Alert archive / Kentucky / Flash Flood Warnings in 1990

Flash Flood Warning 42, NWS Louisville, KY

December 23, 19904 counties in Kentucky

NWS Louisville, KY issued this flash flood warning at Dec 23, 1990, 4:05 AM EST for 4 counties in Kentucky. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Dec 23, 1990, 4:05 AM EST (09:05 UTC)
Expired
Dec 23, 1990, 8:00 AM EST
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Louisville, KY
Area
Whole counties

Counties Bath County, KY, Menifee County, KY, Montgomery County, KY, Powell 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, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 119 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 1990-12-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 7 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 00:00Z on 1990-12-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 153 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
7 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-44 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
676 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
57 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
153 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
122 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 230905
FFWLEX
KYC011-165-173-197-231300-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
405 AM EST SUN DEC 23 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LEXINGTON HAS ISSUED A
FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  800 AM EST
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY
 
   ...BATH COUNTY...MENIFEE COUNTY...MONTOGOMERY COUNTY...POWELL COUNT 
PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED TO MOVE OVER THE COUNTIES OF
POWELL...MENIFEE...MONTGOMERY AND BATH THIS MORNING AT 4 AM. JUST
ABOUT ALL OF THE CREEKS AND STREAMS WERE AT BANKFUL AND MANY WERE
ALREADY OUT OF THEIR BANKS. SEVERAL STREETS WERE ALREADY BECOMING
COVERED BY RISING WATER. ALL CREEKS IN POWELL COUNTY WERE REPORTED OUT
OF THEIR BANKS ALONG WITH MANY CITY STREETS AFFECTED BY SLOWLY
DRAINING SEWAGE SYSTEMS. MORE RAIN IS EXPECTED FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL
HOURS OVER THESE AREAS...POSSIBLY HEAVY AT TIMES.
 
BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS AT NIGHT WHEN IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE
THE DANGERS OF FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS.  IF FLASH FLOODING IS
OBSERVED...ACT QUICKLY.  MOVE UP TO ESCAPE FLOOD WATERS.  DO
NOT STAY IN AREAS SUBJECT TO FLOODING WHEN WATER BEGINS RISING.
 
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY.  THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO
CROSS SAFELY.  VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE
ABANDONED QUICKLY.  MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
ULLOM

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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, Dec 22, 10:52 PM EST, 5 hours 13 minutes before
KYZ007-230500-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
1050 PM EST SAT DEC 22 1990

...AREAS OF MODERATE RAIN MOVING INTO EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY...
...PATCHY DENSE FOG CONTINUES...

AT 1045 PM EST WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS SHOWING AN AREA OF MODERATE RAIN
IN SOUTHERN BATH...MONTGOMERY...POWELL...EASTERN CLARK...ESTILL...CENTRAL
AND EASTERN MADISON COUNTY. ALL OF THE PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THE AREA WILL MOVE INTO ALL OF BATH...MENIFEE...
FLEMING...AND ROWAN COUNTY DURING THE NEXT ONE HOUR.

IF YOU LIVE IN A FLOOD PRONE AREA...MONITOR WATER LEVELS AND BE PREPARED
TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF WATER LEVELS BEGIN TO RISE. THE RAIN IS FALLING
ON SATURATED GROUND AND WILL RESULT IN RAPID RUN OFF INTO ALREADY SWOLLEN
CREEKS AND RIVERS.

AT 1045 PM EST THE VISIBILITY AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
LEXINGTON KENTUCKY WAS 1/4 OF A MILE. COMBINED WITH THE WET ROADWAYS IT
HAS CREATED VERY POOR DRIVING CONDITIONS ACROSS ALL OF EAST CENTRAL
KENTUCKY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT.

IF YOU MUST TRAVEL TONIGHT PLEASE ALLOW PLENTY OF EXTRA TIME AND KEEP YOUR
SPEEDS LOW. ALSO USE OLNY YOUR LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND LEAVE PLENTY OF
DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE OTHER DRIVER.

SZAPPANOS
Special weather statement, Dec 22, 11:00 PM EST, 5 hours 5 minutes before
KYZ007-230500-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
1045 PM EST SAT DEC 22 1990

...AREAS OF MODERATE RAIN MOVING INTO EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY...
...PATCHY DENSE FOG CONTINUES...

AT 1040 PM EST WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS SHOWING AN AREA OF MODERATE RAIN
IN SOUTHERN BATH...MONTGOMERY...POWELL...EASTERN CLARK...ESTILL...CENTRAL
AND EASTERN MADISON COUNTY. ALL OF THE PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING TO THE
NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THE AREA WILL MOVE INTO ALL OF BATH...MENIFEE...
FLEMING...AND ROWAN COUNTY DURING THE NEXT ONE HOUR.

IF YOU LIVE IN A FLOOD PRONE AREA...MONITOR WATER LEVELS AND BE PREPARED
TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF WATER LEVELS BEGIN TO RISE. THE RAIN IS FALLING
ON SATURATED GROUND AND WILL RESULT IN RAPID RUN OFF INTO ALREADY SWOLLEN
CREEKS AND RIVERS.

AT 1045 PM EST THE VISIBILITY AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
LEXINGTON KENTUCKY WAS 1/4 OF A MILE. COMBINED WITH THE WET ROADWAYS IT
HAS CREATED VERY POOR DRIVING CONDITIONS ACROSS ALL OF EAST CENTRAL
KENTUCKY. THESE CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT.

IF YOU MUST TRAVEL TONIGHT PLEASE ALLOW PLENTY OF EXTRA TIME AND KEEP YOUR
SPEEDS LOW. ALSO USE ONLY YOUR LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS AND LEAVE PLENTY OF
DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU AND THE OTHER DRIVER.

SZAPPANOS
Special weather statement, Dec 22, 11:30 PM EST, 4 hours 35 minutes before
KYZ004-230615-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
1125 PM EST SAT DEC 22 1990

...WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR PARTS OF NORTH AND WEST KENTUCKY TONIGHT AND
   PART OF SUNDAY.

A WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHCENTRAL KENTUCKY...
INCLUDING THE LOUISVILLE METROPOLITAN AREA...OVERNIGHT AND INTO
SUNDAY MORNING.  THE ADVISORY IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR OTHER AREAS OF
WEST AND NORTH KENTUCKY TONIGHT AND SUNDAY.

A MIXTURE OF FREEZING RAIN...SLEET AND SNOW WAS FALLING OVER WEST
AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY.  OVER NORTHCENTRAL KENTUCKY TEMPERATURES
HAD REACHED THE FREEZING MARK AND ICE WAS BEGINNING TO FORM ON METAL
OBJECTS.

DRIVING WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS AS THE ICE FORMS ON ROADS...PARTICULARLY
BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES.  IF YOU ARE TRAVELLING THROUGH NORTHCENTRAL
KENTUCKY OVERNIGHT OR EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...ALLOW EXTRA TIME AND
CHECK ON THE LATEST WEATHER FORECASTS.

KLEIN
Special weather statement, Dec 23, 1:09 AM EST, 2 hours 56 minutes before
KYZ007-230800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
110 AM EST SUN DEC 23 1990

...HEAVY RAIN MOVING THROUGH PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY...

THERE WAS RAIN FALLING OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY
THIS MORNING AT 1 AM. THIS RAIN WAS GENERALLY EAST OF A LINE FROM
CYNTHIANA TO LEXINGTON TO HARRODSBURG THEN SOUTH TO CAMPBELLSVILLE.
THERE WERE AREAS OF HEAVIER RAIN WITH THE HEAVIEST RAIN OVER PARTS OF
ESTILL...MONTGOMERY...BATH...POWELL AND MENIFEE COUNTIES. SOME OF THESE
AREAS COULD DEVELOP FLASH FLOOD CONDITIONS QUICKLY IN SMALL STREAMS AND
OVER AREA ROADS.

TEMPERATURES WERE DROPPING STEADILY ACROSS THE REGION WITH THE READING
AT THE LEXINGTON WEATHER STATION ALREADY TO 40 DEGREES. AS TEMPERATURES
DROP OVERNIGHT...FREEZING PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE
REGION. FREEZING PRECIPITATION WILL BE FORMING ONCE TEMPERATURES DROP TO
BELOW 35 DEGREES. SLEET...FREEZING RAIN AND SNOW HAVE ALL BEEN REPORTED
THIS MORNING OVER THE WESTERN HALF OF THE STATE. GROUND TEMPERATURES ARE
STILL TOO WARM FOR MOST AREA ROADS TO DEVELOP A COVERING OF ICE BUT SLICK
AND HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS WILL STILL EXIST. KEEP THIS IN MIND WHILE YOUR
DRIVING& OVERNIGHT AROUND THE REGION AND WATCH FOR STANDING OR PONDING
WATER ON ROADS AS YOU TRAVEL EAST TOWARD THE MOUNTAINS.
ULLOM
Special weather statement, Dec 23, 2:09 AM EST, 1 hour 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
208 AM EST SUN DEC 23 1990

WEATHER ADVISORIES IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN INDIANA AND NORTH CENTRAL KY
...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WAYNE CLINTON AND PULASKI
COUNTIES OF SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY UNTIL 245 AM...

AT 2AM EST...OVER SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY NUMEROUS
PATCHES OF RAIN...FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET WERE IN PROGRESS. MOVEMENT
OF THE PRECIPITATION WAS TO THE NORTHEAST AT AROUND 30 MPH.

THERE NUMEROUS ROADS WERE REPORTED TO BE CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER.

IF YOU LIVE NEAR SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS OR IN A LOW LYING AREA...
WATCH FOR RISING WATER LEVELS AND BE READY TO MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

THROUGH 6 AM EST...NUMEROUS POCKETS OF RAIN...FREEZING RAIN...AND SLEET
ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE AND TRAVEL WILL BECOME HAZARDOUS.

TEMPERATURES WHICH ARE NOW MAINLY 29 TO 33 WILL FALL SEVERAL DEGREES
DEGREES DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS OVER SOUTH CENITRAL INDIANA AND
NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY.

OVER SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY...THROUGH 6 AM...NUMEROUS POCKET OF
RAIN WILL CONTINUE. THE TEMPERATURE WILL FALL SEVERAL DEGREES BUT
REMAIN WELL ABOVE FREEZING.
CONGER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Dec 22, 10:50 PM ESTFlash Flood WarningLMKClinton, Pulaski, Wayne4 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Kentucky, 1990Every flash flood warning in 1990

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.