NHC HURDAT2 · SPC Tornado Database
Hurricanes and Tornadoes That Hit Summer Shade, 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 Summer Shade, Kentucky since 1851, 0 of them at hurricane strength; the most recent was Helene in 2024. Since 1950, 69 tornadoes have touched down within 25 miles, 10 of them rated EF3 or stronger.
- Hurricanes
- 0
- Tropical storms
- 7
- Tornadoes
- 69
- EF3 or stronger
- 10
within 75 mi, since 1851
below hurricane strength
within 25 mi, since 1950
50 deaths in all
What the records show for Summer Shade
None of the 7 tropical systems was at hurricane strength as it passed Summer Shade; the strongest was an unnamed storm in 1888, a tropical storm with 54 mph winds when its centre passed 43 miles away. The record near Summer Shade begins with an unnamed storm in 1888; the most recent system was Helene in 2024, a tropical storm 28 miles away. Of the 7 systems, one has come since 2000. Summer Shade has more tropical storms and hurricanes within 75 miles than 74% of the 281 Kentucky cities on this site. The highest rating among the 69 tornadoes within 25 miles is F4, reached 2 times; the most recent, on April 3, 1974, came within 24 miles. The deadliest, an EF3 on February 5, 2008, killed 22 people. Of the 69, 3 had paths within 5 miles of the city centre, and 38 have come since 2000. April has had the most tornadoes, 19. The most recent tornado was on June 18, 2025. Of the 281 Kentucky cities, 56% have more tornadoes within 25 miles than Summer Shade. Hail has been reported within 10 miles 19 times since 1968, with stones up to 1.75 inches (golf ball size). Of the 281 Kentucky cities, 97% have more hail reports within 10 miles than Summer Shade.
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Tropical storms and hurricanes near Summer Shade
| Year | Storm | Closest | Strength when closest | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | HeleneSep 27 | 28 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1995 | OpalOct 5 | 51 mi | Tropical storm (39 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1979 | FredericSep 14 | 38 mi | Tropical storm (43 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1957 | AudreyJun 28 | 9 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 3 |
| 1915 | Unnamed 1915 stormOct 1 | 53 mi | Tropical storm (40 mph) | Category 4 |
| 1892 | Unnamed 1892 stormSep 13 | 18 mi | Tropical storm (46 mph) | Tropical storm |
| 1888 | Unnamed 1888 stormAug 21 | 43 mi | Tropical storm (54 mph) | Category 3 |
Strength is the sustained wind on the track at the closest point, which is not the wind felt in Summer Shade: 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 Summer Shade
By decade
- 2020s12
- 2010s17
- 2000s9(2 EF3+)
- 1990s18(3 EF3+)
- 1980s3(1 EF3+)
- 1970s7(4 EF3+)
- 1960s2
- 1950s1
| Date | Rating | Distance | Path | Killed / injured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 1974 | F4 | 24 mi | 38.4 mi | 10 / 113 |
| Apr 27, 1971 | F4 | 25 mi | 14.1 mi | 6 / 58 |
| Feb 5, 2008 | EF3 | 10 mi | 50.32 mi | 22 / 63 |
| Feb 6, 2008 | EF3 | 17 mi | 9.44 mi | 4 / 11 |
| Apr 3, 1974 | F3 | 23 mi | 31.1 mi | 3 / 57 |
| Apr 16, 1998 | F3 | 8 mi | 48 mi | 2 / 9 |
| Mar 31, 1979 | F3 | 17 mi | 12.7 mi | 1 / 19 |
| Apr 16, 1998 | F3 | 24 mi | 20 mi | 0 / 0 |
| Mar 28, 1997 | F3 | 1 mi | 15 mi | 0 / 7 |
| Apr 20, 1986 | F3 | 19 mi | 3 mi | 0 / 2 |
| Apr 16, 1998 | F2 | 10 mi | 8 mi | 1 / 0 |
| Nov 26, 1965 | F2 | 17 mi | 5.4 mi | 1 / 1 |
The strongest 12 of 69, by rating and then by deaths. Ratings before February 2007 are on the original Fujita scale.
Hail in Summer Shade
The Storm Prediction Center has 19 hail reports within 10 miles of Summer Shade since 1968, made on 16 separate days. Of these, 14 were 1 inch across or larger, and none reached 2 inches. The largest size, 1.75 inches (golf ball size), was reported on 4 days, most recently October 6, 2014. The most recent report is from July 9, 2024.
Source: NOAA Storm Prediction Center severe weather reports, data through 2025.
Weather by month in Summer Shade
The nearest NOAA station with 1991–2020 climate normals is Summer Shade, KY, 2 miles north of Summer Shade at 864 feet. July is the warmest, with an average high of 90°F and low of 63°F; January is the coolest, at 48°F and 24°F. March is the wettest at 4.8 inches of precipitation on average and October and November the driest at 3.6 inches; the year adds up to 49.7 inches over 81 days with at least a tenth of an inch. Highs reach 90°F on about 34 days a year, almost all from June to September. Lows fall below freezing on about 101 nights a year. Snowfall averages 7.2 inches a year, most of it in January. That 49.7 inches is more than at 37 of the 93 Kentucky stations used on this site (40%). Glasgow, 13 miles northwest, has its own station (Glasgow, KY): 54.9 inches a year, 5.2 more than here, and the same July average high, 90°F.
| Month | High °F | Low °F | Precip. in | Days ≥ 0.1" | Snow in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48 | 24 | 3.9 | 7 | 3.2 |
| Feb | 53 | 27 | 4.2 | 7 | 1.8 |
| Mar | 61 | 34 | 4.8 | 8 | 0.8 |
| Apr | 72 | 43 | 4.3 | 8 | 0.0 |
| May | 80 | 52 | 4.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Jun | 86 | 59 | 4.4 | 8 | 0.0 |
| Jul | 90 | 63 | 3.9 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Aug | 89 | 61 | 4.1 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Sep | 82 | 55 | 3.7 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Oct | 73 | 44 | 3.6 | 5 | 0.0 |
| Nov | 61 | 33 | 3.6 | 7 | 0.0 |
| Dec | 51 | 27 | 4.6 | 8 | 1.4 |
| Year | 70 | 43 | 49.7 | 81 | 7.2 |
Averages for 1991–2020 at Summer Shade, KY (864 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 Summer Shade
Since 1996, the National Weather Service has logged 99 flood, rain, thunderstorm wind and lightning events that began within 10 miles of Summer Shade: 79 thunderstorm wind reports, 16 flash floods and 4 floods. None is recorded as killing or injuring anyone; the NWS estimated $2.1 million in property and crop damage. The strongest thunderstorm gust on record here was 100 mph, on May 26, 2024. May has had the most flash floods, 4 of 16. Of the 281 Kentucky cities on this site with a flash flood on record, 68 have had fewer than Summer Shade.
January 29, 2008: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Summer Shade — $1.1 million damage.
NWS: “Thunderstorm winds downed at least 20 tobacco barns and other outbuildings. At least one home was damaged.”
May 2, 2010: flash flood 8 miles from the centre of Summer Shade — $300,000 damage.
April 3, 2007: thunderstorm wind 5 miles from the centre of Summer Shade — $120,000 damage.
NWS: “Two barns were destroyed. Winds also damaged a house.”
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
Metcalfe County, which includes Summer Shade, has been named in 32 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1975, 25 of them major disasters (by incident: 16 severe storms, 5 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 Metcalfe County a Very Low rating for natural hazard risk overall; by hazard: Relatively Low for tornadoes, hail, strong wind and lightning; Very Low for hurricanes, inland flooding and heat waves. It models the county's expected loss from all 18 hazards it covers at $4.6 million a year, the 111th highest of 120 Kentucky counties; of the hazards above, the largest share, $2.3 million (49%), 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 Summer Shade
- Tompkinsville, KY11 mi
- Edmonton, KY11 mi
- Glasgow, KY13 mi
- Burkesville, KY19 mi
- Cave City, KY22 mi
- Red Boiling Springs, TN23 mi
- Hardyville, KY23 mi
- Horse Cave, KY23 mi
- Park City, KY25 mi
- Celina, TN25 mi
- Scottsville, KY26 mi
- Lafayette, TN28 mi
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