Enter any address in Laurel County, Kentucky to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Laurel County. Over the last 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data shows 59 flash flood events and 23 general flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding and a downed tree in Laurel County on May 25, 2024, and localized flooding from slow-moving storms on May 9, 2023.
FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program data indicates that while Zone A properties have experienced fewer claims, their average payout is higher. Zone X properties, though fewer in number, have also seen claims with a greater average water depth. Residents in areas designated as Zone A or Zone X, particularly those near waterways or in locations without a Base Flood Elevation, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
34 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Laurel County, Kentucky has recorded 82 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 59 flash floods and 23 river or area floods. The county has received 27 federal disaster declarations, 2 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1970–2026)
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 | Feb 27, 2021 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 8, 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 | May 25, 2024 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 9, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 6, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Mar 28, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | 15.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 17, 2021 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 15, 2021 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — May 25, 2024
With yet another strong occluded low located across the north-central Conus, and a cold front stretching southward through the Mississippi Valley, Kentucky found itself in a warm and unstable airmass. Despite the overnight hours and cooling temps, storms persisted in parts of the Jackson, KY county warning area. One of these storms moved through Laurel County, resulting in a downed tree and iso...
Flash Flood — May 9, 2023
A low pressure system and frontal boundary were slowly sinking southward into the Commonwealth during the overnight hours from May 8th through May 9th. A line of storms had dropped southward of the frontal boundary, creating an outflow boundary pushing southeast. The frontal boundary eventually sped up some in the morning of the 9th and throughout the day, but during the overnight hours, the sh...
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...
Flood — Mar 28, 2021
A warm front lifted north into the state Saturday, allowing for an intensification of moisture advection into the area. This was then followed up by a passing cold front and associated cold front, both of which provided lift and helped provide heavy rains across the state. While instability was limited, there was some severe thunderstorms which produced hail during the morning hours of Saturday...
Flood — Feb 28, 2021
Several rounds of heavy rain moved across eastern Kentucky from late Friday, February 26th through early Monday, March 1st. The combination of all the heavy rainfall led to significant flooding across a good portion of central and east Kentucky. For some areas, this was the most significant flooding in the last 50 to 60 years, or more. FEMA estimates that this event cost $350-400 million doll...
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 Laurel 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 Laurel 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.