Alert archive / Kentucky / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1990

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 6, NWS Louisville, KY

May 15, 1990Hardin County, Larue County, Kentucky

NWS Louisville, KY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 15, 1990, 4:51 PM EDT for Hardin County, Larue County, Kentucky. It was in force for 39 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
May 15, 1990, 4:51 PM EDT (20:51 UTC)
Expired
May 15, 1990, 5:30 PM EDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS Louisville, KY
Area
Whole counties

Counties Hardin County, KY, Larue 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 15, 5:15 PM EDTHail 0.75Larue, 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 12:00Z, 8.9 hours before the alert went out and 179 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 1990-05-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 126 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 1990-05-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 69 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
126 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-301 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1280 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
69 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
74 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 152050
SVRSDF
KYC093-123-152130-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
451 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  530 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY
          ...HARDIN...LARUE
 
AT 444 PM EDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 40 MILES SOUTH OF
LOUISVILLE...NEAR SPURRIER IN SOUTHERN HARDIN COUNTY. THIS STORM WAS
MOVING EAST 35 MPH. THE STORM SHOULD MOVE INTO THE MAGNOLIA AREA OF
SOUTHERN LARUE COUNTY BY 510 PM EDT.
 
A TORNADO WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THE WARNED AREA.  REMEMBER
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES
WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.  REMAIN CALM BUT BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
 
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS OCCUR...MOVE INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING.  GO TO
THE INTERIOR SECTION...OR PREFERABLY A BASEMENT OR LOWEST LEVEL
IF POSSIBLE.  DO NOT STAND NEAR WINDOWS. DO NOT USE TELEPHONES
OR ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.
 
GOETSCH

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, May 15, 12:03 PM EDT, 4 hours 48 minutes before
INZ015-KYZ004-151700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
1200 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 1990

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA...

AT 1150 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR AT LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY
INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM ABOUT 45 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF LOUISVILLE NEAR HARDINSBURG KENTUCKY TO 50 MILES NORTH OF LOUISVILLE
THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE 40 MILES WEST OF LOUSIVILLE NEAR LEAVENWORTH
INDIANA AND 45 MILES NORTHWEST OF LOUISVILLE NEAR LITTLE YORK INDIANA.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE
ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND OVER NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY NEAR THE
OHIO RIVER.  THE STO+RMS SHOULD BEGIN ARRIVING IN THE LOUISVILLE
METROPOLITAN AREA AROUND 1 PM EDT.

STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND
SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.  SHANKLIN
Special weather statement, May 15, 1:08 PM EDT, 3 hours 43 minutes before
INZ015-KYZ004-151900-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
105 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA TIL 8 PM EDT...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA...

AT 1250 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING
ABOUT 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LOUISVILLE NORTHEAST ALONG THE OHIO RIVER
THROUGH COVINGTON KENTUCKY.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE 25 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF LOUISVILLE JUST SOUTHEAST OF CORYDON INDIANA AND 15 MILES
NORTH OF LOUISVLLE NEAR CHARLESTOWN INDIANA.  PEA SIZE HAIL WAS
REPORTED IN BRANDENBURG KENTUCKY.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH AND WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE
ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND OVER NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY NEAR THE
OHIO RIVER....INCLUDING THE LOUISVILLE METROPOLITAN AREA.

A RISK OF FLOODING WILL CONTINUE OVER SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA WHERE
THE GREATEST RAINFALL HAS OCCURRED.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOU SHOULD MOVE QUICKLY TO A SAFE
INDOOR SHELTER.  REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

SHANKLIN
Special weather statement, May 15, 2:19 PM EDT, 2 hours 32 minutes before
INZ015-KYZ004-152000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
215 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 1990

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA TIL 8 PM EDT...

AT 210 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS ABOUT 50 MILES
WIDE.  THE LEADING EDGE OF THIS AREA EXTENDED FROM JUST SOUTH OF
INDIANAPOLIS SOUTH TO JUST WEST OF LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY.  THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORM WAS 20 MILES WEST OF LOUISVILLE OR JUST SOUTH OF CORYDON
INDIANA IN HARRISON COUNTY INDIANA.  AT 200 PM EDT PEA SIZE HAIL WAS
REPORTED WITH THIS STORM NEAR WOLFE CREEK KENTUCKY IN NORTHERN MEADE
COUNTY KENTUCKY.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH AND WILL MOVE ACROSS
SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY NEAR THE OHIO RIVER.

GUSTY WINDS....DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL REMAIN POSSIBLE WITH
THE STRONGEST STORMS.
>
HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL ALSO ACCOMPANY THE STRONGER STORMS AND MAY CAUSE
MINOR FLOODING OVER SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAINS
HAVE FALLEN TODAY.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOU SHOULD MOVE QUICKLY TO A SAFE
INDOOR SHELTER.  REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

SHANKLIN
Special weather statement, May 15, 4:11 PM EDT, 40 minutes before
KYZ007-152100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
410 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 1990

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM EDT FOR MERCER BOYLE ANDERSON AND
FRANKLIN COUNTIES OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY.

AT 410PM EDT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR CINCINNATI OHIO
SOUTHWEST TO NEAR BOWLING GREEN KENTUCKY. THE LINE OF STORMS IS MOVING
EAST AT NEAR 20 MPH AND WILL ENTER FRANKLIN AND ANDERSON COUNTIES 25 TO
30 MILElS WEST OF LEXINGTON BY 430PM EDT. THE STORMS COULD BE IN THE
LEXINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA BY 5 PM EDT. HAIL AND HIGH WINDS HAVE BEEN
REPORTED WITH MANY OF THESE STORMS.
Special weather statement, May 15, 4:26 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
INZ015-KYZ004-009-152125-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
325 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 1990

...TORNADO WATCH FOR ALL OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTH CENTRAL
INDIANA UNTIL 10 PM EDT.
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA TIL 8 PM EDT...

AT 313 PM EDT...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND SMALL HAIL WERE IN A
LINE FROM COVINGTON KENTUCKY TO BOWLING GREEN KENTUCKY. THUNDERSTORMS
WITH THE HEAVIEST RAINFALL AND HAIL WERE LOCATED BETWEEN SHELBYVILLE
AND FRNAKFORT KENTUCKY...OR ABOUT 23 MILES EAST OF LOUISVILLE...ANOTHER
STORM WAS ABOUT 40 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LOIUSVILLE IN GRAYSON COUNTY IN
KENTUCKY.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH AND WILL MOVE ACROSS
SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY DURING THE NEXT TWO
HOURS.
THESE STORMS HAVE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND HAIL. THERE COULD BE
MINOR FLOODING THROUGHOUT SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOU...MOVE QUICLY TO A A SAFE
INDOOR SHELTER. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE FOR UPDATES...STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY .

WILSON
Special weather statement, May 15, 4:38 PM EDT, 13 minutes before
KYZ007-1522100

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
435 PM EDT TUE MAY 15 1990

A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM EDT FOR MERCER BOYLE ANDERSON AND
FRANKLIN COUNTIES OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY.

AT 435PM EDT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR CINCINNATI OHIO
SOUTHWEST THRU FRANKLIN COUNTY KENTUCKY 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF LEXINGTON
TO NEAR BOWLING GREEN KY. THE STRONG STORMS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY WILL MOVE
INTO SCOTT COUNTY NORTH OF LEXINGTON BY 5PM EDT. ALTHO NO SEVERE WEATHER
HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS THE HEAVY RAINS MAY CAUSE FLOODING OF
LOWER LYING AREAS SUCH AS UNDERPASSES. THE LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING
EAST AT NEAR 25 MPH.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 2:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKMeade31 min
May 15, 3:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBullitt, Hardin, Jefferson39 min
May 15, 6:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKCasey, Taylor42 min
May 15, 6:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKGreen43 min
May 15, 7:02 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKCasey43 min
May 15, 7:19 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLMKGreen116 min
May 15, 7:53 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKLincoln, Pulaski, Russell52 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kentucky, 1990Every severe thunderstorm 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.