Enter any address in Oldham County, Kentucky to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from heavy rainfall events is the dominant flood character in Oldham County. Between 2024 and 2025, the county experienced flash flooding events in April and February, associated with strong storm systems and stalled weather fronts. These events brought heavy rainfall, and in one instance, severe hail and tree damage to localized areas.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows that properties designated as Zone A have experienced the highest number of claims, with an average payout of $28,509 and an average water depth of 5.9 feet. Properties in Zone X_UNSHADED have seen the highest average payouts at $59,444, though with an average water depth of -12.1 feet. Homeowners in Zone A, and those in any flood zone with a history of claims, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
14 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Oldham County, Kentucky has recorded 54 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 45 flash floods and 9 river or area floods. The county has received 18 federal disaster declarations, 1 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1974–2026)
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, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Apr 2, 2024 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding | Severe Storm | Apr 12, 2011 |
| Severe Winter Storm | Severe Ice Storm | Jan 27, 2009 |
| Severe Winter Storm And Flooding | Severe Ice Storm | Jan 26, 2009 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Jul 17, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 15, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 15, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 10, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 25, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 25, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 24, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 23, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 29, 2017 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 3, 2017 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — Jul 17, 2025
On July 17th, a west to east oriented cold front dropped southeast from the Midwest and stalled along the Ohio River. Multiple waves of convection along the front continued moving west to east across central Kentucky before the front lifted back north on July 20th. Some isolated flooding issues and downed trees were observed in multiple counties.
Flash Flood — Feb 15, 2025
A strong storm system moved across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys on February 15th and 16th, 2025, bringing heavy rainfall and flooding, severe weather, and winter weather to central Kentucky. The large scale upper level pattern featured deep troughing ejecting across the central CONUS, with broad southwesterly flow occurring in the low and mid troposphere. Southerly flow helped to draw rich mo...
Flash Flood — Apr 15, 2024
On April 15th, south of a nearly stationary front, a couple of isolated thunderstorms developed over north central Kentucky. One of these storms remained almost stationary over Oldham County. This produced severe hail, tree damage, and flash flooding over a relatively small area.
Flash Flood — Jun 10, 2021
Central Kentucky sat under the leading edge of an upper ridge during a period of typical summer weather. Temperatures rose during the day creating strong instability in the atmosphere that caused showers and thunderstorms to breakout. As rain filled downdrafts initiated outflow boundaries, the outflow boundaries initiated more storms. This happened daily before a weak cold front pushed drier a...
Flood — Feb 25, 2018
Repeated rounds of moderate to heavy rainfall across the entire Ohio River basin totaled between 8 to 9 inches across central Kentucky from February 15 to February 28. These totals were generally 7+ inches, or 200 to 400% of normal values for mid to late February. The large areal extent of the excessive rainfall led to significant rises on area rivers, including the Ohio River. The Ohio River a...
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 Oldham 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 Oldham 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.