Alert archive / Kentucky / Tornado Warnings in 1986

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Louisville, KY

March 10, 1986Nelson County, Kentucky

NWS Louisville, KY issued this tornado warning at Mar 10, 1986, 4:37 PM EST for Nelson County, Kentucky. It was in force for 33 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 10, 1986, 4:37 PM EST (21:37 UTC)
Expired
Mar 10, 1986, 5:10 PM EST
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Louisville, KY
Area
Whole counties

County Nelson County, KY

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 9.6 hours before the alert went out and 212 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 1986-03-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 1986-03-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 246 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
786 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
246 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
292 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KSDF 102139
TORSDF
KYC179-102210-

BULLETIN-IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
437 PM EST MON MAR 10 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 510 PM EST FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF

NORTHCENTRAL KENTUCKY..NELSON

AT 435 PM EST WEATHER RADAR DETECTED A POSSIBLE TORNADO IN WEST
NELSON COUNTY AROUND BOSTON..23 MILES SOUTH OF LOUISVILLE

THOSE PEOPLE IN THE ABOVE WARNED AREAS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY
AND REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER PASSES.

FENLEY

A BASEMENT OFFERS THE BEST PROTECTION. IF YOU DO NOT
HAVE A BASEMENT GO TO A WINDOWLESS INTERIOR HALLWAY..ROOM OR CLOSET.
TAKE SHELTER UNDER A STURDY OBJECT AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

AUSTIN

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Mar 10, 12:15 PM EST, 4 hours 22 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
1215 PM EST MON MAR 10 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF WEST AND NORTH KENTUCKY
   UNTIL 7 PM EST...

AT NOON EST OR 11 AM CST STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER
THE FAR WEST PARTS OF KENTUCKY..WEST OF PADUCAH. THESE STORMS LIKELY
CONTAIN..STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS..VERY HEAVY RAINS AND POSSIBLE HAIL.
THESE STORMS WILL BE MOVING EAST ACROSS WEST KENTUCKY THROUGH 2 PM EST.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER THE REST
OF WEST KENTUCKY. SKIES WERE CLOUDY OVER THE REST OF THE STATE AND
TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MID AND UPPER 60S. WINDS WERE STRONG AND
GUSTY WITH GUSTS TO 35 TO 40 MPH AT TIMES.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE OVER WEST KENTUCKY THROUGH
2 PM EST.
SCHOLZ
Special weather statement, Mar 10, 1:19 PM EST, 3 hours 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
115 PM EST MON MAR 10 1986

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF WEST AND NORTH KENTUCKY UNTIL 7 PM EST...

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH THAT HAD BEEN IN EFFECT FOR WEST AND
NORTH KENTUCKY HAS BEEN REPLACED BY A TORNADO WATCH.

AT 1 PM EST OR NOON CST STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER
THE FAR WEST PARTS OF KENTUCKY FROM WEST OF MAYFIELD NORTH THROUGH
PADUCAY. STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS..VERY HEAVY RAINS AND SNALL HAIL ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS WILL BE MOVING EAST THROUGH
WEST KENTUCKY THROUGH 2 PM CENTRAL TIME.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER THE REST
OF WEST AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY. SKIES WERE MOSTLY CLOUDY OVER THE STATE
AND TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MID AND UPPER 60S. WINDS WERE STRONG AND
GUSTY WITH GUSTS TO 35 TO 40 MPH AT TIMES.
<
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER WEST KENTUCKY THROUGH
AT LEAS&T 2 PM CENTRAL OR 3 PM EASTERN TIME. REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH
MEANS TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR
THE WATCH AREA. STAY TUNED TO RADIO AND TV STATIONS FOR THE LATEST
STATMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

SCHOLZ
Special weather statement, Mar 10, 2:13 PM EST, 2 hours 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
215 PM EST MON MAR 10 1986

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF WEST AND NORTH KENTUCKY UNTIL 7 PM EST...

AT 1 PM EST OR NOON CST STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER
THE FAR WEST PARTS OF KENTUCKY FROM EAST OF MAYFIELD NORTH THROUGH
WEBSTER COUNTY THROUGH EVANSVILLE. STRONG WINDS..HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL
ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS WILL BE MOVING EAST
THROUGH WEST KENTUCKY THROUGH 3 PM CENTRAL TIME.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER THE REST
OF WEST AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY. SKIES WERE MOSTLY CLOUDY OVER THE STATE
AND TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MID AND UPPER 60S. WINDS WERE STRONG AND
GUSTY WITH GUSTS TO 35 TO 40 MPH AT TIMES.
<
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER WEST KENTUCKY THROUGH
AT LEAST 3 PM CENTRAL OR 4 PM EASTERN TIME. REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH
MEANS TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEARH
THE WATCH AREA. STAY TUNED TO RADIO AND TV STATIONS FOR THE LATEST
STATMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

SCHOLZ
Special weather statement, Mar 10, 3:13 PM EST, 1 hour 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
315 PM EST MON MAR 10 1986

...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF WEST AND NORTH KENTUCKY UNTIL 7 PM EST...

AT 3 PM EST OR 2 PM CST VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING
OVER WEST KENTUCKY. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE FROM NEAR EDDYVILLE IN
CALDWELL COUNTY NORTHEAST TO NEAR HARDINSBURG THEN NORTHEAST INTO
INDIANA NEAR CORYDON AND SCOTTSBURG. HAIL..1/2 TO 3/4 INCH IN DIAMETER
HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH SOME OF THESE STORMS.

SCATTERED SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER THE REST
OF WEST AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY. SKIES WERE MOSTLY CLOUDY OVER THE STATE
AND TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE MID AND UPPER 60S. WINDS WERE STRONG AND
GUSTY WITH GUSTS TO 40 TO 45 MPH AT TIMES.
<
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE OVER WEST KENTUCKY THROUGH
AT LEAST 4 PM CENTRAL OR 5 PM EASTERN TIME. REMEMBER A TORNADO WATCH
MEANS TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN ANDe NEAR
THE WATCH AREA. STAY TUNED TO RADIO AND TV STATIONS FOR THE LATEST
STATMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

SCHOLZ
Special weather statement, Mar 10, 4:36 PM EST, 1 minute before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
435 PM EST MON MAR 10 1986

...TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 17 IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT FOR THOSE KENTUCKY
    COUNTIES FROM OWENSBORO WEST...
AB

The office that day

Everything else NWS Louisville, KY issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 10, 2:20 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKCaldwell, Lyon55 min
Mar 10, 3:30 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKJefferson, Oldham60 min
Mar 10, 3:50 PM ESTTornado WarningLMKOldham, Trimble40 min
Mar 10, 3:55 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBreckinridge, Hardin, Meade50 min
Mar 10, 4:20 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKHenry, Shelby40 min
Mar 10, 4:30 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBullitt, Nelson60 min
Mar 10, 4:30 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKLarue60 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kentucky, 1986Every tornado warning in 1986Tornadoes in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.