Enter any address in Madison County, Kentucky to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Madison County. Between 2021 and 2025, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 61 flash flood events and 22 flood events, resulting in four fatalities. For example, on July 30, 2021, scattered thunderstorms caused flash flooding in several Kentucky counties, with severe flooding reported in Carlisle after continuous heavy rainfall destroyed buildings and vehicles, and resulted in a fatality.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A and Zone X have experienced the most claims. Zone A properties averaged $23,181 in payouts with a water depth of 6.2 feet, while Zone X properties averaged $24,776 with a water depth of 6.8 feet. Homeowners in these zones, as well as those in Zone X_Unshaded areas which have seen fewer but still present claims, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
26 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Madison County, Kentucky has recorded 83 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 61 flash floods and 22 river or area floods. The county has received 27 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 (1972–2026)
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 |
| 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 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Feb 6, 2019 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Apr 5, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 1, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Nov 30, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Nov 30, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 23, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 23, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Dec 16, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 31, 2018 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Apr 5, 2025
On the night of April 2nd, 2025, a cold front approached the lower Ohio Valley. Along and ahead of the cold front, numerous supercells developed over southern Illinois and western Kentucky. These storms tracked eastward and occasionally grew upscale into a QLCS with bowing segments. Storms lasted all night and into the morning hours, as the cold front began to stall over the lower Ohio Valley. ...
Flash Flood — Jul 30, 2021
Scattered thunderstorms, ahead of a could front, drifted south through southern Indiana and the Bluegrass region of Kentucky in an unstable environment. Some of these storms became severe causing isolated tree damage and flash flooding in Kentucky counties. The most severe flooding was in Carlisle, Kentucky after heavy rainfall continued falling over the same area. Several buildings and vehicle...
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 — Jul 1, 2021
Early on July 1st, there was a moist unstable air mass over southern Indiana and central Kentucky. Farther north in Indiana, a west to east oriented cold front was working its way south. This resulted in heavy rainfall and area flash flooding over central Kentucky as the front moved through the region. A Flash Flood Watch was in place before the event.
Flash Flood — Nov 30, 2019
A low pressure system approached central Kentucky from the west with a warm front extending to the east and a cold front to the south. Early in the day as the warm front moved north through central Kentucky, the lift provided by the front caused widespread heavy rainfall in areas that were already saturated from previous rains. Flash flooding was the result across several counties in central Ke...
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 Madison 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 Madison 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.