Enter any address in Bath County, Kentucky to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Bath County, KY. Between 2003 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 46 flash flood events and 17 general flood events, resulting in a total of 6 reported fatalities. Recent flash flooding events occurred in July 2021 and September 2021, driven by weather systems including cold fronts and low-pressure systems that brought significant moisture into the region.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data indicates that properties in Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $13,899 and an average water depth of 2.4 feet. Properties in Zone X, though fewer in number, have shown higher average payouts ($32,896) and significantly deeper water depths (12.6 feet) in their claims. Residents in Zone A and Zone X, as well as those in Zone Unknown, should pay particular attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
28 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Bath County, Kentucky has recorded 63 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 46 flash floods and 17 river or area floods. The county has received 29 federal disaster declarations, 4 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1978–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 2, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides | Severe Storm | Feb 14, 2025 |
| Remnants Of Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 8, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Apr 2, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Mar 3, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, Straight-line Winds And Flooding | Severe Storm | Feb 29, 2012 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 15, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 15, 2021 | 25.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 15, 2021 | 3.00K |
| Flood | Apr 29, 2020 | 3.00K (5 deaths) |
| Flood | Sep 13, 2020 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Dec 30, 2019 | 0.10K |
| Flood | Dec 30, 2019 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 27, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Dec 16, 2019 | 1.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 30, 2021
A strong low pressure system was present over the Great Lakes region to start the day on July 29th. From this extended a cold front to the southwest. As the low pressure continued eastward throughout the day, the cold front slowly shifted farther southward, before becoming elongated and slowing just north of the Ohio River. This kept much of Kentucky in the warm sector, with a strong push of wa...
Flash Flood — Sep 15, 2021
A strong occluded low pressure system was located in southeast Canada, resulting in scattered severe weather along the associated cold front across much of the northeast throughout the day. This same cold front extended southwestward and was approaching the Commonwealth throughout the overnight and morning hours on Wednesday. Storms that developed along the front surged into eastern KY, creatin...
Flood — Apr 29, 2020
An intense area of low pressure moved into the lower Great Lakes region early this day, subsequently producing gusty south to southwest winds across much of eastern Kentucky during the late morning to early afternoon. Several gusts of 40+ mph were measured, while a couple of reports of trees downed were also received (near Williamsburg in Whitley County and near Glencairn in Wolfe County).||Her...
Flood — Sep 13, 2020
Deep moisture anchored across east Kentucky, combined with a stalled frontal boundary, then a cold front, led to several rounds of heavy rain from the evening of September 12th through the early afternoon hours on September 13th. This rain led to many reports of flooding and flash flooding, with several water rescues occurring during the late evening hours of September 12th. Rainfall amounts ra...
Flood — Dec 30, 2019
A strong cold front approached eastern Kentucky on December 29th, bringing widespread rainfall, particularly from the Bluegrass to Lake Cumberland regions. Despite rainfall amounts of 2 to 3 inches here, only isolated flooding issues were reported, in large part due to dry and thawed soils for more than a week prior to this rainfall. ||Isolated wind damage was also observed. One thunderstorm cl...
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
Source: OpenFEMA NFIP Individual Claims (2.25M records analyzed).
FEMA assigns flood zone designations to areas in Bath County, Kentucky:
AE High Risk — 1% annual chance of flooding. Insurance required.
VE Very High Risk — Coastal flooding with wave action.
X (Shaded) Moderate Risk — 500-year floodplain.
X Low Risk — Outside major floodplains.
Properties in Bath County, Kentucky that are in FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Areas (zones A and V) with federally backed mortgages are required to carry flood insurance.
Even outside high-risk zones, flood insurance is recommended. From 2014 to 2024, nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area.
Visit FloodSmart.gov to find an agent and get a quote.