Alert archive / Kentucky / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 49, NWS Louisville, KY

August 5, 1989Madison County, Kentucky

NWS Louisville, KY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 5, 1989, 9:41 PM EDT for Madison County, Kentucky. It was in force for 49 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 5, 1989, 9:41 PM EDT (01:41 UTC)
Expired
Aug 5, 1989, 10:30 PM EDT
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Louisville, KY
Area
Whole counties

County Madison 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 00:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 172 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 00:00Z on 1989-08-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3575 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 00:00Z on 1989-08-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 171 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
3575 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
785 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
171 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
203 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.2
Supercell composite
11.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KLEX 060141
SVRLEX
KYC151-060230-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
941 PM EDT P3 AUG 5 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LEXINGTON HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1030 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY
          ...NORTHERN MADISON
 
WEATHER RADAR FROM COVINGTON REPORTED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING
EAST FROM JESSAMINE COUNTY FROM NICHOLASVILLE AND MOVING TOWARD
RICHMOND IN MADISON COUNTY.
 
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 SHOUL#D 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, Aug 5, 5:21 PM EDT, 4 hours 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
520 PM EDT SAT AUG 5 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR THE NORTHERN COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL
KENTUCKY THROUGH 10 EDT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUED THIS EVENING UNTIL 10 PM EDT FOR
THE EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY COUNTIES OF FRANKLIN...SCOTT...HARRISON AND
ROBERTSON. AT 510 PM THIS EVENING...THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST
THROUGH NORTHERN BOURBON COUNTY...25 MILES NORTHEAST OF LEXINGTON...
THROUGH CENTRAL NICHOLAS COUNTY...30 MILES NORTHEAST OF LEXINGTON AND
THROUGH NORTHERN ROBERTSON COUNTY...40 MILES NORTHEAST OF LEXINGTON.

THE STRONGER STORMS WERE PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING
AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS. SMALL HAIL MAY ALSO BE PRODUCED BY THESE
STORMS. THE MOVEMENT WAS RAPIDLY EAST AT 35 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE MOVING EAST THROUGH THE NORTHERN
COUNTIES THIS EVENING THROUGH 730 PM AND WILL AFFECT THE COUNTIES OFi
BOURBON...NICHOLAS...ROBERTSON AND FLEMING.

IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE AND THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...REACT QUICKLY
AND TAKE ALL PROPER PRECAUTIONS FOR YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY.
ULLOM
Special weather statement, Aug 5, 6:07 PM EDT, 3 hours 34 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND KENTUCKY SHORT RANGE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
610 PM EDT SAT AUG 5 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT FOR PORTIONS OF
   NORTHERN KENTUCKY...

WEATHER RADAR AT 6 PM EDT INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...SOUTHEAST OF COVINGTON AND WEST OF ASHLAND.
OTHER STORMS WERE SCATTERED OVER SOUTHEAST INDIANA.

A FEW STORMS OVER SOUTHERN INDIANA ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY
RAIN AND SMALL HAIL AS THEY MOVE EAST AT 25 TO 35 MPH.
<

ELSEWHERE OVER KENTUCKY ON THE HOUR...SKIES WERE CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY
AND TEMPERATURES WERE HOT.

DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS
WILL PASS THROUGH NORTHEAST KENTUCKY FROM LOUISVILLE NORTHEAST TO
CINCINNATI. SOME STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WIND AND HAIL ALONG WITH
BRIEF HEAVY RAIN.

OVER SOUTHERN KENTUCKY SKY CONDITIONS WILL NOT CHANGE SIGNIFICANTL|Y
THROUGH 8 PM.  TEMPERATURES WILL FALL A FEW DEGREES.
CONGER
Special weather statement, Aug 5, 7:03 PM EDT, 2 hours 38 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND KENTUCKY SHORT RANGE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
703 PM EDT SAT AUG 5 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT FOR PORTIONS OF
   NORTHERN AND EAST KENTUCKY THIS EVENING...

WEATHER RADAR AT 7 PM EDT INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...SOUTHEAST OF COVINGTON AND WEST OF ASHLAND AND
OVER SOUTHEAST INDIANA.

A FEW STORMS OVER SOUTHERN INDIANA AND NORTHERN  KENTUCKY ARE CAPABLE
OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL AS THEY MOVE EAST AT 25 TO 35MPH.

ELSEWHERE OVER KENTUCKY ON THE HOUR...SKIES WERE CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY
AND TEMPERATURES WERE HOT.

DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS
WILL PASS THROUGH NORTHEAST KENTUCKY FROM LOUISVILLE NORTHEAST TO
CINCINNATI. SOME STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WIND AND HAIL ALONG WITH
BRIEF HEAVY RAIN.

OVER SOUTHERN KENTUCKY SKY CONDITIONS WILL NOT CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY
THROUGH 8 PM.  TEMPERATURES WILL FALL A FEW DEGREES.
CONGER
Special weather statement, Aug 5, 7:11 PM EDT, 2 hours 30 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
710 PM EDT SAT AUG 5 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR ALL OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY
THROUGH MIDNIGHT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR ALL OF EAST CENTRAL
AND MUCH OF EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS EVENING THROUGH 12 MIDNIGHT. THERE WAS
NO RAIN ACTIVITY IN THE CENTRAL BLUEGRASS REGION BUT THERE WERE THUNDER/
STORMS MOVING THROUGH NORTHERN KENTUCKY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAD BEEN
REPORTED OVER SOUTHERN INDIANA WITH AND IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY EARLIER.

THE LEADING EDGE OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG A LINE FROM LOUISVILLE
TO OWENTON TO AROUND MAYSVILLE. THIS WAS JUST NORTH OF THE HARRISON/
PENDLETON COUNTY BORDER. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING GENERALLY EAST
BUT WERE DRIFTING SLIGHTLY SOUTH.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN PRODUCING PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAIN...
FREQUENT AND DANGEROUS LIGHTING AND STRONG DAMAGING WINDS. HAIL HAD ALSO
BEEN REPORTED OVER MANY AREAS.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOVING INTO THE EAST CENTRAL
KENTUCKY REGION BY 8 PM...MAINLY IN THE NORTHERN COUNTIES. IF YOU
ARE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS...TAKE ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AND
FIND ADEQUATE SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER.
ULLOM
Special weather statement, Aug 5, 7:49 PM EDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
745 PM EDT SAT AUG 5 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUES FOR ALL OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY
UNTIL MIDNIGHT...

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH CONTINUED OVER ALL OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY
THIS EVENING UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT. THERE WERE NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
THROUGH PARTS OF SCOTT...HARRISON...ROBERTSON AND FLEMING COUNTIES THIS
EVENING AT 735 PM. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE FORMING A LINE FROM PORTS/
MOUTH OHIO SOUTHWEST THROUGH FLEMINGSBURG TO NEAR GEORGETOWN AND
FRANKFORT.

HARRISON AND ROBERTSON COUNTY AUTHORITIES WERE REPORTING POWER OUTAGES
DUE TO TREE LIMBS BLOWN DOWN. MANY AREAS WERE ALSO REPORTING LOCALLY VERY
HEAVY RAIN.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS...SOME VERY STRONG AND DAMAGING...WILL CONTINUE TO
MOVE SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE NORTHERN HALF OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY
THROUGH 830 PM. WITH SUCH HEAVY RAIN...SOME AREAS MAY SEE MINOR
FLOODING OF STREETS AND ROADWAYS. TAKE ALL NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS IF
YOU ARE IN A THREATENED AREA AND FIND SHELTER QUICKLY.
ULLOM
Special weather statement, Aug 5, 8:09 PM EDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND KENTUCKY SHORT RANGE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
810 PM EDT SAT AUG 5 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT FOR PORTIONS OF
   NORTHERN AND EAST KENTUCKY THIS EVENING...

WEATHER RADAR AT 8 PM EDT INDICATED SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS OVER
NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...SOUTHEAST OF COVINGTON AND WEST OF ASHLAND AND
OVER SOUTHEAST INDIANA.

A FEW STORMS OVER NORTHERN KENTUCKY ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND HAIL ALONG WITH GUSTY WIND AS THEY MOVE SOUTHEAST
AT AROUND 30 MPH.
ELSEWHERE OVER KENTUCKY ON THE HOUR...SKIES WERE CLEAR TO PARTLY CLOUDY
AND TEMPERATURES WERE MAINLY IN THE HIGH 80S.

DURING THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS
WILL PASS THROUGH NORTHEAST KENTUCKY FROM LOUISVILLE NORTHEAST TO
CINCINNATI. SOME STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WIND AND HAIL ALONG WITH
BRIEF HEAVY RAIN.

OVER SOUTHERN KENTUCKY AND WEST KENTUCKY MOSTLY CLEAR SKIES WILL
BE THE RULE THROUGH 10 PM EDT.  TEMPERATURES WILL FALL A FEW DEGREES
PRIOR TO 10 PM EDT.
CONGER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 5, 8:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKFranklin, Woodford61 min
Aug 5, 9:12 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKFayette, Jessamine48 min
Aug 5, 10:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKMercer41 min
Aug 5, 10:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKMadison41 min
Aug 5, 11:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKFranklin57 min
Aug 5, 11:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKAnderson, Woodford51 min
Aug 6, 12:02 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBoyle28 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kentucky, 1989Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1989

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.