Kentucky high wind and dust storms
Every recorded high wind record since 1996 · 120 counties with a record
NOAA's Storm Events Database records 2,540 high wind and dust records in Kentucky from 1996 through June 30, 2026, about 93 a year since 2000. The deadliest was the September 14, 2008 high wind: 2 deaths, 9 injuries and $411,000 in damage in 2025 dollars across 5 records. Kentucky ranks 20th of 52 states and territories by count and 15th of 51 per square mile.
High wind and dust storms in Kentucky, 1996 to 2026
Wind records per year (NOAA Storm Events); 2026 to June 30, 2026.
- recorded, no damage figure
- under $1 million
- $1 million or more
- $10 million or more
- $100 million or more, or 10 deaths
- $1 billion or more, or 100 deaths
- a year's colour: its recorded damage or deaths
- a year with a death
- Records
- 2,5401996 to June 30, 2026
- A year since 2000
- 93average
- Deaths
- 1280 injuries
- Damage, 2025 dollars
- $293Mas filed
- Busiest year
- 2023308 records
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; deaths and damage as filed, damage in 2025 dollars. Search the record at NCEI.
Are high wind and dust records common in Kentucky?
Kentucky averages about 93 high wind and dust records a year since 2000, 20th of 52 states and territories by count. The busiest year on record was 2023 (308). Per 10,000 square miles of land, Kentucky records 643 high wind and dust records since 1996, 15th of 51 states and territories by that measure.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records since 1996, per 10,000 square miles of land area (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer; places under 1,000 square miles not ranked). Damage colours: Storm Events damage, 2025 dollars.
Which counties in Kentucky have the most high wind and dust records?
Per square mile, Carlisle County leads Kentucky: 68 days with a high wind record since 1996, 358.9 per 1,000 square miles of land. By raw count, Christian County has the most wind records (87 since 1996); large counties collect more records simply by covering more ground, so the ranking counts days with a record per unit of area (a storm filed for several forecast zones adds several records but one day).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, days with a record in the county since 1996 per 1,000 square miles of land (Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer); in brackets, the count of records.
When is the windy season in Kentucky?
Kentucky's high wind and dust records by month. The busiest month is March (495 records).
The values, month by month
Jan 315 · Feb 450 · Mar 495 · Apr 314 · May 53 · Jun 4 · Jul 1 · Aug 15 · Sep 145 · Oct 65 · Nov 272 · Dec 411 (records).
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records by the month they began, since 1996.
What were the deadliest high wind and dust records in Kentucky?
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09-14 | High WindJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson One storm episode: 5 records in 5 places; the totals are the episode's. The remnants of Hurricane Ike moved across the Ohio Valley on the morning and afternoon of September 14th. This system, along with an upper level trough and a surface cold front approaching the region, combined to bring very strong surface wind gusts to the area. Widespread damage occurred with measured wind gusts up ... | 65 kt wind | 2 | 9 | $411K |
| 1998-11-10 | High WindJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A strong low pressure system over the Northern Plains brought strong gradient winds to central Kentucky during the morning and early afternoon of November 10. In Louisville, one woman was killed and two injured when a mature tree fell on top of a sport utility vehicle. In Brandenburg in Meade County one man was killed ... | 2 | 7 | $45K | |
| 2009-12-09 | High WindPulaski County · forecast zone Pulaski A 2.5 to 3 foot diameter tree was fell on a pregnant woman and struck her in the head. She was taken to a local hospital and pronounced D.O.A. Attempts to save her baby were also unsuccessful. A young male involved in the same incident was also injured and was released from the hospital. | 56 kt wind | 2 | 3 | – |
| 2023-01-19 | Strong WindHardin County · forecast zone Hardin A restaurant sign fell on top of a vehicle in Elizabethtown, causing total destruction of the vehicle. Three people were inside the vehicle when the sign fell on it, with two fatalities and one injury occurring as a result of the incident. | 43 kt wind | 2 | 3 | – |
| 2013-10-31 | Strong WindBarren County · forecast zone Barren One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. A powerful cyclone began to deepen over Illinois during the afternoon hours on October 31st. Towards midnight, as low pressure moved across southern Lake Michigan, it deepened to well below 990mb. A powerful low level jet developed over the Lower Ohio Valley by mid-afternoon, as winds at 925mb increased to around 55kt ... | 35 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $13K |
| 2007-04-11 | Strong WindLyon County · forecast zone Lyon One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. Strong winds occurred in the wake of a cold front trailing south from intense low pressure over west central Illinois. A wind gust to 49 MPH was measured at the National Weather Service office in Paducah. At Calvert City, about 20 miles east of Paducah, an unofficial measurement of 52 MPH was recorded. Numerous tree ... | 43 kt wind | 1 | 1 | $4K |
| 1996-04-23 | High WindHenderson County · forecast zone Henderson An 84-year-old woman was killed in Reed when her camper trailer was flipped several times by high winds. The winds peeled a tarpaper roof off a Henderson County school. | 1 | 0 | $47K | |
| 2023-03-03 | High WindCalloway County · forecast zone Calloway A strong storm system led to significant impacts. Heavy rainfall amounts of 3 to 4.5 inches produced areas of flash flooding, with numerous road closures. The heavy rain drove the Ohio River above flood stage at Uniontown. Very strong wind gusts occurred, ranging between 50 and about 70 mph. These were associated with ... | 54 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $48K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: deaths direct and indirect, as filed by the National Weather Service, summed over each storm (one episode, or one named storm filed by several offices). Storm names from the titles of FEMA declarations that name the storm's counties.
The costliest high wind and dust records in Kentucky
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-09-14 | High WindDaviess County · forecast zone Daviess One storm episode: 21 records in 21 places; the totals are the episode's. | 63 kt wind | 0 | 39 | $205M |
| 2008-09-14 | High WindKenton County · forecast zone Kenton One storm episode: 12 records in 12 places; the totals are the episode's. | 60 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $74M |
| 2009-02-11 | High WindChristian County · forecast zone Christian One storm episode: 2 records in 2 places; the totals are the episode's. | 54 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $619K |
| 2008-09-14 | High WindJefferson County · forecast zone Jefferson One storm episode: 5 records in 5 places; the totals are the episode's. | 65 kt wind | 2 | 9 | $411K |
| 2020-11-15 | Strong WindCampbell County · forecast zone Campbell | 48 kt wind | 0 | 2 | $228K |
| 1997-04-30 | High WindFulton County · forecast zone Fulton | 0 | 3 | $92K | |
| 2023-03-03 | High WindCalloway County · forecast zone Calloway | 54 kt wind | 1 | 0 | $48K |
| 1996-04-23 | High WindHenderson County · forecast zone Henderson | 1 | 0 | $47K |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database: property and crop damage as estimated by the National Weather Service, in 2025 dollars.
Are high wind and dust records becoming more frequent in Kentucky?
Kentucky's count per decade against the whole country's, and its share. NOAA recorded every event type only from 1996, so earlier decades are not comparable; the share of the national total is the fairer comparison across decades.
| Decade | Kentucky | United States | Kentucky's share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-99 | 93 | 14,026 | 0.7% |
| 2000s | 770 | 37,254 | 2.1% |
| 2010s | 820 | 41,748 | 2.0% |
| 2020-26 | 857 | 36,300 | 2.4% |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
The most recent high wind and dust records in Kentucky
| Date | Record | Character | Killed | Injured | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-02 | Strong WindDaviess County · forecast zone Daviess | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-02 | Strong WindHenderson County · forecast zone Henderson | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-02 | Strong WindUnion County · forecast zone Union | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-04-02 | Strong WindMcCracken County · forecast zone McCracken | 35 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $1K |
| 2026-03-16 | Strong WindLawrence County · forecast zone Lawrence | 30 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-03-16 | Strong WindGreenup County · forecast zone Greenup | 32 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-03-16 | Strong WindBoyd County · forecast zone Boyd | 36 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
| 2026-03-15 | Strong WindMason County · forecast zone Mason | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Strong WindPendleton County · forecast zone Pendleton | 46 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Strong WindOwen County · forecast zone Owen | 44 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-15 | Strong WindBoone County · forecast zone Boone | 47 kt wind | 0 | 0 | – |
| 2026-03-13 | Strong WindLawrence County · forecast zone Lawrence | 40 kt wind | 0 | 0 | $500 |
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, records through June 30, 2026; the newest months are revised by NCEI as reports arrive. Search the record at NCEI.
Next
- Carlisle County: the county's whole recordThe Kentucky county with the most high wind and dust records per square mile
- High wind and dust storms across the United StatesEvery state ranked, by year and month
- Every natural hazard in KentuckyTornadoes, floods, storms, heat and the federal declarations
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