Editing Kentucky (section)

===Climate===
[[File:Köppen Climate Types Kentucky.png|thumb|upright=1.3|[[Köppen climate classification|Köppen climate types]] of Kentucky, using 1991–2020 [[Climatological normal|climate normals]].]]
Most of Kentucky has a [[humid subtropical climate]] (Köppen: ''Cfa''), with small [[Appalachian Mountains|Appalachian]] highland areas of the southeast of the state having an [[oceanic climate]] (''Cfb'').<ref>[[:commons:File:US_50_states_K%C3%B6ppen.svg, August 18, 2016]]{{Circular reference|date=March 2024}}</ref> Temperatures in Kentucky usually range from daytime summer highs of {{convert|87|°F}} to the winter low of {{convert|23|°F}}. The average precipitation is {{convert|46|in}} a year.<ref>{{cite web | title=The Geography of Kentucky – Climate | date=June 15, 2006 | publisher=NetState.com | url=http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/ky_geography.htm | access-date=November 29, 2006 | archive-date=November 14, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061114204234/http://www.netstate.com/states/geography/ky_geography.htm | url-status=live }}</ref> Kentucky has four distinct seasons, with substantial variations in the severity of summer and winter.<ref>{{cite book |title=''Encyclopedia of Kentucky'' |chapter=Geographical Configuration |publisher=Somerset Publishers |location=New York |year=1987 |isbn=978-0-403-09981-8 }}</ref> The state's highest recorded temperature was {{convert|114|F|C}} in [[Greensburg, Kentucky|Greensburg]] on July 28, 1930, while its lowest recorded temperature was {{convert|-37|F|C}} in [[Shelbyville, Kentucky|Shelbyville]] on [[1994 North American cold wave|January 19, 1994]]. The state seldom experiences the extreme cold of far northern states or the high heat of the states in the [[Deep South]]; temperatures rarely drop below zero degrees Fahrenheit or rise above 100 degrees. Rain and snowfall averages about 45 inches per year.

The climate varies markedly within the state. The northern parts tend to be about five degrees cooler than those in the western parts of the state. [[Somerset, Kentucky|Somerset]] in the south-central part receives ten more inches of rain per year than [[Covington, Kentucky|Covington]] to the north. Average temperatures for the entire state range from the low 30s in January to the high 80s in mid-July. The annual average temperature varies from {{convert|55|to|60|°F}}: of {{convert|55|°F}} in the far north as an average annual temperature and of {{convert|60|°F}} in the extreme southwest.<ref>Klotter, James C. and Freda C. (2015). ''Faces of Kentucky''. University Press of Kentucky. Page 53. {{ISBN|9780813160528}}.</ref><ref>[[AV2 by Weigl]]. (2008). ''Discover America: Kentucky: The Bluegrass State''. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. Page 8. {{ISBN|9781593397630}}.</ref>

In general, Kentucky has relatively hot, [[humid]], rainy summers, and moderately cold and rainy winters. Mean maximum temperatures in July vary from {{convert|83|to|90|°F}}; the mean minimum July temperatures are {{convert|61|to|69|°F}}. In January the mean maximum temperatures range from {{convert|36|to|44|°F}}; the mean minimum temperatures range from {{convert|19|to|26|°F}}. Temperature means vary with northern and far-eastern mountain regions averaging five degrees cooler year-round, compared to the relatively warmer areas of the southern and western regions of the state. Precipitation varies north to south with the north averaging of {{convert|38|to|40|in}}, and the south averaging of {{convert|50|in}}. Days per year below the freezing point vary from about sixty days in the southwest to more than a hundred days in the far-north and far-east.<ref>Jones, Ronald (2005). ''Plant Life of Kentucky: An Illustrated Guide to the Vascular Flora''. University Press of Kentucky. Page 11. {{ISBN|9780813123318}}.</ref>

{| class="wikitable" "text-align:center;font-size:90%;"|
| colspan="13" style="text-align:center; font-size:120%; background:#e8eafa;"|Monthly average high and low temperatures for various Kentucky cities ( °F)
|-
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black; height:17px;"| City
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black;"| Jan
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black;"| Feb
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black;"| Mar
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black;"| Apr
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black;"| May
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black;"| Jun
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black;"| Jul
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black;"| Aug
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black;"| Sep
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black;"| Oct
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black;"| Nov
! style="background:#e5afaa; color:Black;"| Dec
|-<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/lexington-climate|title=Lexington, KY – Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast|publisher=Yu Media Group|website=Weather Atlas|access-date=May 19, 2020|archive-date=August 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808201402/https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/lexington-climate|url-status=live}}</ref>
! style="background:#f8f3ca; color:Black; height:16px;"| Lexington
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 40.9/24.8
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 45.5/27.9
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 55.3/35.4
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 65.7/44.7
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 74.3/54.2
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 82.8/62.7
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 86.1/66.5
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 85.6/65.2
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 78.8/57.6
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 67.5/46.6
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 55.4/37.2
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 43.9/28
|-<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/louisville-climate|title=Louisville, KY – Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast|publisher=Yu Media Group|website=Weather Atlas|access-date=May 19, 2020|archive-date=August 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200811211458/https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/louisville-climate|url-status=live}}</ref>
! style="background:#c5dfe1; color:Black; height:16px;"| Louisville
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 43/26.8
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 47.8/29.9
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 57.9/37.8
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 68.8/47.3
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 77.1/57
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 85.3/66
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 88.7/69.9
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 88.3/68.5
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 81.5/60.5
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 70.1/48.9
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 57.9/39.5
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 45.8/30
|-<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/owensboro-climate|title=Owensboro, KY – Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast|publisher=Yu Media Group|website=Weather Atlas|access-date=May 19, 2020|archive-date=August 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802205905/https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/owensboro-climate|url-status=live}}</ref>
! style="background:#f8f3ca; color:Black; height:16px;"| Owensboro
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 41.2/23.2
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 46.6/26.8
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 58.3/36.7
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 69.3/45.9
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 78.1/54.5
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 86.4/62.8
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 89.2/66.6
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 88.2/64.4
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 82.4/58.3
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 71.6/45.7
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 58.1/37.4
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 45.9/28.2
|-<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/paducah-climate|title=Paducah, KY – Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast|publisher=Yu Media Group|website=Weather Atlas|access-date=May 19, 2020|archive-date=August 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802212926/https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/paducah-climate|url-status=live}}</ref>
! style="background:#c5dfe1; color:Black; height:16px;"| Paducah
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 43.4/25.8
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 48.9/29.5
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 59/37.7
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 69.4/46.6
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 78/56.3
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 86.2/64.9
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 89.3/68.5
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 89/66.1
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 82.1/57.8
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 71/46.7
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 58.4/37.9
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 46.3/28.6
|-<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/pikeville-climate|title=Pikeville, KY – Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast|publisher=Yu Media Group|website=Weather Atlas|access-date=May 19, 2020|archive-date=August 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802200351/https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/pikeville-climate|url-status=live}}</ref>
! style="background:#f8f3ca; color:Black; height:16px;"| Pikeville
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 44/23
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 50/25
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 60/32
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 69/39
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 77/49
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 84/58
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 87/63
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 86/62
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 80/56
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 71/42
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 60/33
| style="text-align:center; background:#f8f3ca; color:Black;"| 49/26
|-<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/ashland-climate|title=Ashland, KY – Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast|publisher=Yu Media Group|website=Weather Atlas|access-date=May 19, 2020|archive-date=August 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802205355/https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/ashland-climate|url-status=live}}</ref>
! style="background:#c5dfe1; color:Black; height:16px;"| Ashland
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 42/19
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 47/21
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 57/29
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 68/37
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 77/47
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 84/56
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 88/61
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 87/59
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 80/52
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 69/40
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 57/31
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 46/23
|-<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/bowling-green-climate|title=Bowling Green, KY – Detailed climate information and monthly weather forecast|publisher=Yu Media Group|website=Weather Atlas|access-date=May 19, 2020|archive-date=August 2, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200802200012/https://www.weather-us.com/en/kentucky-usa/bowling-green-climate|url-status=live}}</ref>
! style="background:#c5dfe1; color:Black; height:16px;"| Bowling Green
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 45/26.4
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 50/29.6
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 59.8/37
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 69.7/45.6
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 77.8/55
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 86.1/63.9
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 89.4/67.9
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 88.9/66.1
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 82.1/58
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 71.2/46.3
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 59.4/37.5
| style="text-align:center; background:#c5dfe1; color:Black;"| 47.9/29.2
|}

====Natural disasters====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Deadliest weather events in Kentucky history
! Date
! Death Toll
! Affected Regions
|-
| [[March 1890 middle Mississippi Valley tornado outbreak]] || March 27, 1890 || 200+ || Louisville, W KY
|-
| [[Gradyville flood]] || June 7, 1907 || 20 || Gradyville
|-
| [[May–June 1917 tornado outbreak sequence]] || May 27, 1917 || 66 || Fulton area
|-
| [[Early-May 1933 tornado outbreak sequence]] || May 9, 1933, Tornado || 38 || South Central KY
|-
| [[Ohio River flood of 1937]] || Early 1937 || unknown || Statewide
|-
| [[1974 Super Outbreak|April 3, 1974, tornado outbreak]] || April 3, 1974 || 72 || Statewide
|-
| March 1, 1997, Flooding || Early March 1997 || 18 || Statewide
|-
| [[Tornado outbreak sequence of May 2004]]<ref>{{cite web |author=John Denman |url=https://www.weather.gov/media/lmk/climate/2004_review.pdf |title=2004 in Review for Central Kentucky and South-Central Indiana |publisher=weather.gov |access-date=July 16, 2018 |archive-date=April 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412030426/https://www.weather.gov/media/lmk/climate/2004_review.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>|| May 30, 2004 || 0 || [[Jefferson County, KY]]
|-
| [[December 21–24, 2004 North American winter storm]]<ref>{{cite web |author=((US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service)) |url=https://www.weather.gov/lmk/22dec2004_winterstorm |title=December 22, 2004 Snow Storm |publisher=weather.gov |access-date=July 16, 2018 |archive-date=July 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716194624/https://www.weather.gov/lmk/22dec2004_winterstorm |url-status=live }}</ref>|| December 21–24, 2004 || unknown || Statewide
|-
| Widespread Flash Flooding<ref>{{cite web |author=((US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service)) |url=https://www.weather.gov/media/pah/Top10Events/2006/September22Flood.pdf |title=September 2006 was the wettest September on record at some locations |publisher=weather.gov |access-date=July 16, 2018 |archive-date=April 12, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190412030428/https://www.weather.gov/media/pah/Top10Events/2006/September22Flood.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>|| September 22–23, 2006 || 6 || Statewide
|-
| [[January 2009 North American ice storm]]<ref>{{cite web |author=((US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service)) |url=https://www.weather.gov/lmk/jan_2009_ice_and_snow |title=Ice and Snow Storm of January 28–29, 2009 |publisher=weather.gov |access-date=July 16, 2018 |archive-date=July 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716170132/https://www.weather.gov/lmk/jan_2009_ice_and_snow |url-status=live }}</ref>|| January 26–28, 2009 || 35 || Statewide
|-
| [[2009 Kentuckiana Flash Flood]]<ref>{{cite web |author=((US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service)) |url=https://www.weather.gov/lmk/august_4_2009_flash_flood |title=Flash Flood of August 4, 2009 |publisher=weather.gov |access-date=July 16, 2018 |archive-date=July 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180716165729/https://www.weather.gov/lmk/august_4_2009_flash_flood |url-status=live }}</ref>|| August 4, 2009 || 36 || [[Kentuckiana]]
|-
| [[Tornado outbreak of March 2–3, 2012]] || March 2, 2012 || 22 || Statewide
|-
|[[Tornado outbreak of December 10–11, 2021]]
|December 10–11, 2021
|74
|Kentucky, 5 other states
|-
|[[July–August 2022 United States floods]] || July 24 – August 2, 2022 || 37 || Kentucky, 5 other states
|-
|[[Tornado outbreak sequence of May 15–16, 2025]]
|May 15-16, 2025
|19
|Kentucky, 6 other states
|}