Enter any address in Carter County, Kentucky to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding and general flooding events have been the primary flood hazards in Carter County, KY over the last 30 years, with 100 recorded events resulting in 4 deaths. Recent events include flooding in early February 2025, where widespread rain led to impassable roadways, and another instance in mid-February 2025 with moderate to heavy rainfall across the region.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows a significant number of claims in Zone A, with an average payout of $19,561 and an average water depth of 2.6 feet. Claims in Zone X_UNSHADED also show substantial payouts, averaging $22,268 with an average water depth of 4.4 feet, indicating that properties in areas with higher flood risk, even if not designated as high-risk zones, can experience significant damage.
Residents in Zone A and Zone X_UNSHADED, as well as those in areas with unknown flood risk designations, should pay close attention to flood warnings and consider flood insurance.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
66 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Carter County, Kentucky has recorded 100 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 46 flash floods and 54 river or area floods. The county has received 37 federal disaster declarations, 7 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, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | 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 Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Apr 2, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Feb 15, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides | Severe Storm | Dec 31, 2021 |
| Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Feb 27, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 8, 2021 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jan 31, 2025 | 0.25K |
| Flood | May 30, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 30, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 20, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 16, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2025 | 1.50K |
| Flood | Feb 6, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Apr 4, 2025 | 0.00K |
Flood — Jan 31, 2025
Flooding concerns quickly arose on the morning of January 31st in northeast Kentucky as a low pressure system pressed into the region. Rain first entered into Kentucky around daybreak that morning then continued to be inundated by periods of heavy rainfall through the afternoon. This resulted in impassable roadways due to high water issues across the area. The disturbance departed to the northe...
Flood — May 30, 2025
Beginning on the night of May 29th, a warm front lifted into the vicinity of eastern Kentucky and remained present overhead until being ushered east by a disturbance on the evening of the 30th. Behind this system, a cold front approached from the north and slowly descended southward through the area on the 31st.||Rounds of rain began on the morning of the 30th and continued to pass through the ...
Flash Flood — May 30, 2025
Beginning on the night of May 29th, a warm front lifted into the vicinity of eastern Kentucky and remained present overhead until being ushered east by a disturbance on the evening of the 30th. Behind this system, a cold front approached from the north and slowly descended southward through the area on the 31st.||Rounds of rain began on the morning of the 30th and continued to pass through the ...
Flash Flood — Jul 20, 2025
A cold front, trailing behind a surface low pressure system, approached from the north and then sank down through the middle Ohio Valley and Central Appalachians on July 21st. Ahead of its passage, the environment over eastern Kentucky on the 20th was hot and humid, imposing potential for damaging wind gusts and heavy downpours within strong thunderstorms. Storms that pressed through the area c...
Flood — Feb 16, 2025
Light showers started to arrive into northeast Kentucky on the evening of February 14th, with more substantial rain spreading across the area overnight into the 15th as a warm front approached from the south. While precipitation coverage eroded from southeast Ohio and northwest West Virginia during the afternoon, moderate to heavy rain continued to trail across northeast Kentucky. This precipit...
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 Carter 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 Carter 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.