3,183 first-hand accounts of flood events in Kentucky, ranked by impact. Each is a NOAA-written narrative of the moment.
From April 18 to 19, most of southeast Kentucky received 1 to 3 inches of rain, but some spots received 3 to 5 inches. The heavy rain resulted in widespread flash flooding, small stream flooding, and eventually river flooding.
Read the full account →A stalled cold front over the Mississippi Valley spawned thunderstorms producing heavy rain from northern Mississippi through middle Tennessee and central Kentucky into southern Indiana.
Read the full account →Well south of a frontal boundary, a moist and unstable air mass resided over the Ohio Valley. The ground was already wetter than normal from previous rains. A southwest and west wind along with daytime heating formed showers and thunderstorms during the afternoon of the 20th.
Read the full account →Light rain moved into northeast Kentucky during the predawn hours of the 19th. Light to moderate rainfall fell during the 19th, as a warm front tired to lift north from the Tennessee Valley.
Read the full account →Three day rain totals, beginning on the 14th, totaled 4 to 6 inches. Louisa had 5.5 inches of rain, while Ashland measured 4.9 inches. Other cooperative measurements included 4.7 inches at Charley, 4.5 inches at Grayson Lake, and 4.1 inches at the Greenup Lock and Dam.
Read the full account →Heavy rainfall amounts from 2 to 6 inches occurred over a two-day period, causing significant flooding. A very slow-moving cold front over southwest Illinois and southeast Missouri provided the focus for prolonged heavy rainfall.
Read the full account →Scattered thunderstorms occurred immediately ahead of a weak shortwave trough over northeast Arkansas and eastern Missouri. The storms were fed by a moist southwest wind flow ahead of a weak cold front over western Missouri.
Read the full account →Ahead of a cold front, rain showers fell on either side of dawn on the 3rd. Dew points were in the 50 to 55 degree range ahead of the front.||The heaviest rain was about 1.25 inches in about 2 to 3 hours over Boyd County.
Read the full account →Record rainfall amounts of around 12 inches fell within 48 hours across parts of middle Tennessee. This rainfall resulted in record or near record stages on parts of the Cumberland River and Tennessee River, which flow into Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake.
Read the full account →A low pressure system moved from Louisiana on the morning of April 14th, to Eastern Kentucky later that evening. Once in Eastern Kentucky, the low pressure system slowed its movement considerably, as the system strengthened.
Read the full account →Record rainfall amounts of around 12 inches fell within 48 hours across parts of middle Tennessee. This rainfall resulted in record or near record stages on parts of the Cumberland River and Tennessee River, which flow into Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake.
Read the full account →Moderate to major flooding of the Ohio River occurred. States of emergency were declared in McCracken, Livingston, Union, and Henderson Counties. Floodfighting activities included the construction of temporary sandbag levees.
Read the full account →Heavy rainfall amounts from 2 to 6 inches occurred over a two-day period, causing significant flooding. A very slow-moving cold front over southwest Illinois and southeast Missouri provided the focus for prolonged heavy rainfall.
Read the full account →A stalled cold front over the Mississippi Valley spawned thunderstorms producing heavy rain from northern Mississippi through middle Tennessee and central Kentucky into southern Indiana.
Read the full account →Creeks in the Webbville, Needmore, Cherokee region flooded.Some of the creeks left high water marks 8 to 12 feet abovetheir banks. Local residents said it was the worst flashflood there since the early 1950s.
Read the full account →A series of upper level disturbances moved from the Upper Midwest into the lower Ohio Valley and interacted with a moist, warm and unstable atmosphere.
Read the full account →Persistent rain fell across much of eastern Kentucky this day, with amounts totaling 1 to 1.5 inches. This led to minor flooding across portions of Magoffin and Pulaski Counties due to the antecedent wet conditions.
Read the full account →A wave of low pressure and surface front crossed from Kentucky and Tennessee into Virginia and West Virginia, producing heavy rainfall on the 16th. Generally 1 to 2 inches of rain fell, resulting in some minor creek and road flooding during the afternoon and evening.
Read the full account →Significant flash flooding developed across portions of eastern Kentucky during the late afternoon and evening hours of August 22nd into the early morning hours of August 23rd.
Read the full account →Heavy rainfall in March set the stage for major flooding when record-setting rains fell in April and May. At Paducah, 15.91 inches of rain fell in April, which was 10.96 inches above normal.
Read the full account →After a very wet start to April 2015, another slow moving system brought widespread heavy rain to portions of central Kentucky. Widespread amounts of 2 to 4 inches fell across central and southern Kentucky. Isolated 5 inch amounts were reported.
Read the full account →Severe thunderstorms on the evening of April 16 produced wind damage, hail, and tornadoes. At Windy in Wayne County, a barn was damaged by thunderstorm winds, and a spotter south of Brodhead in Rockcastle County estimated wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph.
Read the full account →Severe thunderstorms on the evening of April 16 produced wind damage, hail, and tornadoes. At Windy in Wayne County, a barn was damaged by thunderstorm winds, and a spotter south of Brodhead in Rockcastle County estimated wind gusts of 60 to 70 mph.
Read the full account →Along a warm frontal boundary, about a half inch of rain fell during the morning. Training thunderstorms developed during the evening, ahead of a cold front. Rains of 2 to 3 inches fell in about 3 hours from around Olive Hill on southeast toward Grayson Lake and Hitchins.
Read the full account →