Alert archive / Kentucky / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1987

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 9, NWS Louisville, KY

June 2, 1987Bourbon County, Clark County, Kentucky

NWS Louisville, KY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 2, 1987, 5:40 PM EDT for Bourbon County, Clark County, Kentucky. It was in force for 65 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 2, 1987, 5:40 PM EDT (21:40 UTC)
Expired
Jun 2, 1987, 6:45 PM EDT
In force
65 min
Issued by
NWS Louisville, KY
Area
Whole counties

Counties Bourbon County, KY, Clark 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

Huntington/Tri S, WV (KHTS), launched 12:00Z, 9.7 hours before the alert went out and 150 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, Huntington/Tri S, WV at 12:00Z on 1987-06-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 234 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Huntington/Tri S, WV at 12:00Z on 1987-06-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 34 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
234 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-31 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
664 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
34 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
38 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 KLEX 022140
SVRLEX
KYC017-049-022245-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
540 PM EDT TUE JUN 2 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL  645 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY
          ...BOURBON...CLARK
 
AT 540PM EDT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING EAST THROUGH FAYETTE
COUNTY TOWARD BOURBON AND CLARKCOUNTIES. REPORTS OF 1 INCH HAIL
HAS BEEN RECIEVED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.
 
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING.  PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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, Jun 2, 1:15 PM EDT, 4 hours 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
111 PM EDT TUE JUN 2 1987

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING RAPIDLY OVER NORTHERN KENTUCKY...

DURING THE PAST HOUR...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAD REDEVELOPED
RAPIDLY ACROSS MOST OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY. MANY OF THESE
STORMS CONTAINED DEADLY LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...AND
GUSTY WINDS. THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE IN THE LOUISVILLE AND
LEXINGTON AREAS.

DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS
WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER ALL OF THE STATE. THE STORMS WILL
CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST AND PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS.

PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE SHOULD REMAIN ALERT AND TAKE SHELTER
SHOULD ONE OF THESE BRIEF STORMS ENTE R YOUR AREA.

GOETSCH
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 2:12 PM EDT, 3 hours 28 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
200 PM EDT TUE JUN 2 1987

...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER NORTHERN KENTUCKY...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ALONG THE OHIO RIVER FROM NORTH
OF PADUCAH THROUGH EVANSVILLE INTO THE LOUISVILLE METROPOLITAN AREA
EASTWARD INTO THE AREA JUST NORTH OF LEXINGTON. SOME OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS ARE VERY INTENSE PRODUCING DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF RAIN...HAIL...AND STRONG WIND TO 40
MILES PER HOUR...AS THEY MOVE TO THE EAST AT 10 TO 20 MPH.

IF A THUNDERSTORM THREATENS YOUR AREA GET INSIDE A HOME OR LARGE
BUILDING. IF OUTSIDE WITH NO TIME TO REACH A SAFE BUILDING OR
AN AUTOMOBILE...REMEMBER DO NOT STAND UNDERNEATH ISOLATED TREES...
AVOID BEING THE HIGHEST PROFILE. GET OUT OF AND AWAY FROM OPEN
WATER.
<
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON
HOURS. SOFME OF THEM MAY BE VERY STRONG. CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

POOLE
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 2:53 PM EDT, 2 hours 47 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
255 PM EDT TUE JUN 2 1987

...VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER NORTHERN KENTUCKY...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE FROM CAPE GIRARDEAU MISSOURI TO
EVANSVILLE INDIANA INTO THE LOUISVILLE METROPOLITAN AREA
EASTWARD INTO THE AREA JUST NORTH OF LEXINGTON. SOME OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS ARE VERY INTENSE PRODUCING DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND
LIGHTNING. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF RAIN...HAIL...AND STRONG WIND TO 40
MILES PER HOUR...AS THEY MOVE TO THE EAST AT 10 TO 20 MPH.

IF A THUNDERSTORM THREATENS YOUR AREA GET INSIDE A HOME OR LARGE
BUILDING. IF OUTSIDE WITH NO TIME TO REACH A SAFE BUILDING OR
AN AUTOMOBILE...REMEMBER DO NOT STAND UNDERNEATH ISOLATED TREES...
AVOID BEING THE HIGHEST PROFILE. GET OUT OF AND AWAY FROM OPEN
WATER.
<
THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON
HOURS. SOME OF THEM eMAY BE VERY STRONG. CONTINUE TO LISTEN TO
NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

POOLE
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 4:07 PM EDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
400 PM EDT TUE JUN 2 1987

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER NORTHERN KENTUCKY...

NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ALONG THE OHIO RIVER FROM NEAR
PADUCAH TO JUST SOUTH OF THE COVINGTON AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON.
THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE PRESENT IN NORTH AND EAST CENTRAL PARTS
OF THE STATE WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN THE SOUTH
AS WELL.  DURING THE MID AFTERNOON...THUNDERSTORMS HAVE PRODUCED
WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL...BUT FREQUENT CLOUD TO
GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES HAVE BEEN THE MAIN HAZARD WITH THESE STORMS.

IF A THUNDERSTORM THREATENS YOUR AREA...GET TO INDOOR SHELTER.
IF OUTSIDE WITH NO TIME TO REACH A SAFE BUILDING OR AN AUTOMOBILE
...REMEMBER DO NOT STAND UNDERNEATH ISOLATED TREES...AVOID BEING
THE HIGHEST PROFILE.  GET OUT OF AND AWAY FROM OPEN WATER.

LISTEN TO COMMERCIAL BROADCASTS OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST
WEATHER INFORMATION.
KIRKPATRICK
Special weather statement, Jun 2, 5:11 PM EDT, 29 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
505 PM EDT TUE JUN 2 1987

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY...

AT 5 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SMALL LINE OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FRANKFORT...LAWRENCEBURG AREAS OF EAST CENTRAL
KENTUCKY...ABOUT 15 MILES WEST OF LEXINGTON KENTUCKY.  THE STORMS WERE
MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH AND PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS
AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

THESE STORMS WILL MOVE INTO EASTERN PARTS OF ANDERSON COUNTY AND THE
SURROUNDING COUNTIES OF WOODFARD...MERCER AND SCOTT BEFORE 6 PM EDT.

IF A THUNDERSTORM THREATENS YOUR AREA...GET TO INDOOR SHELTER.
IF OUTSIDE WITH NO TIME TO REACH A SAFE BUILDING OR AN AUTOMOBILE
...REMEMBER DO NOT STAND UNDERNEATH ISOLATED TREES...AVOID BEING
THE HIGHEST PROFILE.  GET OUT OF AND AWAY FROM OPEN WATER.
KIRKPATRICK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 2, 5:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKAnderson48 min
Jun 2, 5:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKFayette42 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kentucky, 1987Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1987

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.