'Unlucky Kentucky:' natural disasters plague state
It seems like Kentucky has been plagued with natural disasters over the past few years, from flooding to tornadoes and ice storms, but is that true and how does it compare to other states?
From deadly tornadoes to ice storms to flash floods, the 2020s have brought multiple deadly severe weather events to Kentucky. Let’s take a look at the meteorology that explains why.
After a devastating tornado outbreak struck southeastern Kentucky over the weekend—killing at least 19 people, injuring dozens more, and flattening neighborhoods in Laurel and Pulaski counties—Kentuckians are once again facing the grim reality of rebuilding after extreme weather. It marks the state’s latest deadly disaster in a years-long barrage of floods, tornadoes, and ice storms that have turned the “new normal” into a relentless test of resilience.
From floods and tornadoes to crippling ice storms, Kentucky has endured a relentless string of billion-dollar weather disasters. Since 2020, FEMA has issued 13 disaster declarations for the Bluegrass State — a staggering total in just a few years.
Ali Reid is in London, Kentucky, where a deadly tornado has flattened homes and separated families.
While other states have experienced even sharper increases in natural disasters, Kentucky's location makes the state susceptible to almost every type of destructive weather. Straddling both Tornado Alley and the western Appalachians, the state is prone to damaging severe weather as well as winter weather. Its rugged hills and winding rivers also make it naturally prone to frequent—and often severe—flooding.
130 Tornadoes in 4 years
Between 2020 and 2023, Kentucky recorded 130 tornadoes—including one EF4 and five EF3 storms.
The most destructive tornado was the Mayfield EF4 twister, which packed 190-mph winds and tracked more than 160 miles across western Kentucky, killing 58 people and injuring 515 on Dec. 10, 2021.
This was the longest-tracked tornado on record in Kentucky and set a U.S. record for tornado track length in December. That same day, four EF3 tornadoes also struck, killing 18 people and injuring 133. One twister tracked through the major city of Bowling Green. Dec. 10 marked the deadliest December tornado outbreak ever recorded in the United States.
Another EF3 tornado killed four people and injured 62 in the state on Dec. 9, 2023.
On May 26, 2024, the Hopkins County EF3 tornado killed one person and injured 21. It was part of a multi-billion-dollar outbreak that produced 110 tornadoes across six states.
On April 2-3 of this year, more than a dozen tornadoes hit Kentucky, including an EF3 that tracked through the outskirts of Louisville.
Three recent major flooding events
In July 2022, just seven months after the December tornado outbreak, a catastrophic flood hit the state, killing 45 people.
In the mid-February 2025, major flooding struck Kentucky. Then, during the opening days of April, a historic flood pushed rivers over their banks once again. According to the governor, the Kentucky State Police answered nearly 19,000 calls, and more than 450 roads were closed during this week's severe weather.
Winter storms too
Kentucky is no stranger to major winter storms. Back-to-back ice storms in February 2021 caused an "unprecedented" number of power outages.
Disasters have spiked recently, and Kentucky isn't alone
In just the last two years, the state has been part of 14 separate billion-dollar disasters, according to NOAA, with 2023 and 2024 tying for the highest number on record since tracking began in 1980.
Looking at disaster data over the past 45 years, Kentucky ranks near the middle among the 50 U.S. states. In recent years, the pace and intensity of weather events have surged — not just in Kentucky, but across much of the country. For the Bluegrass State, what once felt like occasional bad luck is becoming a troubling new normal.
Report a Typo
