1 flood insurance claims·$1,569 paid
Share of the whole county outline, rivers and lakes included; parts FEMA hasn’t mapped count as zero.
Shaded areas are FEMA’s mapped flood hazard zones in and around McCreary County, Kentucky. Zoomed out they are simplified; at street level the map switches to FEMA’s exact layer. Tap anywhere to check that spot, or search an address above.
Flash flooding and general flooding driven by heavy rainfall dominate the flood risk profile of McCreary County, based on 24 flash flood events and 22 general flood events recorded over the last 30 years in the NOAA Storm Events Database.
Recent historical events illustrate this weather pattern. Heavy rainfall from a warm front and subsequent passing cold front brought severe weather and flooding to the area on March 28, 2021. Earlier, persistent rainfall totaling 4 to 6 inches between February 3 and February 7, 2020, triggered major flooding and numerous mudslides across southeastern Kentucky, prompting a State of Emergency declaration by the Governor.
Regarding historical National Flood Insurance Program records, Zone A has logged a single claim with an average payout of $1,569 and an average recorded water depth of 0 inches. Properties located within Zone A and other flood-prone areas should pay the closest attention to this risk profile, particularly homeowners, real estate agents, and journalists assessing local vulnerability to heavy rain events.
Summary written from NOAA storm reports and NFIP claims for this county. Not a prediction.
14 NOAA storm reports from McCreary County describe what happened, in the words of the forecasters who covered it. Read the Kentucky flood stories →
22 federal disaster declarations since 1974.
| Disaster | Began |
|---|---|
| Severe Winter Storm | Jan 23, 2026 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, And Tornadoes | May 16, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Apr 2, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, And Landslides | Feb 14, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Feb 14, 2025 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Landslides, And Mudslides | May 21, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Mar 3, 2023 |
| Severe Winter Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides | Feb 8, 2021 |
Weather and water disasters only; most recent first. Source: OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations.
46 since 1996: 24 flash floods and 22 river or area floods.
| Event | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Mar 28, 2021 | — |
| Flash Flood | Jun 29, 2020 | $400 |
| Flash Flood | Feb 5, 2020 | $5,000 |
| Flood | Feb 5, 2020 | $200 |
| Flood | Feb 5, 2020 | $70,000 |
| Flood | Dec 29, 2019 | $500 |
| Flood | Dec 29, 2019 | $1,000 |
| Flood | Dec 29, 2019 | $200 |
— = no damage estimate in the record. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
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, March 27th. The ma…
Flash Flood · Jun 29, 2020. Multiple periods of heavy rainfall occurred across eastern Kentucky as an upper level disturbance nudged westward toward the western Appalachians. This resulted in flash flooding across portions of Pulaski and McCreary Counties, while a locally strong to severe thunderstorm occurred near Williamsburg. Additionally, a commercial vehicle was struck by lightning in Whitley County along Interstate 75.
Flash Flood · Feb 5, 2020. Beginning on February 3rd, numerous rounds of rainfall began to impact eastern Kentucky. This continued through February 7th, highlighted by heavy rainfall from the evening of February 5th through the first half of February 6th. Rain amounts of 4-6 inches fell across much of southeastern Kentucky over this period. This led to major flooding and numerous mudslides across portions of Whitley, Perry, Letcher, Leslie,…
Flood · Feb 5, 2020. Beginning on February 3rd, numerous rounds of rainfall began to impact eastern Kentucky. This continued through February 7th, highlighted by heavy rainfall from the evening of February 5th through the first half of February 6th. Rain amounts of 4-6 inches fell across much of southeastern Kentucky over this period. This led to major flooding and numerous mudslides across portions of Whitley, Perry, Letcher, Leslie,…
National Weather Service narratives, lightly trimmed. Source: NOAA Storm Events Database.
Every colour on the map above is a place on this drawing: where the ground sits relative to the flood FEMA plans for.
If a building in McCreary County is in a high-risk zone (A or V) and its mortgage comes from a federally regulated or insured lender, or is federally backed, flood insurance is required.
Outside those zones it is optional, and often worth having: from 2014 to 2024 nearly one-third of NFIP claims came from outside the high-risk Special Flood Hazard Area. Since Risk Rating 2.0, NFIP premiums are set for each building, so the only reliable price is a quote: FloodSmart.gov or a local agent.