your own analysis