Ballard County, Kentucky
Tornadoes, hail, floods and severe storms recorded here between 1958 and 2026, from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Search an address to see which tornadoes came closest to it.
21
Tornado reports
58
Hail reports
104
Floods since 1996
804
All events
1
Deaths
$47.8M
Property damage
Tornado paths in Ballard County
The part of each tornado’s path NOAA recorded in this county, 21 in all. Zoom in and the paths widen to their surveyed width.
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated
Year by year
All storm eventsTornadoes
NOAA's storm database records tornadoes back to 1950 and hail and thunderstorm wind back to 1955, but floods only from 1996 on. Older floods are missing here. For those, the U.S. Geological Survey's stream gauge records and flood reports are the place to look.
Most significant events
The strongest tornadoes, deadliest events and biggest damage here, up to 50.
Major flash flooding prompted a declaration of a state of emergency for Ballard County. Numerous roads were flooded across the county, including at least 16 that were impassable. A 54-year-old man was killed near Barlow when he was swept away by floodwaters after trying to get ou…
This tornado was rated on the high end of the F-1 category, with top winds near 105 MPH. A mobile home containing a family of six was demolished. All six occupants escaped with only minor to moderate injuries. One small child was not discovered in the debris for over 30 minutes. …
Hail Hail
Quarter size hail was estimated to have fallen in Wickliffe.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A power pole broke and was leaning over Bandana Road. At the peak of storm outages, approximately 8% of Ballard County was without power.
Drought Drought
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Winter Storm Winter Storm
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Drought Drought
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Extreme heat continued from the third week of July.
Excessive Heat Excessive Heat
Extreme heat continued into late July.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Observed wind gust at CWOP site EW0626. No damage was reported in Gage from this thunderstorm.
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Delayed reports. Tree damage, up to and including the uprooting of multiple trees, occurred to the south and southeast of La Center. Affected roads included Albert Hook Rd and Ceredo Rd. One residence on Albert Hook Rd had some damage to a pool and outdoor furniture.
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Hail Hail
Many reports and pictures of large hail came in from the town of Barlow and just south of it including the largest hailstones estimated at grapefruit size on Circle Drive east of Barlow (4.5'', public report) and just above softball size south of town on Hartman Ln (4.25'', publi…
Hail Hail
Hailstones up to baseball size occurred on KC Dunn Rd on the northeast side of Barlow, two miles south of La Center, and in La Center with damage to windows as a potent supercell storm moved through Ballard County.
Dense Fog Dense Fog
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
Nickel size hail occurred along with a 60 mph gust north of Bandana.
Strong Wind Strong Wind
Thunderstorm Wind Thunderstorm Wind
A tree was blown across Highway 51 near the paper mill south of Wickliffe.
Flood Flood
Late February flooding continued into early March along the Ohio River at Olmsted. Minor flooding of bottomland and other low-lying areas occurred. River levels fell just below the flood stage in the early morning hours on the 2nd.
Flood Flood
Late February flooding continued into early March along the Ohio River at Cairo. Minor flooding of bottomland and surrounding low-lying areas occurred. River levels fell just below flood stage in the afternoon of the 1st.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Flood Flood
Minor flooding of bottomland and surrounding low-lying areas occurred near Cairo. Minor flooding continued into early March.
Flood Flood
Minor to moderate flooding of bottomland and other low-lying areas occurred near the Olmsted Lock and Dam. The river crested at 42.94' on the 19th. The moderate flood level is 42 feet. Minor flooding continued into early March.
Flash Flood Flash Flood
Flash flooding washed out portions of several county roads.
Cold/Wind Chill Cold/Wind Chill
Heavy Snow Heavy Snow
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Flood Flood
Ponding of water occurred on some roadways in Ballard County, including Hinkleville Rd.
Winter Weather Winter Weather
Frost/Freeze Frost/Freeze
Flood Flood
Several inches of water covered Ceredo Rd in Ballard County. Hourly rainfall rates were around half to three quarters inch an hour the preceding two hours. At this point in the day, 2-3 inches of rain had fallen. Additional rain later in the day fell at low enough rates to keep f…
Events by year, as a table
| Year | Events | Tornadoes |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 12 | 0 |
| 2025 | 29 | 0 |
| 2024 | 36 | 0 |
| 2023 | 36 | 3 |
| 2022 | 33 | 0 |
| 2021 | 18 | 0 |
| 2020 | 23 | 0 |
| 2019 | 35 | 3 |
| 2018 | 40 | 0 |
| 2017 | 27 | 0 |
| 2016 | 28 | 1 |
| 2015 | 22 | 0 |
| 2014 | 20 | 0 |
| 2013 | 24 | 2 |
| 2012 | 33 | 1 |
| 2011 | 47 | 3 |
| 2010 | 30 | 0 |
| 2009 | 27 | 0 |
| 2008 | 24 | 0 |
| 2007 | 27 | 0 |
| 2006 | 28 | 2 |
| 2005 | 8 | 0 |
| 2004 | 18 | 0 |
| 2003 | 22 | 2 |
| 2002 | 15 | 0 |
| 2001 | 14 | 0 |
| 2000 | 16 | 0 |
| 1999 | 22 | 1 |
| 1998 | 18 | 0 |
| 1997 | 17 | 0 |
| 1996 | 21 | 0 |
| 1995 | 13 | 1 |
| 1994 | 1 | 0 |
| 1992 | 2 | 0 |
| 1989 | 1 | 1 |
| 1987 | 3 | 0 |
| 1984 | 1 | 0 |
| 1982 | 1 | 0 |
| 1981 | 1 | 0 |
| 1979 | 1 | 0 |
| 1978 | 3 | 0 |
| 1977 | 1 | 0 |
| 1971 | 2 | 0 |
| 1970 | 1 | 0 |
| 1969 | 1 | 0 |
| 1967 | 1 | 0 |
| 1958 | 1 | 1 |
Search your address
See every tornado that passed within 25 miles of a place in Ballard County, measured to its path.
We couldn’t get your location. Check that location access is allowed for this site, or type an address.