Enter any address in Wayne County, Kentucky to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the most frequent type of flood event in Wayne County, KY. Recent examples include flash flooding on May 22, 2024, and another on May 26, 2016, associated with lines of thunderstorms. Periods of prolonged rain have also contributed to flooding, such as on February 23, 2019.
While most flood insurance claims in Wayne County have been in Zone X (Unshaded), indicating areas with a moderate to low risk of flooding, these claims still resulted in average payouts of $3,107 for an average water depth of 0.0 feet. Homeowners in areas with higher flood risk, such as those near rivers or in low-lying areas, should pay particular attention to flood preparedness and insurance options.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
3 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Wayne County, Kentucky has recorded 30 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 22 flash floods and 8 river or area floods. The county has received 24 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 (1972–2026)
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 Winter Storms, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Ice Storm | Feb 8, 2021 |
| Covid-19 | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
| Covid-19 Pandemic | Biological | Jan 20, 2020 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | May 22, 2024 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 23, 2019 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | May 26, 2016 | 0.10K |
| Flood | Dec 25, 2015 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 14, 2015 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 20, 2014 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 12, 2013 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Sep 1, 2013 | 1.00K |
| Flood | Feb 24, 2011 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 16, 2010 | 0.00K |
Flash Flood — May 22, 2024
A very strong low pressure system was wrapping up and becoming occluded across the Upper Great Lakes and southern Ontario on the morning of May 22. As the system continued to strengthen and slowly move northeast, a cold front extending southward through much of the conus continued to track eastward towards the Commonwealth. The strong push of warm/unstable air into the region triggered showers ...
Flood — Feb 23, 2019
Periods of rain worked back into eastern Kentucky early on February 20 as a warm frontal boundary lifted north across the Commonwealth. A cold front brought additional rainfall through the afternoon and evening, before drier conditions worked into eastern Kentucky during the morning of February 21. ||Rain quickly spread back north that evening into the 22nd with southeastern Kentucky continuing...
Flash Flood — May 26, 2016
A line of thunderstorms moved out of the Midwest and across the Ohio Valley into central and eastern Kentucky through the morning and afternoon hours. This line contained severe wind gusts and flooding rains as it pushed through south central Kentucky, before weakening across southeastern Kentucky.
Flood — Dec 25, 2015
Heavy rain and flooding affected portions of eastern Kentucky on Christmas day 2015. Several locations received between 1.5 and 2.75 inches of rain during this event.
Flash Flood — Jul 14, 2015
The second of three rounds of severe weather arrived shortly after midnight on July 14th as a complex of thunderstorms barreled southeastward into east Kentucky. This complex of storms produced sporadic wind damage and some flash flooding through the morning hours, hitting the Upper Cumberland region of south central and southeast Kentucky the hardest. ||Round three arrived as a line of stron...
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 Wayne 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 Wayne 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.