Enter any address in Fleming County, Kentucky to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the dominant flood character in Fleming County. Between 2003 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 46 flash flood events and 17 general flood events. Recent examples include a flash flood event on August 14, 2021, which brought heavy rainfall and multiple flash flood warnings to the area, and a slow-moving low-pressure system that caused widespread rainfall of 3-6 inches on May 18-19, 2020, leading to road closures and flooding of low-lying areas.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone X have experienced the most claims, with an average payout of $16,074 for 4.1 feet of water depth. Zone A properties saw fewer claims but a slightly higher average payout of $17,492 with an average water depth of 3.2 feet. One claim in Zone X_Unshaded resulted in a higher average payout of $22,277, though with a lower average water depth of 1.0 foot.
Residents in areas designated as Zone A or Zone X, particularly those located near rivers or in low-lying areas, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
13 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Fleming 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 26 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 (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, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslide | Severe Storm | Jul 11, 2015 |
| Severe Winter Storm, Snowstorm, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Mar 3, 2015 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 12, 2011 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Aug 14, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 18, 2020 | 0.10K |
| Flood | Dec 16, 2019 | 2.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 11, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 24, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 23, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 9, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Sep 8, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 23, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 23, 2017 | 2.00M |
Flash Flood — Aug 14, 2021
A cold front slowly dropped into Kentucky during the morning of August 14. It then began to stall out during the day across eastern Kentucky. With a humid airmass in place, this created the instability needed for showers and thunderstorms to develop during the afternoon, producing heavy rainfall and gusty winds. Several flash flood warnings were issued for locations that saw multiple rounds of ...
Flash Flood — May 18, 2020
A slow moving low pressure system drifted across the Ohio Valley on May 18 and 19, bringing several rounds of heavy rain to the eastern reaches of the Commonwealth. The hardest hit areas spanned from the Cumberland Valley to the Bluegrass region where widespread rainfall amounts of 3-6 inches fell over the two day period. This caused several road closures and flooding of low lying areas as poin...
Flood — Dec 16, 2019
Heavy rainfall occurred across eastern Kentucky on December 16th, following previous rounds of rainfall. Thus, soils were saturated prior to the arrival of an additional 2-3 inches of rain. The heavier rain amounts and associated flooding impacts occurred west of U.S. Highway 23, including the Bluegrass region. A few mudslides were reported across Perry and Breathitt Counties, while Archer Park...
Flash Flood — Jul 11, 2019
Thunderstorms developed this afternoon ahead of an approaching cool front and upper level wave of energy. A few of these storms became strong enough to produce severe downburst winds extending from the Bluegrass region to along the Interstate 75 corridor. Additionally, flash flooding was seen in locales due to abundant moisture and heavy rain. The most noteworthy of this flash flooding occurred...
Flood — Sep 24, 2018
Multiple rounds of rainfall over the weekend and into early week occurred along a stationary frontal boundary. Portions of northwestern Fleming County received between 2.5 to 3.5 inches of rain during this time frame, which resulted in flooding north of Flemingsburg.
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 Fleming 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 Fleming 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.