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Kentucky · County tornado history

Nelson County, Kentucky tornadoes

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has recorded 11 tornadoes in Nelson County, Kentucky from 1950 through 2024, about one every 6.8 years. That ranks it 51 of 120 counties in Kentucky with a recorded tornado. The most recent was an EF1 on April 2, 2024.

By Twisters.us · Updated · How we count

Tornadoes since 1950
11
Since 2000
4
Strongest
F4, April 3, 1974
Most recent
EF1, April 2, 2024
Peak month
April (4)
Per 1,000 sq mi
25
FEMA tornado risk
Relatively Moderate

F0/EF0 1 2 3 4 5 · Lines run from where each tornado touched down to where it lifted; dots are short paths. Neighboring counties are outlined.

When tornadoes hit Nelson County

April has brought the most, 4 of 11. About 45% touched down between 1 pm and 7 pm (Central Standard Time, as the Storm Prediction Center records it). Winter tornadoes (December to February) make up 18% of the total, a sign of the cool-season storms common in the South.

By decade

More tornadoes in recent decades mostly reflects better detection and reporting (Doppler radar, storm spotters, damage surveys), especially for weak EF0 tornadoes, not necessarily more storms. The 2020s bar covers only 2020 to 2024.

How strong they were

Rating Estimated 3-second gust Tornadoes
F0 / EF0 Light damage: 65 to 85 mph (EF scale) 1
F1 / EF1 Moderate: 86 to 110 mph 7
F2 / EF2 Considerable: 111 to 135 mph 2
F3 / EF3 Severe: 136 to 165 mph 0
F4 / EF4 Devastating: 166 to 200 mph 1
F5 / EF5 Incredible: over 200 mph 0

Tornadoes before February 2007 were rated on the original Fujita (F) scale; since then the National Weather Service uses the Enhanced Fujita (EF) scale. Wind speeds above are EF-scale estimates from damage, not measurements. See what the EF scale means.

The strongest tornadoes in Nelson County

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
April 3, 1974 F4 37.9 mi 10 yd 3 81
February 5, 2008 EF2 0.8 mi 300 yd 2
February 5, 2008 EF2 1.3 mi 300 yd
March 12, 1986 F1 0.5 mi 1,500 yd 2
May 8, 1969 F1 0.1 mi 10 yd
April 14, 1972 F1 2 mi 100 yd
August 25, 1972 F1 0.3 mi 10 yd
March 10, 1986 F1 0.1 mi 10 yd
April 8, 2020 EF1 4 mi 45 yd
April 2, 2024 EF1 5 mi 125 yd

Deaths and injuries are for each tornado’s whole path, which can cross other counties.

The deadliest

The deadliest tornado to touch Nelson County was an F4 on April 3, 1974. It killed 3 people and injured 81 along its 37.9-mile path.

Most recent tornadoes

Date Rating Path length Path width Deaths Injuries
April 2, 2024 EF1 5 mi 125 yd
April 8, 2020 EF1 4 mi 45 yd
February 5, 2008 EF2 0.8 mi 300 yd 2
February 5, 2008 EF2 1.3 mi 300 yd
March 28, 1997 F0 0.5 mi 50 yd
March 12, 1986 F1 0.5 mi 1,500 yd 2
March 10, 1986 F1 0.1 mi 10 yd
April 3, 1974 F4 37.9 mi 10 yd 3 81

The official database ends with 2024. For storms since then, see the Storm Prediction Center’s reports and your local National Weather Service office.

FEMA’s tornado risk rating

FEMA’s National Risk Index rates the tornado risk in Nelson County as relatively moderate, with a score of 69 out of 100 compared with every other U.S. county. It estimates about 0.29 tornadoes a year here and an expected annual loss of about $2,662,016 to buildings, people and farming. The index mixes how often tornadoes strike with what is exposed and how well a community can recover, so a busy rural county can rate lower than a less active city.

Neighboring counties

Staying safe

When a tornado warning is issued, act at once. Go to a basement, storm shelter or safe room. With none, use a small windowless room on the lowest floor, as far from outside walls as you can, and cover your head and neck. Mobile homes and cars are not safe places to ride out a tornado: leave early for a sturdy building or shelter. Read the full tornado safety guide and the National Weather Service advice linked below.

Sources

Sources last checked 1 November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many tornadoes has Nelson County had?

11 from 1950 through 2024 in NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center database, 4 of them since 2000.

When was the last tornado in Nelson County?

The most recent in the official record was an EF1 on April 2, 2024. Later storms are not yet in the final database.

What was the strongest tornado in Nelson County?

An F4 on April 3, 1974, with a 37.9-mile path.

When is tornado season in Nelson County?

April has had the most tornadoes here. Across the U.S. the peak runs from spring into early summer, and the South also sees tornadoes in late fall and winter.