Tornadoes in Kentucky
The Storm Prediction Center records 1,288 tornadoes that touched Kentucky between 1950 and 2025, and 1,223 of them began there. A tornado that crossed a state line counts in every state it touched. They killed 320 people and injured 4,576. The busiest month is April, with 307 tornadoes.
- 1,288tornadoes
- 320deaths
- 4,576injuries
- 326per 10,000 sq mi of land
- 120counties touched
Tornadoes per 10,000 square miles lets you compare states of different sizes. It counts every tornado that touched the state.
How strong were Kentucky's tornadoes?
| Rating | Tornadoes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| F0 / EF0 | 341 | 26% |
| F1 / EF1 | 591 | 46% |
| F2 / EF2 | 244 | 19% |
| F3 / EF3 | 84 | 7% |
| F4 / EF4 | 23 | 2% |
| F5 / EF5 | 2 | <1% |
| Unknown rating | 3 | <1% |
Kentucky tornadoes over time
The 2020s only run to 2025, so that bar is for a shorter period. The record starts in 1950.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| 1950s | 37 |
| 1960s | 67 |
| 1970s | 123 |
| 1980s | 93 |
| 1990s | 182 |
| 2000s | 242 |
| 2010s | 325 |
| 2020s | 219 |
The record has changed over the decades as detection and reporting improved, so more weak tornadoes show up in recent years than in the 1950s. The year with the most in Kentucky was 2011, with 65.
Show the numbers
| Period | Count |
|---|---|
| Jan | 71 |
| Feb | 86 |
| Mar | 138 |
| Apr | 307 |
| May | 235 |
| Jun | 142 |
| Jul | 80 |
| Aug | 29 |
| Sep | 23 |
| Oct | 66 |
| Nov | 63 |
| Dec | 48 |
Deadliest tornadoes that touched Kentucky
- Woodland Mills, Tennessee tornado10 December 2021, EF4, 57 deaths, 515 injuries, 168.5 miles long
- Hardinsburg, Kentucky tornado3 April 1974, F5, 31 deaths, 270 injuries, 32 miles long
- Evansville, Indiana tornado6 November 2005, F3, 24 deaths, 238 injuries, 41.3 miles long
- Gallatin, Tennessee tornado5 February 2008, EF3, 22 deaths, 63 injuries, 50.3 miles long
- Jamestown, Kentucky tornado16 May 2025, EF4, 18 deaths, 60.1 miles long
- Bowling Green, Kentucky tornado11 December 2021, EF3, 16 deaths, 63 injuries, 29.3 miles long
Strongest tornadoes that touched Kentucky
- Hardinsburg, Kentucky tornado3 April 1974, F5, 31 deaths, 270 injuries, 32 miles long
- White Oak, Ohio tornado3 April 1974, F5, 3 deaths, 210 injuries, 20.8 miles long
- Woodland Mills, Tennessee tornado10 December 2021, EF4, 57 deaths, 515 injuries, 168.5 miles long
- Jamestown, Kentucky tornado16 May 2025, EF4, 18 deaths, 60.1 miles long
- Palmyra, Indiana tornado2 March 2012, EF4, 11 deaths, 46.6 miles long
- Burkesville, Kentucky tornado3 April 1974, F4, 10 deaths, 113 injuries, 38.4 miles long
Most recent tornadoes in Kentucky
- Kentucky tornado18 December 2025, EF0, 2 miles long
- Kentucky tornado22 November 2025, EF1, 1.6 miles long
- Kentucky tornado18 November 2025, EF1, 5.6 miles long
- Kentucky tornado19 October 2025, EF1, 0.7 miles long
- Kentucky tornado22 September 2025, EF0, 4.1 miles long
Notable Kentucky tornadoes with their own pages
- Woodland Mills, Tennessee tornado10 December 2021, EF4, 57 deaths, 515 injuries, 168.5 miles long
- Hardinsburg, Kentucky tornado3 April 1974, F5, 31 deaths, 270 injuries, 32 miles long
- Evansville, Indiana tornado6 November 2005, F3, 24 deaths, 238 injuries, 41.3 miles long
- Gallatin, Tennessee tornado5 February 2008, EF3, 22 deaths, 63 injuries, 50.3 miles long
- Jamestown, Kentucky tornado16 May 2025, EF4, 18 deaths, 60.1 miles long
- Bowling Green, Kentucky tornado11 December 2021, EF3, 16 deaths, 63 injuries, 29.3 miles long
- Palmyra, Indiana tornado2 March 2012, EF4, 11 deaths, 46.6 miles long
- Burkesville, Kentucky tornado3 April 1974, F4, 10 deaths, 113 injuries, 38.4 miles long
- Frenchburg, Kentucky tornado2 March 2012, EF3, 10 deaths, 118 injuries, 85 miles long
- Winchester, Kentucky tornado3 April 1974, F4, 7 deaths, 28 injuries, 31.9 miles long
- Ferguson, Kentucky tornado3 April 1974, F3, 7 deaths, 40 injuries, 22.3 miles long
- Falmouth, Kentucky tornado23 April 1968, F4, 6 deaths, 364 injuries, 78.7 miles long
Many of these tornadoes killed or injured people. The numbers are the official record's, and they may be revised.
Kentucky counties
Every county that a tornado has touched is listed, most tornadoes first. 112 of them have at least 3 tornadoes and their own page.