Enter any address in Cumberland County, Kentucky to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from strong thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Cumberland County. Between 2000 and 2020, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 19 flash flood events and 4 flood events. Recent examples include a flash flood event on February 15-16, 2025, associated with a strong storm system bringing heavy rainfall across central Kentucky, and another flash flood event on May 22-23, 2024, caused by a quasi-stationary cold front and rounds of showers and thunderstorms.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A have experienced an average of 2.5 feet of water depth and an average payout of $28,000. Properties in Zone Unknown have had an average water depth of 1.0 foot and an average payout of $778. Homeowners in Zone A and those in areas with unknown flood risk should pay particular attention to flood potential.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
14 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Cumberland County, Kentucky has recorded 23 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 19 flash floods and 4 river or area floods. The county has received 22 federal disaster declarations, 3 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1969–2026)
Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries.
| Declaration | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | Severe Storm | May 16, 2025 |
| 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 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Feb 14, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | May 21, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Mar 3, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Jul 26, 2022 |
| Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Feb 27, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Feb 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 22, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 21, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 4, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 23, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 7, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jun 7, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Nov 6, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 27, 2017 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Feb 15, 2025
A strong storm system moved across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys on February 15th and 16th, 2025, bringing heavy rainfall and flooding, severe weather, and winter weather to central Kentucky. The large scale upper level pattern featured deep troughing ejecting across the central CONUS, with broad southwesterly flow occurring in the low and mid troposphere. Southerly flow helped to draw rich mo...
Flash Flood — May 22, 2024
A cold front moved into the Ohio Valley during the day on May 22nd. As the front approached the Ohio River, it became quasi-stationary, remaining in the vicinity of the river before lifting north during the afternoon and evening hours on May 23rd. Ahead of the front, a warm and unstable air mass allowed for the development of several rounds of showers and thunderstorms over a 24 to 36 hour peri...
Flash Flood — Jul 21, 2022
During the evening and overnight hours of July 20th into July 21st, strong to severe thunderstorms developed out ahead of an approaching cold front. On the afternoon of July 20th, temperatures surged into the mid-90s across central Kentucky, with dewpoint temperatures reaching the mid-70s. The warm and unstable low levels, combined with mid-level height falls from an approaching trough, allowed...
Flash Flood — Feb 28, 2021
A stalled frontal boundary brought waves of heavy rainfall to central Kentucky from February 26 through February 28. This caused record rainfall, isolated severe winds, and even a tornado. As a result, Bowling Green set a February daily rainfall record with 5.11 on the 28th. The severe winds brought down some trees and a power pole, but the most property damage came from a brief EF1 tornado.
Flash Flood — May 4, 2021
Early on May 3rd, central Kentucky sat in the warm sector ahead of an approaching surface low. Much of the region saw only rain showers, but one isolated cell in southern Kentucky was able to produce a short lived EF-1 tornado in the city of Tompkinsville, KY. ||On May 4th, a cold front, following the first system, produced additional rain showers and thunderstorms on the already saturated grou...
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 Cumberland 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 Cumberland 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.