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Flood in Powell County, Kentucky
121 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 121 flood events in Powell County, Kentucky, between 1950 and 2026, spread over 28 years.
May is the busiest month, with 21 of the recorded events. The last 20 years account for 85 events against 36 in the 20 years before, a change that reflects reporting practice as much as weather.
The county holds 1.5% of the 8,294 flood events recorded in Kentucky; its 67.6 per 100 square miles compares with 21.0 statewide.
Compared with Kentucky
| Measure | Powell County | Kentucky | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flood events since 1950 | 121 | 8,294 | 183,559 |
| Per 100 square miles | 67.6 | 21.0 | 5.2 |
| Per 10,000 residents | 92.1 | 18.4 | 5.5 |
| Deaths recorded | 0 | 169 | 2,961 |
| Busiest month | May | May | June |
By year
Seasonality
8Feb
14Mar
10Apr
17May
21Jun
5Jul
11Aug
15Sep
15Oct
0Nov
0Dec
5
Recorded events
All 121 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jan 2025 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Feb 2023 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Aug 2022 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 11 Dec 2021 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Jul 2021 | Flash Flood | — | $15K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Jul 2021 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2021 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Feb 2021 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2020 | Flash Flood | — | $25K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Sep 2020 | Flood | — | $3K | — | — | — | County |
| 19 May 2020 | Flood | — | $200 | — | — | — | County |
| 17 Dec 2019 | Flood | — | $11K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Dec 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Jun 2019 | Flash Flood | — | $150K | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Feb 2019 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Feb 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Feb 2019 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2018 | Flood | — | $500 | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 9 Sep 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Aug 2018 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jun 2017 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $10 | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Sep 2016 | Flash Flood | — | $50 | — | — | — | County |
| 25 Dec 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Jul 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 14 Apr 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 3 Apr 2015 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Mar 2015 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 1 Sep 2014 | Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 31 Aug 2014 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2014 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 30 Apr 2014 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 21 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $2K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | — | — | — | County |
| 12 Aug 2013 | Flash Flood | — | — | $1K | — | — | County |
| 4 Jul 2013 | Flash Flood | — | $1K | $1K | — | — | County |
| 21 May 2012 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 15 Mar 2012 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 13 Aug 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2011 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 19 Jul 2011 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 3 May 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 2 May 2010 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2010 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2009 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Aug 2009 | Flash Flood | — | $50K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 Jan 2009 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 4 Apr 2008 | Flash Flood | — | $55K | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Feb 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Feb 2008 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Sep 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 24 Jan 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 23 Jan 2006 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 23 Jan 2006 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 Apr 2005 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Sep 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Sep 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 17 Sep 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Sep 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 8 Sep 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jun 2004 | Flood | — | $500 | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Jun 2004 | Flood | — | $3.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 31 May 2004 | Flood | — | $4.0M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 30 May 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 27 May 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 Mar 2004 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 6 Feb 2004 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 May 2003 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Feb 2003 | Flood | — | $1.7M | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 15 Feb 2003 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 2 May 2002 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 20 Mar 2002 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 10 Aug 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 29 Jul 2001 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Dec 2000 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 18 Feb 2000 | Flash Flood | — | $5K | — | — | — | County |
| 10 Jan 1999 | Flood | — | — | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 9 Jan 1999 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 7 Jan 1998 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 16 Jun 1997 | Flash Flood | — | $3.3M | $1.7M | — | 1 | County |
| 2 Mar 1997 | Flood | — | $10K | — | — | — | Forecast zone |
| 1 Mar 1997 | Flash Flood | — | $200K | — | — | — | County |
| 28 May 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
| 5 May 1996 | Flash Flood | — | — | — | — | — | County |
Questions and answers
How many flood events has Powell County had?
121 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 Powell County?
31 Jan 2025 (Flood). Records reach NCEI about 120 days after the month ends.
What was the most damaging flood event recorded in Powell County?
The flash flood of 16 Jun 1997, with property damage estimated by NCEI at $3.3M and crop damage at $1.7M.
How does Powell County compare with Kentucky for flood?
67.6 events per 100 square miles against 21.0 statewide; the county holds 121 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.