Dec 11, 2021
Strong southern winds brought warm temperatures and plenty of moisture into an environment of strong wind shear ahead of an advancing cold front. This resulted in unusually warm temperatures for a December day and the ingredients to produce a historic tornado outbreak and flash flooding. This included multiple long track tornadoes. Central Kentucky saw 18 tornadoes that injured 96 and killed 18. An additional death occurred in a flash flood.
Source: NOAA National Weather Service Storm Events Database (event 996845). Narrative written by NWS staff at the time of the event.
This event is one of many recorded floods in Franklin County. See the full FEMA flood zone map, NFIP claim totals, and disaster history for the area.