Alert archive / Kentucky / Tornado Warnings in 1989
Tornado Warning 5, NWS Louisville, KY
NWS Louisville, KY issued this tornado warning at Apr 4, 1989, 12:39 AM EDT for Hardin County, Nelson County, Kentucky. It was in force for 36 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Apr 4, 1989, 12:39 AM EDT (04:39 UTC)
- Expired
- Apr 4, 1989, 1:15 AM EDT
- In force
- 36 min
- Issued by
- NWS Louisville, KY
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Hardin County, KY, Nelson County, KY
The radar
The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 4, 1:15 AM EDT | Thunderstorm Wind 69 | Hardin, KY |
NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.
The nearest sounding before it
Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 4.7 hours before the alert went out and 197 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 119 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -120 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 735 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 56 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 337 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 419 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.2
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
TTAA00 KSDF 040439 RRA
TORSDF
KYC179-093-040515-
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
1239 AM EDT TUE APR 4 1989
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 115 AM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING
COUNTIES
8, 5#3 ,945# :3,54-) 0-45 9| (3-7:(6
,3)9,...EASTERN HARDIN
AT (12:35 AM EDT STATE POLICE AT ELIZABETHTOWN REPORTED A TORNADO
2 MILES EAST OF ELIZABETHTOWN HEADING TOWARD BOSTON IN NELSON
COUNTY.
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE IS IN
A BASEMENT. GETPIKKR A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...FIND SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY. AVOID WINDOWS.
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION. ACT QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILA#BLE. OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE. AVOID WINDOWS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES...
TAKE COVER IN A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.?
AMMERMANWhat 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, Apr 3, 10:46 PM EDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KENTUCKY 1045 PM EDT MON APR 3 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY UNTIL 1 AM EDT... AT 1030PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A INTENSE THUNDERSTORM IN WESTERN SHELBY COUNTY MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL ENTER THE WESTERN PART OF FRANKLIN COUNTY SHORTLY AFTER 11PM EDT. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HEAVY RAIN..HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY SURFACE WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE EAST. NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY IN THE PAST HOUR. SZAPPANOS
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 11:06 PM EDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KENTUCKY 1045 PM EDT MON APR 3 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY UNTIL 1 AM EDT... AT 1030PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED A INTENSE THUNDERSTORM IN WESTERN SHELBY COUNTY MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL ENTER THE WESTERN PART OF FRANKLIN COUNTY SHORTLY AFTER 11PM EDT. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HEAVY RAIN..HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY SURFACE WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE EAST. NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY IN THE PAST HOUR. SZAPPANOS
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 11:49 PM EDT, 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KENTUCKY 1145 PM EDT MON APR 3 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY UNTIL 1 AM EDT... AT 1143 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN WESTERN SHELBY COUNTY AND SOUTHEASTERN HENRY COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THEY WILL BE ENTERING FRANKLIN COUNTY SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HEAVY RAIN..HAIL .AND STRONG GUSTY SURFACE WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST. NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY DURING THE PAST HOUR. SZAPPANOS
Special weather statement, Apr 3, 11:53 PM EDT, 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KENTUCKY...CORRECTION... 1145 PM EDT MON APR 3 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY UNTIL 1 AM EDT... AT 1143 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN EASTERN SHELBY COUNTY AND SOUTHEASTERN HENRY COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THEY WILL BE ENTERING FRANKLIN COUNTY SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. DANGEROUS LIGHTNIN5G..HEAVY RAIN..HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY SURFACE WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST. NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY DURING THE PAST HOUR. SZAPPANOS
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 12:11 AM EDT, 28 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 1210 AM EDT TUE APR 4 1989 AS OF 12 MIDNIGHT EDT NO SEVERE WEATHER WARNING WERE IN EFFECT FOR KENTUCKY. TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 79 AND 81 WHICH INCLUDE A LARGE PORTION OF SOUTHERN INDIANA AND KENTUCKY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT WEST OF A LINE FROM 30 MILES EAST OF OWENSBORO TO HOPKINSVILLE. THESE WATCHES WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT EAST OF THAT LINE UNTIL EXPIRATION AT 1AM EDT. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE MAIN AREA OF PRECIPITATION EXTENDED FROM NEAR CINCINNATI THROUGH BARDSTOWN AND SOUTH TO THE TENNESSEE BORDER NEAR SCOTSVILLE..15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF BOWLING GREEN. THESE STORMS REMAIN CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN..LARGE HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS THEY MOVE EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR THROUGH 1AM EDT. THESE STORMS CAN AND DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO WARNING. IF YOU ARE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. IF MTHE WEATHER BECOMES UNUSUALLY THREATENING..SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IN A SAFE LOCATION. KLEIN
Special weather statement, Apr 4, 12:18 AM EDT, 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KENTUCKY...CORRECTION... 1145 PM EDT MON APR 3 1989 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY UNTIL 1 AM EDT... AT 1143 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR SHOWED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN EASTERN SHELBY COUNTY AND SOUTHEASTERN HENRY COUNTY. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THEY WILL BE ENTERING FRANKLIN COUNTY SHORTLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HTEAVY RAIN..HAIL AND STRONG GUSTY SURFACE WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM AS IT CONTINUES TO MOVE TO THE NORTHEAST. NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY DURING THE PAST HOUR. SZAPPANOS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Louisville, KY issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 3, 8:38 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Meade | 52 min |
| Apr 3, 8:38 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Breckinridge | 52 min |
| Apr 3, 9:31 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Bullitt, Hardin, Jefferson | 59 min |
| Apr 3, 9:31 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Oldham | 59 min |
| Apr 3, 9:53 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | LMK | Bullitt, Jefferson | 37 min |
| Apr 3, 10:23 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Nelson | 67 min |
| Apr 3, 10:23 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Henry, Shelby, Spencer | 67 min |
| Apr 4, 12:28 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | LMK | Jefferson | 3 hr |
| Apr 4, 12:39 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Hardin, Nelson | 36 min |
| Apr 4, 12:59 AM EDT | Tornado Warning | LMK | Spencer | 46 min |
| Apr 4, 1:07 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Casey, Marion, Taylor | 53 min |
| Apr 4, 1:07 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Washington | 53 min |
| Apr 4, 1:09 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Boyle | 51 min |
| Apr 4, 1:26 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Lincoln, Pulaski, Rockcastle | 49 min |
| Apr 4, 1:31 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Fayette, Garrard, Madison | 59 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Kentucky, 1989Every tornado warning in 1989Tornadoes 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.