NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Brodhead, KY
Every tropical system within 75 miles since 1851 and every tornado within 25 miles since 1950.
Data: NOAA NHC HURDAT2 and NOAA SPC tornado and hail reports, through 2025 · Updated
7 tropical systems have passed within 75 miles of Brodhead, Kentucky since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 65 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 6 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 7
- Tornadoes
- 65
- EF3 or stronger
- 6
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
40 deaths in all
What the records show for Brodhead
None of the 7 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Brodhead; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, a tropical storm with 52 mph winds when its centre passed 52 miles away. The record near Brodhead begins with an unnamed storm in 1888; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 47 miles away. Of the 7 systems, one has come since 2000. Brodhead has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 74% of the 281 Kentucky cities on this site. The highest rating among the 65 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4 or EF4, reached 2 times; the most recent, on May 16, 2025, came within 22 miles. Of the 65, 4 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 27 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 20. Of the 281 Kentucky cities, 60% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Brodhead. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 43 times since 1983, with stones up to 2.75 inches (baseball size). Of the 281 Kentucky cities, 66% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Brodhead.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Brodhead
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 47 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 6 mi | Tropical storm (41 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 14 | 16 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 28 | 4 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormOct 1 | 31 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 13 | 37 mi | Tropical storm (48 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 21 | 52 mi | Tropical storm (52 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Brodhead: a hurricane's worst winds sit within a few dozen miles of its centre, and inland cities are usually past that.
Tornadoes within 25 miles of Brodhead
By decade
- 2020s7(1 EF3+)
- 2010s9
- 2000s11(1 EF3+)
- 1990s18
- 1980s6
- 1970s9(3 EF3+)
- 1960s2
- 1950s3(1 EF3+)
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 16, 2025 | EF4 | 22 mi | 60.08 mi | 18 / 0 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | 24 mi | 31.9 mi | 7 / 28 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F3 | 14 mi | 22.3 mi | 7 / 40 |
| May 8, 2009 | EF3 | 19 mi | 21.12 mi | 2 / 15 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F3 | 9 mi | 28.8 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 4, 1955 | F3 | 21 mi | 8.9 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Mar 2, 2012 | EF2 | 17 mi | 7.15 mi | 6 / 40 |
| Dec 11, 2021 | EF2 | 24 mi | 0.63 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Jan 2, 2006 | F2 | 13 mi | 8.7 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 20, 1996 | F2 | 15 mi | 2 mi | 0 / 10 |
| Apr 20, 1996 | F2 | 12 mi | 12 mi | 0 / 7 |
| May 18, 1995 | F2 | 21 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 0 |
The strongest 12 of 65, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Brodhead
The Storm Prediction Center has 43 hail reports within 10 miles of Brodhead since 1983, made on 36 separate days. Of these, 31 were 1 inch across or larger, and 3 reached 2 inches. The largest, 2.75 inches (baseball size), fell on May 1, 2002. The most recent report is from May 16, 2025. April has the most reports, 15.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Brodhead
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Mt Vernon, KY, 5 miles east of Brodhead at 1,160 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 84°F and low of 66°F; January is the coolest, at 42°F and 25°F. Highs reach 90°F on about 13 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 101 nights a year. Snowfall averages 10.9 inches a year, most of it in February. That 51.4 inches is more than at 54 of the 93 Kentucky stations used on this site (58%). Crab Orchard, 7 miles northwest, has its own station (Crab Orchard 6 N, KY): 50.4 inches a year, 1.0 less than here, and a July average high of 86°F against 84°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42 | 25 | 4.2 | 8 | 3.1 |
| Feb | 47 | 27 | 4.0 | 7 | 4.0 |
| Mar | 56 | 35 | 4.9 | 9 | 2.0 |
| Apr | 67 | 44 | 4.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| May | 75 | 54 | 4.9 | 9 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 82 | 62 | 4.8 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 84 | 66 | 4.6 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 84 | 64 | 3.7 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 79 | 57 | 3.5 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 69 | 45 | 3.6 | 6 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 56 | 35 | 3.5 | 7 | 0.2 |
| Dec | 46 | 29 | 4.9 | 9 | 1.6 |
| Year | 66 | 45 | 51.4 | 88 | 10.9 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Mt Vernon, KY (1,160 ft), from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals. Normals describe the station; the farther a place is from it, and the bigger the difference in height, the more its weather can differ.
Floods, thunderstorm wind and lightning near Brodhead
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 236 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Brodhead: 179 thunderstorm wind reports, 28 flash floods, 21 floods, 6 heavy rain events and 2 lightning strikes. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $1.8 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 96 mph, on April 8, 2020. August has had the most flash floods, 10 of 28. Of the 281 Kentucky cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 171 have had fewer than Brodhead.
January 1, 2022: flash flood in Brodhead — $500,000 damage.
NWS: “Emergency Management reported flash flooding in the community of Rockcastle. , State Hwy 1505, West and South Main Street, Church Street, Silver Street, Albright Street, Owen Street, and Burton Lane.”
April 8, 2020: thunderstorm wind 2 miles from the centre of Brodhead — $260,000 damage.
NWS: “Brodhead City and Rockcastle County Emergency Management conducted a survey on the morning of April 9th. In coordination with NWS staff, it was determined that microburst wind damage occurred in and just outside of Brodhead, given damage fanned out in all directions.”
June 18, 2011: lightning strike 4 miles from the centre of Brodhead — $250,000 damage.
Source: NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, events whose starting point is on record, 1996 to June 30, 2026. Damage is the NWS estimate in the dollars of the year, not insured losses, and NWS notes that some reports are unverified.
Flood insurance claims, disaster declarations and FEMA risk ratings
Rockcastle County, which includes Brodhead, has been named in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1974, 27 of them major disasters (by incident: 15 severe storms, 4 floods, 4 snowstorms, 2 biological emergencies). The latest major disaster declaration was Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides, on September 1, 2026. FEMA's National Risk Index gives Rockcastle County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Moderate for strong wind; Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, inland flooding, lightning and heat waves; Very Low for hurricanes. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $7.6 million a year, the 84th highest of 120 Kentucky counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $4.8 million (63%), is from inland flooding.
Claims: FEMA, OpenFEMA Dataset FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims – v3, summed over ZIP codes; payments in the dollars of each year, not adjusted for inflation. Declarations: Disaster Declarations Summaries – v2, by county. Retrieved October 25, 2026. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
Risk ratings: FEMA, National Risk Index county table, December 2025 (v1.20), retrieved October 26, 2026; ratings compare counties nationwide, are meant for planning and are no substitute for a local risk assessment. This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index dataset API or downloadable datasets but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s).
What counts as a pass, the distances and the sources: how this storm history is built.
Cities near Brodhead
- Mount Vernon, KY5 mi
- Crab Orchard, KY7 mi
- Waynesburg, KY11 mi
- Eubank, KY14 mi
- Paint Lick, KY15 mi
- Berea, KY16 mi
- Stanford, KY17 mi
- East Bernstadt, KY19 mi
- Science Hill, KY19 mi
- Somerset, KY21 mi
- Mc Kee, KY22 mi
- Hustonville, KY22 mi
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