Russell County weather alerts
There are no active weather alerts for Russell County, KY right now.
Since 2016 the National Weather Service has issued about 811 alerts that included Russell County, roughly 81 a year. The most common is the severe thunderstorm warning (128 from 2016 to 2025). The last tornado warning was issued on March 16, 2026. 9 tornadoes have touched down in the county since 1950.
Updated from the National Weather Service · lists refresh hourly; the live map loads current alerts directly from the NWS
No warnings, watches or advisories include Russell County at the moment. This page updates automatically when the National Weather Service issues one. Check neighboring Wayne County, Casey County, Cumberland County, Pulaski County.
Russell County alert history
Alert events that included Russell County or its forecast zones, from the NWS warning archive.
| Alert type | 2016–2025 | 2026 | Last issued |
|---|---|---|---|
| Severe Thunderstorm Warning | 128 | 7 | September 21, 2026 |
| Flood Advisory | 90 | 10 | September 22, 2026 |
| Wind Advisory | 80 | 1 | March 15, 2026 |
| Flood Watch | 71 | 6 | August 20, 2026 |
| Dense Fog Advisory | 71 | 3 | October 12, 2026 |
| Severe Thunderstorm Watch | 55 | 5 | August 22, 2026 |
| Winter Weather Advisory | 49 | 1 | January 17, 2026 |
| Tornado Watch | 42 | 1 | March 16, 2026 |
| Freeze Warning | 41 | 2 | November 8, 2026 |
| Frost Advisory | 37 | 8 | November 9, 2026 |
| Flash Flood Warning | 32 | 5 | August 12, 2026 |
| Flood Warning | 22 | 4 | July 19, 2026 |
| Freeze Watch | 20 | 1 | March 28, 2026 |
| Winter Storm Warning | 14 | 1 | January 24, 2026 |
| Winter Storm Watch | 10 | 1 | January 24, 2026 |
| Heat Advisory | 10 | 4 | September 1, 2026 |
| Tornado Warning | 9 | 1 | March 16, 2026 |
| High Wind Warning | 9 | 0 | March 5, 2025 |
| Cold Weather Advisory | 8 | 3 | January 31, 2026 |
| Red Flag Warning | 6 | 0 | April 20, 2023 |
| Ice Storm Warning | 2 | 0 | February 15, 2021 |
| Extreme Heat Watch | 1 | 0 | July 18, 2019 |
| Extreme Heat Warning | 1 | 1 | June 29, 2026 |
| Extreme Cold Watch | 1 | 0 | December 23, 2022 |
| Extreme Cold Warning | 1 | 1 | January 27, 2026 |
| Fire Weather Watch | 1 | 0 | April 20, 2023 |
Tornado history in Russell County
9 tornadoes have been recorded in Russell County since 1950, killing 20 people and injuring 74. That ranks 63 of 120 counties in Kentucky. The most recent was on May 16, 2025 (rated EF4).
Strongest tornadoes in Russell County
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2025 | EF4 | Russell County | 60.1 mi | 1,700 yd | 18 | 0 |
| April 27, 1971 | F4 | Russell County | 13 mi | 100 yd | 2 | 72 |
| April 3, 1974 | F3 | Russell County | 28.8 mi | 10 yd | 0 | 0 |
| February 29, 2012 | EF2 | Russell County | 7.2 mi | 150 yd | 0 | 0 |
| March 29, 1974 | F2 | Russell County | 1 mi | 100 yd | 0 | 1 |
Most recent tornadoes
| Date | Rating | County | Path length | Width | Deaths | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2025 | EF4 | Russell County | 60.1 mi | 1,700 yd | 18 | 0 |
| June 25, 2023 | EF1 | Russell County | 0.7 mi | 300 yd | 0 | 0 |
| February 29, 2012 | EF2 | Russell County | 7.2 mi | 150 yd | 0 | 0 |
| March 28, 1997 | F0 | Russell County | 10 mi | 50 yd | 0 | 0 |
| May 6, 1984 | F1 | Russell County | 3 mi | 20 yd | 0 | 0 |
About Russell County
- Population: 18,458 (2024 estimate)
- State: Kentucky
- NOAA Weather Radio SAME code: 021207 (how to use it)