Kentucky Annual Rainfall and Climate Data, see below for individual cities 

 Kentucky Average Annual Precipitation

Kentucky city precipitation totals

City

Avg Annual Precip

Avg Annual Snow

 Avg # days of Precip

Avg # Thunderstorm days

Avg # Hail days

 Avg # severe thunderstorm watches per year Avg # tornado watches per year # of tornadoes reported in county, 1960-2010
Jackson 49.38 22.9 142 53 1 3 9 4
Lexington 45.91 15.9 130 44 1 5 9 7
Louisville 44.54 16.2 125 45 1 6 10 14
Paducah 49.24 11.1 111 51 1 9 9 11
  • Kentucky Annual Precipitation Average - 48.98 inches, 12th wettest state in the U.S. 
  • Kentucky Tornado Average -  8.4 per year -  28th most in the U.S. 
  • Largest reported Tornado in Kentucky from 1950-2011, 4/2/1977 - 3,000 yards / 1.70 miles wide
  • Date with highest number of reported Tornadoes in Kentucky from 1950-2011 - April 3rd - 44 tornadoes
  • Average time of occurrence of reported Tornadoes in Kentucky from 1950-2011 - 3:13 pm
  • Kentucky Annual Lightning Density - 13.7 flashes per square mile - 13th highest in U.S. 
  • Record Driest year in Kentucky from 1895-2012 - 1930, avg precipitation 29.39 inches 
  • Record Wettest year in Kentucky from 1895-2012 - 2011, avg precipitation 63.12 inches  

Kentucky Precipitation Records

  • Driest location ranked by lowest annual average precipitation: Wheelersburg, eastern Kentucky, 38.38"
  • Wettest location ranked by highest annual average precipitation: Closplint, southeastern Kentucky, 58.92"
  • Snowiest location ranked by highest annual average snowfall: Covington, northern Kentucky, 23.6"
  • State precipitation maximum for 24 hours - Louisville, northern Kentucky, 3/1/1997, 10.48"
  • State precipitation maximum for 1 year - Russellville, southern Kentucky, 1950, 79.68"
  • State snow maximum for 24 hours - Hazard, southeastern Kentucky, 3/14/1993, 25.0" 
  • State snow maximum for 1 season - Benham, southeastern Kentucky, 1959, 108.2"
  • During the year 2011, Kentucky experienced an all-time record 52 tornado reports, breaking the previous record during 1997 when only 39 were reported. 
  • On February 13, 1989, thunderstorms produced heavy rain and flash flooding in Kentucky. Up to ten inches of rain flooded western Kentucky in two days, with five day totals ranging up to 13.16 inches at Gilbertsville Dam, Ky. Flooding caused tens of millions of dollars damage, including 18 million dollars of damage at Frankfort, Kentucky
  • On January 20, 1978, La Grange in Oldham County measured snow depth of 31 inches, the highest ever recorded in Kentucky
  • Kentucky temperature averages and extremes, precipitation and temperature data for all U.S. states and interesting Top 10 U.S. climate extremes

Data sources: National Climatic Data Center, severe thunderstorm / tornado watch data period is 1999 - 2008, NOAA Storm Prediction Center, Tornado climate data - NOAA Storm Prediction Center
State lightning flash density average - 1997-2011, Vaisala