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Flood in Letcher County, Kentucky
85 floods and flash floods events in the NCEI Storm Events record, 1950 to 2026. Event types counted: Flood, Flash Flood, Coastal Flood, Lakeshore Flood.
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.
NCEI records 85 flood events in Letcher County, Kentucky, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 24 years.
February is the busiest month, with 13 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 55 events against 30 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1% of the 8,294 flood events recorded in Kentucky; its 25.2 per 100 square miles compares with 21.0 statewide.
NCEI attributes 3 deaths in the county to floods and flash floods.
Compared with Kentucky
| Measure | Letcher County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 85 | 8,294 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 25.2 | 21.0 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 40.0 | 18.4 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 3 | 169 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | February | May | June |
By year
Seasonality
5Feb
13Mar
7Apr
12May
12Jun
7Jul
13Aug
5Sep
3Oct
1Nov
1Dec
6
Recorded events
All 85 events, most recent first. Magnitude is hail size, tornado rating or wind speed as recorded.
| Date | Event type | Magnitude | Property damage | Crop damage | Deaths | Injuries | Geography |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 May 2025 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jan 2025 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Jan 2025 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | 3 | — | County |
| 28 Jul 2022 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Mar 2021 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2020 | Flood | — | $350K | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Jul 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 May 2018 | Flash Flood | — | $80K | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Feb 2018 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Feb 2018 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2017 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Apr 2017 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 8 Oct 2014 | Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Sep 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jul 2014 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Dec 2013 | Flood | — | $1K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 6 Dec 2013 | Flood | — | $1K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 30 Jan 2013 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Aug 2012 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2012 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2012 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2012 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Sep 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 May 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 26 Jul 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Jun 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 Aug 2008 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2007 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Apr 2007 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Sep 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jul 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $110K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Jun 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $500K | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Jun 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Jun 2004 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 May 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 May 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 May 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Mar 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jan 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Aug 2003 | Flash Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 22 Feb 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Feb 2003 | Flood | — | $100K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 Jul 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 Jul 2002 | Flash Flood | — | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Mar 2002 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2001 | Flash Flood | — | $548K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Jul 2000 | Flash Flood | — | $300K | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Jul 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Apr 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $40K | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Apr 1998 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 16 Apr 1998 | Flash Flood | — | $20K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Mar 1997 | Flash Flood | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Nov 1996 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 29 May 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 May 1996 | Flash Flood | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Letcher County had?
85 events in the NCEI Storm Events record between 1950 and 2026. Reporting of floods and flash floods became far more complete after 1996, so early decades undercount.
When was the last recorded flood event in Letcher County?
13 May 2025 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Letcher County?
The flash flood of 4 Aug 2001, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $548K.
How does Letcher County compare with Kentucky for flood?
25.2 events per 100 square miles against 21.0 statewide; the county holds 85 of the state's 8,294 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 Flood hub and the county page.