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Tornadoes in Kentucky

Kentucky has recorded 1,223 tornadoes from 1950 through 2025, about 27.7 per year over the last 30 years. They killed 214 people and injured 3,448. April is the most active month.

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Map data: NWS, OpenFreeMap, OpenStreetMap

Tornadoes per year

96: 25962597: 38973898: 13981399: 699600: 23002301: 601602: 14021403: 32033204: 22042205: 17051706: 19061907: 30073008: 35083509: 32093210: 20102011: 60116012: 42124213: 35133514: 27142715: 17151716: 24162417: 25172518: 35183519: 25192520: 22202221: 36213622: 32223223: 34233424: 48244825: 372537
Kentucky tornadoes per year, 1996–2025
50s: 3550s3560s: 6560s6570s: 11470s11480s: 9080s9090s: 17090s17000s: 23000s23010s: 31010s31020s: 20920s209
Tornadoes per decade (the 2020s are partial)

When tornadoes happen in Kentucky

Jan: 68Jan68Feb: 80Feb80Mar: 134Mar134Apr: 290Apr290May: 220May220Jun: 136Jun136Jul: 77Jul77Aug: 28Aug28Sep: 21Sep21Oct: 65Oct65Nov: 62Nov62Dec: 42Dec42
Tornadoes by month, 1950–2025
EF0: 335EF0335EF1: 565EF1565EF2: 223EF2223EF3: 78EF378EF4: 18EF418EF5: 1EF51
Tornadoes by (E)F rating

Ratings before February 2007 use the original Fujita (F) scale; later tornadoes use the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. How the EF scale works.

Deadliest tornadoes in Kentucky

DateRatingCountyPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
April 3, 1974F5—32 mi440 yd31270
November 6, 2005F3—41.3 mi500 yd24238
May 16, 2025EF4Russell County60.1 mi1,700 yd180
December 11, 2021EF3Warren County29.3 mi440 yd1663
April 3, 1974F4Cumberland County38.4 mi10 yd10113
March 2, 2012EF3Morgan County85 mi1,580 yd10118
April 3, 1974F4Garrard County31.9 mi10 yd728
April 3, 1974F3Pulaski County22.3 mi10 yd740
April 23, 1968F4—78.7 mi550 yd6364
April 27, 1971F4Green County14.1 mi100 yd658

Strongest tornadoes in Kentucky

DateRatingCountyPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
April 3, 1974F5—32 mi440 yd31270
May 16, 2025EF4Russell County60.1 mi1,700 yd180
April 3, 1974F4Cumberland County38.4 mi10 yd10113
April 3, 1974F4Garrard County31.9 mi10 yd728
April 23, 1968F4—78.7 mi550 yd6364
April 27, 1971F4Green County14.1 mi100 yd658
April 3, 1974F4Anderson County79.4 mi10 yd4122
March 2, 2012EF4Grant County9.9 mi880 yd48
April 3, 1974F4Hardin County37.9 mi10 yd381
March 4, 1964F4Calloway County18.5 mi250 yd324

Most recent tornadoes

DateRatingCountyPath lengthWidthDeathsInjuries
December 18, 2025EF0Larue County2 mi20 yd00
November 22, 2025EF1Todd County1.6 mi75 yd00
November 18, 2025EF1Fulton County5.6 mi30 yd00
October 19, 2025EF1Jessamine County0.7 mi20 yd00
September 22, 2025EF0Bracken County4.1 mi500 yd00
June 7, 2025EF0Daviess County2.1 mi25 yd00
May 30, 2025EF1Mercer County1.5 mi50 yd00
May 30, 2025EF2Washington County5.5 mi450 yd114
May 16, 2025EF1Logan County2.6 mi75 yd00
May 16, 2025EF4Russell County60.1 mi1,700 yd180

Counties with the most tornadoes

CountyTornadoes since 1950Per 1,000 sq mi
Christian County55198398328.7
Calloway County43289272727.3
Graves County38178297101.4
Warren County32152915129.2
Daviess County32180960698.7
Hardin County31128669871.8
Union County29218979591.8
Jefferson County29197139107.6
Trigg County28164444444.4
McCracken County27280843373.5
Pulaski County27106276595.7
Marshall County27231556291.4
Henderson County24142568807.3
Muhlenberg County24133104925.1
Webster County23179427710.8
Logan County22103224637.7
Shelby County21143131578.9
Barren County21111683778.2
Hopkins County2095571955.7
Laurel County20119354838.7

About this data

Tornado records come from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database of confirmed tornadoes, 1950–2025. Tornadoes that crossed state lines are counted in the state where they began. Counts in the early decades are lower partly because many weak tornadoes went unreported before Doppler radar and storm spotter networks.