Enter any address in Shelby County, Kentucky to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from severe thunderstorms is the primary flood hazard in Shelby County. Over the past 30 years, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 25 flash flood events and 12 general flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding on April 2nd, 2025, and July 17th, 2025, which caused damage across central Kentucky.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows a mix of flood zones. Zone A, typically representing areas of moderate to major flood risk, had 12 claims with an average payout of $15,202 and an average water depth of 1.2 feet. Zone X, generally considered to have a low flood risk, had 9 claims with an average payout of $10,902, but notably, an average water depth of 22.4 feet. Properties in Zone A and Zone X, as well as those with unknown flood zone designations, should pay close attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
17 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Shelby County, Kentucky has recorded 37 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 25 flash floods and 12 river or area floods. The county has received 20 federal disaster declarations. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1996–2026)
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 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Mar 3, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, And Tornadoes | Tornado | Dec 10, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Jul 17, 2010 |
| 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 | Apr 4, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 18, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Sep 3, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 30, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 23, 2018 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 12, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Apr 3, 2015 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 8, 2013 | 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 — Apr 4, 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 18, 2023
Another active period of weather set up across central Kentucky and southern Indiana July 17th and 18th, 2023 as multiple waves of showers and thunderstorms moved across the region, bringing damaging straight-line winds, severe hail, and one tornado to the region. The synoptic pattern was fairly consistent (albeit active) during this period, with large-scale mid- and upper-level troughing exten...
Flash Flood — Sep 3, 2022
During the afternoon and evening hours on September 3rd, a combination of ample moisture and sufficient instability provided the necessary ingredients for widespread convection, resulting in locally heavy rainfall and isolated wind damage reports. On the synoptic scale, a weak mid-level disturbance was located across the mid-Mississippi Valley, with a surface low located across western Kentucky...
Flash Flood — Aug 30, 2021
As the remnants of Hurricane Ida moved northeast through the Lower Ohio Valley, its moisture interacted with a near stationary cold front over southern Indiana. This produced a favorable environment for heavy rainfall which resulted in isolated flash flooding across southern Indiana and a single report in Shelby County, Kentucky. A report of severe wind damage was also received from Scott Count...
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 Shelby 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 Shelby 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.