Alert archive / Kentucky / Tornado Warnings in 1987

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Louisville, KY

July 6, 1987Lincoln County, Kentucky

NWS Louisville, KY issued this tornado warning at Jul 6, 1987, 7:52 PM EDT for Lincoln County, Kentucky. It was in force for 53 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 6, 1987, 7:52 PM EDT (23:52 UTC)
Expired
Jul 6, 1987, 8:45 PM EDT
In force
53 min
Issued by
NWS Louisville, KY
Area
Whole counties

County Lincoln 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, 11.9 hours before the alert went out and 215 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 1987-07-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 81 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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, Huntington/Tri S, WV at 12:00Z on 1987-07-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 87 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
81 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-234 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1270 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
87 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
76 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 062352
TORSDF
KYC137-070045-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
752 PM EDT MON JUL 6 1987
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL  845 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY
          ...LINCOLN
 
A TORNADO WAS REPORTED ON THE GROUND BY LINCOLN COUNTY RESCUE AT
STANDFORD...LOCATED 30 MILES SOUTH OF LEXINGTON MOVING TO THE EAST AT
35 MPH. IF YOU LIVE IN LINCOLN COUNTY KENTUCKY TAKE COVER
IMMEDIATELY.
 
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. ACT QUICKLY. MOVE TO THE BASEMENT...
OR...GO TO AN INTERIOR WINDOWLESS HALLWAY...ROOM...OR CLOSET ON
THE LOWEST FLOOR. GET UNDER SOMETHING STURDY AND COVER YOUR HEAD.
LEAVE CARS AND MOBILE HOMES AND MOVE TO A REINFORCED BUILDING...
OR LIE FLAT IN A DITCH. YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE.
 
REPORT ALL SEVERE WEATHER TO YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
POOLE

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, Jul 6, 2:01 PM EDT, 5 hours 51 minutes before
KENTUCKY SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
200 PM EDT MON JUL 6 1987

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT FOR
   PORTIONS OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY....

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS SECTIONS OF SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS AND SOUTHWEST INDIANA. THE AREA OF STORMS IS DRIFTING
TO THE SOUTHEAST AS THESE STORMS MOVE TO THE EAST.

ACROSS KENTUCKY HOT AND MUGGY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THIS AFTER/
NOONH WITH ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING LATER THIS AFTERNOON.

PERSONS IN THE WATHCH AREA SHOULD STAY ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER DEVELOPS.
CF
Special weather statement, Jul 6, 3:07 PM EDT, 4 hours 45 minutes before
KENTUCKY SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
305 PM EDT MON JUL 6 1987

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT FOR
   PORTIONS OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY....

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS SECTIONS OF SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS AND SOUTHWEST INDIANA. HAIL AND STRONG WIND HAVE BEEN
REPORTED FROM SOME OF THESE STORMS. THE AREA OF STORMS IS DRIFTING
TO THE SOUTHEAST AS THESE STORMS MOVE TO THE EAST.

ACROSS KENTUCKY HOT AND MUGGY CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL THIS AFTER/
NOON WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ALREADY BUILDING OVER SECTIONS
OF EAST KENTUCKY.

PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD STAY ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SEEK SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER DEVELOPS.
CF
Special weather statement, Jul 6, 4:17 PM EDT, 3 hours 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND KENTUCKY WEATHER SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
430 PM EDT MON JUL 6 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TIL 6 PM EDT MUCH OF NORTH KENTUCKY...

THUNDERSTORMS ERUPTED OVER THE LOWER OHIO AND MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY
THIS AFTERNOON...PROMPTING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TO BE ISSUED
FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH KENTUCKY.  IN ADDITION TO THE POTENTIAL FOR
SEVERE WEATHER THESE STORMS WERE VERY SLOW MOVING AND CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN.

THOSE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DIMINISH LATER TONIGHT AS THEY LOSE THE
BENEFIT OF DAYTIME HEATING.  MORE OF THE SAME IS EXPECTED AGAIN
ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AS KENTUCKY REMAINS IN THE GRIPS OF A VERY
WARM...MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIRMASS.

LITTLE RELIEF IS IN SIGHT AS THE ATMOSPHERE APPEARS TO BE HEADED FOR
A PATTERN ALLOWING LITTLE...IF ANY...CHANGE.
KLEIN
Special weather statement, Jul 6, 4:19 PM EDT, 3 hours 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
410 PM EDT MON JUL 6 1987

 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT FOR
     PORTIONS OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY...

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP ACROSS SECTIONS OF SOUTHERN
INDIANA. HAIL AND STRONG WINDS HAVE BEEN REPORTED FROM SOME OF
THESE STORMS. AT 420 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHING FROM BLOOMFIELD INDIANA TO SCOTTSBURG
INDIANA. ANOTHER AREA OF STORMS WAS ENTERING SOUTHWEST INDIANA
FROM NEW HARMONY TO PRINCETON...LOCATED NORTHWEST OF EVANSVILLE.

THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG WINDS...HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN
...AND WILL PRODUCE DEADLY LIGHTNING. PERSONS IN THE PATHS OF THESE
STORMS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE INDOOR SHELTER UNTIL THE
STORMS PASS.

PERSONS IN THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH AREA OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY
SHOULD STAY ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

THE SOUTHERN INDIANA THUNDERSTORMS MAY FURTHER DEVELOP SOUTHWARD
INTO NORTHERN KENTUCKY AS THE AFTERNOON DRAWS TO AN END.

POOLE
Special weather statement, Jul 6, 5:27 PM EDT, 2 hours 25 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
530PM EDT MON JUL 6 1987

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT.
AT 530PM THERE WERE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS ACROS!S SOUTHERN INDIANA
MOVING RAPIDLY SOUTHEAST TOWARD KENTUCKY.
THUNDERSTORMS FROM THIS SYSTEM ARE EXPECTED IN THE CENTRAL BLUE GRASS
REGION OF KENTUCKY BY 7PM EDT. PREPARATIONS SHOULD UNDERTAKEN NOW
FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 5, 8:43 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKEstill47 min
Jul 5, 8:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKLaurel46 min
Jul 6, 5:36 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBullitt, Hardin, Jefferson, Meade69 min
Jul 6, 5:36 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKHenry, Oldham, Trimble69 min
Jul 6, 6:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKLarue, Nelson, Spencer57 min
Jul 6, 6:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKShelby57 min
Jul 6, 6:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKAnderson, Mercer, Woodford63 min
Jul 6, 6:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKFranklin, Scott63 min
Jul 6, 6:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKMarion, Taylor, Washington64 min
Jul 6, 6:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBourbon, Clark, Fayette, Harrison90 min
Jul 6, 6:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKGarrard, Jessamine90 min
Jul 6, 6:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBoyle90 min
Jul 6, 6:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBath, Montgomery, Nicholas, Robertson65 min
Jul 6, 6:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKEstill, Powell65 min
Jul 6, 6:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKMadison65 min
Jul 6, 7:30 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKAdair, Green60 min
Jul 6, 7:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKCasey, Taylor53 min
Jul 6, 7:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKFleming, Rowan60 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kentucky, 1987Every tornado warning in 1987Tornadoes 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.