Enter any address in Whitley County, Kentucky to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from slow-moving thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Whitley County. Between 1994 and 2024, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 92 flash flood events and 67 flood events. Recent examples include flash flooding reported on July 9, 2023, when storms stalled over the area, and flooding on May 6, 2022, which occurred alongside severe thunderstorms.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data shows that properties in Zone A, which have a moderate flood risk, received 18 claims averaging $7,606 with an average water depth of 1.3 feet. Properties in Zone X, designated for minimal flood risk, had 2 claims averaging $500 with no reported water depth. Homeowners in Zone A and those in areas with unknown flood risk, which had 7 claims averaging $9,960, should pay the most attention to flood risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
30 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Whitley County, Kentucky has recorded 159 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 92 flash floods and 67 river or area floods. The county has received 37 federal disaster declarations, 9 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, 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, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Apr 2, 2024 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Tornadoes, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Mar 3, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Feb 15, 2023 |
| Severe Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Jul 26, 2022 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood | Sep 22, 2024 | 0.40K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 9, 2023 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2022 | 10.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2022 | 20.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 31, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 6, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flood | May 6, 2022 | 8.00K |
| Flood | Mar 28, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 18, 2021 | 1.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jun 11, 2021 | 25.00K |
Flash Flood — Sep 22, 2024
An unusually hot and humid airmass for late September set up over the Cumberland River basin on September 22nd in the wake of a warm front. Temperatures approached record highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s during the afternoon hours. Within the resulting moderate instability environment, slow-moving and merging thunderstorms developed and affected locations mainly east of Corbin at the start o...
Flash Flood — Jul 9, 2023
Storms developed during the evening hours across eastern Kentucky, ahead of an approaching cold front. The airmass was already quite primed with moisture, and with very little steering motion, the storms sat over locations for extended periods of time. Several flash flood warnings were issued for portions of far southeast Kentucky. Thankfully only one instance of flash flooding was reported fro...
Flash Flood — Jul 31, 2022
A stalled frontal boundary and surface low pressure south of the state early Sunday morning began to slowly lift northward into the southeast and south-central portion of the state throughout the day. Showers and thunderstorms developed along the boundary and moved eastward. Since the system as whole showed very little forward progression, multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms ended up m...
Flood — May 6, 2022
A warm front was in place across the state during the morning hours on May 6th, setting the stage for increased moisture and warm air into the region. By the afternoon, a nearby low pressure system began to occlude, furthering the lift and instability across the state. Showers and thunderstorms developed across much of the region throughout the day, becoming strong to severe by mid-day. Floodin...
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...
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 Whitley 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 Whitley 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.