Enter any address in Wolfe County, Kentucky to see its FEMA flood zone
Flash flooding from thunderstorms is the dominant flood character in Wolfe County. Between 1993 and 2023, NOAA Storm Events data recorded 34 flash flood events and 18 flood events. Recent events include flash flooding in July 2022, where intense rainfall rates caused widespread devastation, and significant flooding in March 2021, which was described as the most severe in decades for some areas and resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.
National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) data shows one claim in Zone A with an average payout of $0 and an average water depth of 0.0 feet. Residents in areas prone to flash flooding, particularly those located in valleys or near steep terrain, should pay close attention to flood risk. Properties near creeks and streams, as well as those in low-lying areas, are also at higher risk.
Summary generated from NOAA storm narratives and NFIP claim data for this county. Not predictive.
29 NOAA storm reports from this county describe what happened, in the words of the meteorologists who were there.
Wolfe County, Kentucky has recorded 52 flood-related events since 1996 according to NOAA's Storm Events Database, including 34 flash floods and 18 river or area floods. The county has received 34 federal disaster declarations, 8 of which involved flooding or coastal storms. Enter any address above to check its FEMA flood zone designation.
FEMA Disaster Declarations (1978–2026)
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, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Severe Storm | Feb 14, 2025 |
| Remnants Of Hurricane Helene | Tropical Storm | Sep 27, 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 |
| Severe, Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides | Flood | Feb 27, 2021 |
NOAA Storm Events Database (1996–2025)
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database.
| Type | Date | Damage |
|---|---|---|
| Flood | Apr 3, 2025 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Jul 28, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 27, 2022 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Jul 30, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Feb 28, 2021 | 15.00K |
| Flood | Aug 19, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 19, 2021 | 50.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 19, 2021 | 0.00K |
| Flash Flood | Aug 19, 2021 | 100.00K |
Flood — Apr 3, 2025
On the afternoon of the 2nd a strong surface low was located over the MN/WI area, with a warm front extending southwest through the OH valley, and a trailing cold front extending SSE through the Ozarks. By 00Z (the evening of the 2nd), a strong convective squall line had developed across the Ohio and Mississippi Valley which slowly continued east through the evening. By early morning on the 3rd...
Flood — Jul 28, 2022
Between July 25th and July 30th, 2022, several complexes of training thunderstorms developed south of I-64 and brought heavy rain, deadly flash flooding, and devastating river flooding to eastern Kentucky and central Appalachia. These thunderstorms, at times, caused rainfall rates in excess of 4/hr across complex terrain that led to widespread devastating impacts. While it did not rain continuo...
Flash Flood — Jul 27, 2022
Between July 25th and July 30th, 2022, several complexes of training thunderstorms developed south of I-64 and brought heavy rain, deadly flash flooding, and devastating river flooding to eastern Kentucky and central Appalachia. These thunderstorms, at times, caused rainfall rates in excess of 4/hr across complex terrain that led to widespread devastating impacts. While it did not rain continuo...
Flash Flood — Jul 30, 2021
A strong low pressure system was present over the Great Lakes region to start the day on July 29th. From this extended a cold front to the southwest. As the low pressure continued eastward throughout the day, the cold front slowly shifted farther southward, before becoming elongated and slowing just north of the Ohio River. This kept much of Kentucky in the warm sector, with a strong push of wa...
Flood — Feb 28, 2021
Several rounds of heavy rain moved across eastern Kentucky from late Friday, February 26th through early Monday, March 1st. The combination of all the heavy rainfall led to significant flooding across a good portion of central and east Kentucky. For some areas, this was the most significant flooding in the last 50 to 60 years, or more. FEMA estimates that this event cost $350-400 million doll...
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 Wolfe 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 Wolfe 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.