Enter any address in Estill County, Kentucky to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the dominant flood character in Estill County. Recent events include flash flooding in May 2025, where showers and thunderstorms produced heavy rain, and a flood event in January 2025, resulting from 48-hour rainfall totals.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties designated as Zone A have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $26,903 and an average water depth of 3.3 feet. Zone X properties have also seen claims, though with a lower average water depth of 0.0 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, as well as those in areas with unknown flood designations, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
48 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Estill County, Kentucky has recorded 138 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 64 flash floods and 74 river or area floods. The county has received 38 federal disaster declarations, 5 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, 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, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | 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 |
| Remnants Of Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 2024 |
| 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 | Feb 27, 2021 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Jan 31, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 13, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 27, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 6, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 6, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 4, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jan 1, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 10, 2021 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Jul 10, 2021 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Mar 1, 2021 | 0.00K |
Flood — Jan 31, 2025
A closed upper level low slowly moved out of SW CONUS and opened into a positively tilted trough as it approached KY. Large scale flow ahead of the lows approaching cold front, pulled gulf moisture northward. Soaking rain resulted for much of the area, as this moisture rich air lifted over a warm front as it progressed northward. On Friday, the 31st, the trailing cold front pushed through the a...
Flash Flood — May 13, 2025
With high pressure exiting to the east of the state, a weak low pressure system started to form to our southwest, slowly moving northeast, making it through western KY between 18 and 21Z. This was accompanied by a closed upper level low, which was allowing for strong advection of warm and especially moist air into the region, focused across the east part of Kentucky. The result was showers and ...
Flash Flood — Jul 27, 2022
Between July 25th and July 30th, 2022, several complexes of training thunderstorms developed south of I-64 and brought heavy rain, deadly flash flooding, and devastating river flooding to eastern Kentucky and central Appalachia. These thunderstorms, at times, caused rainfall rates in excess of 4/hr across complex terrain that led to widespread devastating impacts. While it did not rain continuo...
Flash Flood — May 6, 2022
A warm front was in place across the state during the morning hours on May 6th, setting the stage for increased moisture and warm air into the region. By the afternoon, a nearby low pressure system began to occlude, furthering the lift and instability across the state. Showers and thunderstorms developed across much of the region throughout the day, becoming strong to severe by mid-day. Floodin...
Flash Flood — Aug 6, 2022
With a high pressure center sitting east of the state, Kentucky, along with much of the Deep South found themselves in a strong return flow pattern. This consisted of S to SW winds which were able to pump in ample moisture and warm air from the Gulf of Mexico. However, with no boundaries or airmass changes nearby, the flow aloft was not very strong. High moisture and weak flow materialized into...
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 Estill 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 Estill 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.