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Wind in Ballard County, Kentucky
211 damaging wind events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Thunderstorm Wind, High Wind, Strong Wind.
NCEI notes that Storm Data is compiled from a variety of sources including the National Weather Service, other federal, state and local agencies, the media and the public; that property and crop damage figures are estimates; and that some events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county. FEMA notes that NFIP claim records are redacted and aggregated to protect the privacy of policyholders. Storm records through 30 Jun 2026.
Ballard County, Kentucky, has 211 wind events in the NCEI record since 1950, with at least one in 41 different years.
March is the busiest month, with 29 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 133 events against 69 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1% of the 22,160 wind events recorded in Kentucky; its 85.5 per 100 square miles compares with 56.1 statewide.
95 wind reports with a measured or estimated speed reached the 58 mph severe threshold, and 9 reached hurricane force (74 mph).
Some winter weather and high wind events are recorded by NWS forecast zone rather than by county; zone-recorded events whose zone is named for the county are included and marked "Forecast zone" in the table.
Compared with Kentucky
| Measure | Ballard County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wind events since 1950 | 211 | 22,160 | 701,953 |
| Per 100 square miles | 85.5 | 56.1 | 19.9 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 274.2 | 49.1 | 21.1 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 39 | 2,166 |
| Busiest month | March | July | June |
By year
Seasonality
17Feb
20Mar
29Apr
28May
21Jun
24Jul
24Aug
9Sep
8Oct
9Nov
12Dec
10
Magnitude distribution
NWS wind thresholds
- under 58 mph
- below severe threshold
- 58–73 mph
- severe
- 74–95 mph
- hurricane-force
- 96 mph and over
- extreme
Wind speed converted from the knots NCEI records; estimated and measured gusts are combined. Events without a speed are not binned.
Recorded events
The 152 events kept for this page are the 120 most recent plus the 80 with the most damage, deaths or injuries out of 211. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Apr 2026 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jul 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Mar 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Mar 2025 | Strong Wind | 49 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Mar 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Aug 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 May 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | $65K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Apr 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Mar 2024 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Mar 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Feb 2024 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 12 Jan 2024 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $5K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jul 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 May 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 May 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Apr 2023 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 Mar 2023 | Strong Wind | 47 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Mar 2023 | Strong Wind | 49 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Feb 2023 | Strong Wind | 48 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Feb 2023 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Feb 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Feb 2023 | Thunderstorm Wind | 59 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Feb 2023 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Jan 2023 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Nov 2022 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Jul 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2022 | Strong Wind | 44 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Mar 2022 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Mar 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Feb 2022 | Strong Wind | 43 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Oct 2021 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Jul 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $9K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Apr 2021 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Mar 2021 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Nov 2020 | Strong Wind | 54 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Apr 2020 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Mar 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 2020 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Nov 2019 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 20 Aug 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jun 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Apr 2019 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Mar 2019 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Mar 2019 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Mar 2019 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 24 Feb 2019 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Nov 2018 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2018 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Apr 2018 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 6 Mar 2018 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Feb 2018 | Strong Wind | 53 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 22 Jan 2018 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Dec 2017 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 18 Nov 2017 | Strong Wind | 41 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 May 2017 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Apr 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2017 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Mar 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 85 mph | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Mar 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2017 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Mar 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | 75 mph | $225K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2017 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Jan 2017 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 5 Aug 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $14K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | 81 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2016 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 19 Feb 2016 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Dec 2015 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Dec 2015 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 3 Apr 2015 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Nov 2014 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 13 Oct 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Oct 2014 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Mar 2014 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Jan 2014 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Nov 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $60K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Oct 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jul 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jan 2013 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Dec 2012 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 7 Sep 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Sep 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Aug 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Feb 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 2012 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Nov 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Nov 2011 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 27 Jun 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 25 May 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Apr 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2011 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Feb 2011 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 25 Nov 2010 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 26 Oct 2010 | Strong Wind | 45 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $6K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Dec 2009 | Strong Wind | 43 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Dec 2009 | Strong Wind | 43 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 4 Aug 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Apr 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Apr 2009 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Mar 2009 | Strong Wind | 40 mph | $1K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 11 Feb 2009 | High Wind | 58 mph | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 14 Sep 2008 | High Wind | 64 mph | $4.0M | $4.0M | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 29 Jan 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Oct 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jun 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $9K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | 64 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Sep 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Aug 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Aug 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Oct 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | 85 mph | $25K | — | — | 2 | County |
| 14 Jun 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | 90 mph | $200K | — | — | 3 | County |
| 22 Jan 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Jan 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jan 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $8K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $30K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Mar 1998 | High Wind | 58 mph | $3K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 28 Jul 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | $4K | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Sep 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | 70 mph | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Jul 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Jan 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Jun 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $75K | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | 0 mph | $100K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Jul 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
| 4 Jul 1987 | Thunderstorm Wind | 60 mph | — | — | — | 1 | County |
Questions and answers
How many wind events has Ballard County had?
211 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of damaging wind became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded wind event in Ballard County?
16 Apr 2026 (Thunderstorm Wind, 70 mph). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging wind event recorded in Ballard County?
The high wind of 14 Sep 2008, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $4.0M and crop damage at $4.0M.
How does Ballard County compare with Kentucky for wind?
85.5 events per 100 square miles against 56.1 statewide; the county holds 211 of the state's 22,160 recorded events.
Provenance
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, yearly details files through 30 Jun 2026, public domain. County-recorded events plus zone-recorded events whose forecast zone is named for the county (marked "Forecast zone"). Population and area from the US Census Bureau (2021). Built 1 Oct 2026. See the methodology, the Wind hub and the county page.