Alert archive / Kentucky / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Louisville, KY

July 8, 1991Garrard County, Kentucky

NWS Louisville, KY issued this tornado warning at Jul 8, 1991, 7:40 PM EDT for Garrard County, Kentucky. It was in force for 50 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 8, 1991, 7:40 PM EDT (23:40 UTC)
Expired
Jul 8, 1991, 8:30 PM EDT
In force
50 min
Issued by
NWS Louisville, KY
Area
Whole counties

County Garrard County, KY

The nearest sounding before it

Huntington/Tri S, WV (KHTS), launched 12:00Z, 11.7 hours before the alert went out and 196 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 1991-07-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1405 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 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 12:00Z on 1991-07-08The 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
1405 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-30 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
769 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
22 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
69 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
92 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 082341
TORLEX
KYC079-151-090030-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
740 PM EDT MON JUL 8 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LEXINGTON HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  830 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...                    S...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY
 
   ...GARRARD COUNTY...MADISON COUNTY
 
AT 738PM SKYWARN SPOTTER REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND NEAR
CARTERSVILLE IN EASTERN GARRARD COUNTY 22 MILES SOUTH OF LEXINGTON
KENTUCKY. THIS TORNADO IS MOVING EAST TOWARD BEREA IN MADISON COUNTY 27
MILES SOUTHEAST OF LEXINGTON. THE TORNADO DAMAGED ONE SPOTTERS HOME.
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.

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 8, 4:45 PM EDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before
KYZ007-082130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
445PM EDT MON JUL 8 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM EDT...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM EDT...

AT 445PM EDT RADAR WAS SHOWING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING AND
MOVING SOUTH INTO CENTRAL KENTUCKY. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS OVER
EASTERN FRANKLIN COUNTY  15 MILES NORTHWEST OF LEXINGTON.

VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL AUCCOMPANY STORMS AS THEY
MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. WINDS MAY BECOME STRONG IN AND
NEAR ANY STORMS.
Special weather statement, Jul 8, 5:05 PM EDT, 2 hours 35 minutes before
KYZ004-082130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
505 PM EDT MON JUL 8 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM EDT FOR SOUTHERN INDIANA AND
NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY...

AT 500 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A STRONG THUNNERSTORM 25
MILES NORTHWEST OF LOUISVILLE...NEAR PALMYRA INDIANA IN NORTHERN
HARRISON COUNTY.  MARBLE SIZE HAIL AND 40 TO 50 MPH WINDS HAVE BEEN
REPORTED WITH THIS STORM.

THE STORM WAS nMOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH AND ITS TRACK WILL TAKE IT NEAR
CORYDON INDIANA BY 515 PM EDT AND INTO SOUTHERN HARRISON COUTY BY 425 PM
EDT.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THESE STORMS.

KIRKPATRICK
Special weather statement, Jul 8, 5:16 PM EDT, 2 hours 24 minutes before
KYZ007-082145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
515PM EDT MON JUL 8 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM EDT...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM EDT...

AT 515PM EDT NUMEROUS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING ACROSS PARTS
OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY. STRONGEST STORMS WERE OVER FRANKLIN COUNTY 15 TO 20
MILES NORTHWEST OF LEXINGTON AND OVER EASTERN ANDERSON COUNTY 22 MILES
WEST OF LEXINGTON. STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT NEAR 30 MILES
PRODUCING SOME VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND RESULTING IN STANDING WATER ON
ROADWAYS AND IN LOWER LYING AREAS.

HEAVY RAIN IN THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING. BE PREPARED TO
MOVE TO SAFETY AND HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED.
Special weather statement, Jul 8, 5:19 PM EDT, 2 hours 21 minutes before
KYZ007-082145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LEXINGTON KY
515PM EDT MON JUL 8 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM EDT...
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10PM EDT...

AT 515PM EDT NUMEROUS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING ACROSS PARTS
OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY. STRONGEST STORMS WERE OVER FRANKLIN COUNTY 15 TO 20
MILES NORTHWEST OF LEXINGTON AND OVER WESTERN ANDERSON COUNTY 22 MILES
WEST OF LEXINGTON. STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT NEAR 30 MPH.
PRODUCING SOME VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND RESULTING IN STANDING WATER ON
ROADWAYS AND IN LOWER LYING AREAS.

HEAVY RAIN IN THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING. BE PREPARED TO
MOVE TO SAFETY AND HIGHER GROUND IF THREATENING WEATHER IS SIGHTED.
Special weather statement, Jul 8, 5:26 PM EDT, 2 hours 14 minutes before
KYZ004-082215-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
525 PM EDT MON JUL 8 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM EDT FOR SOUTHERN INDIANA AND
NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY...

AT 525 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDER
STORMS APPROACHING LOUISVILLE AS WELL AS THE KENTUCKY COUNTIES BORDERING
THE OHIO RIVER...INCLUDING MEADE...JEFFERSON...OLDHAM AND TRIMBLE.
OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF
LOUISVILLE OVER PARTS OF SPENCER...SHELBY AND HENRY COUNTIES.

ALL THE STORMS WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST AND PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY HAIL.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THESE STORMS.

KIRKPATRICK
Special weather statement, Jul 8, 7:13 PM EDT, 27 minutes before
KYZ004-080015-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
710 PM EDT MON JUL 8 1991

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH UNTIL 10 PM EDT FOR SOUTHERN INDIANA AND
NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY...

AT 700 PM EDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDER
STORMS 30 TO 40 MILES SOUTH OF LOUISVILLE IN THE BARDTOWN VICINITY OF
NELSON COUNTY.  OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED 30 MILES WEST OF
LOUISVILLE OVER NORTHERN PARTS OF MEADE AND BRECKINRIDGE COUNTIES.

ALL THE STORMS WILL MOVE SLOWLY SOUTHEAST AND PRODUCE HEAVY RAIN...
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY HAIL.

LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON THESE STORMS.

KIRKPATRICK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 8, 4:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKTrimble54 min
Jul 8, 5:26 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLMKHenry, Trimble2 hr
Jul 8, 5:33 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLMKAnderson, Franklin57 min
Jul 8, 5:33 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKAnderson, Franklin57 min
Jul 8, 5:45 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLMKFayette, Scott60 min
Jul 8, 5:45 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLMKMercer, Woodford60 min
Jul 8, 5:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKMercer, Woodford60 min
Jul 8, 5:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKFayette, Scott60 min
Jul 8, 5:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBreckinridge, Hardin, Meade47 min
Jul 8, 6:03 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLMKGarrard, Jessamine57 min
Jul 8, 6:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKGarrard, Jessamine57 min
Jul 8, 6:27 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLMKBoyle63 min
Jul 8, 6:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBoyle63 min
Jul 8, 7:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKLaurel, Rockcastle36 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kentucky, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes in 1991

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.