HOPKINSVILLE, KY (CHRISTIAN COUNTY NOW) – In stark contrast to extreme weather in April of 2025 that resulted in damaging floods, this past month brought below average precipitation to Christian County. Looking back to a year ago, the Hopkinsville Fire Chief shared some key takeaways from the impact of the flood.
“This was the warmest April on record for many locations in our region,” said the April 2026 Climate Review from the National Weather Service in Paducah. “Precipitation was drier than normal across most of our region with amounts only ranging from two to five inches for most areas, which was to one to three inches below normal for April.”
Hopkinsville recorded just over two inches of rain for the month of April in 2026, with normal amounts of rainfall generally closer to five inches. Comparatively, during the rainfall event that resulted in the flood last year, over 14 inches of rain fell in Christian County during a period of less than a week at the beginning of April.
Looking back a year ago during flood in Hopkinsville and Christian County
Entering into May this time last year, areas of Christian County were still recovering from the impact of widespread flooding. Collaborations with emergency crews were vital during this time, with the Hopkinsville Fire Department/EMS providing integral aid.
“HFD had monitored the storm days before and had prepared to respond to any and all hazards that could have presented themselves,” Fire Chief Steve Futrell told Christian County Now, reflecting on the impact of the flood.
In early April of 2025, heavy and persistent rainfall flooded large areas of downtown Hopkinsville and surrounding neighborhoods in Christian County. It took multiple weeks to full eradicate floodwaters, with one Hopkinsville neighborhood having over 13 million gallons of water manually removed via pump. Lingering floodwaters in Oak Grove left families displaced, with sewer water backed up inside homes.
During the initial flood event, highwater surrounded the Christian County Jail as the Little River rose multiple feet, with over a dozen businesses severely damaged along with over 150 homes.
“As calls began to come in, our people responded quickly and courageously to mitigate all the emergencies that were happening in the city, especially in the first 24 hours,” added Futrell. “No one wants bad things to happen, but I have full faith in my department that if an event, such as the flood occurs again, we will exceed the standard that the community expects.”
| FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Follow Christian County Now on Facebook