Alert archive / Kentucky / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 69, NWS Louisville, KY

May 20, 1998Clark County, Fayette County, Madison County, Kentucky

NWS Louisville, KY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 20, 1998, 6:05 PM EDT for Clark County, Fayette County, Madison County, Kentucky. It was in force for 40 min. 2 reports 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 20, 1998, 6:05 PM EDT (22:05 UTC)
Expired
May 20, 1998, 6:45 PM EDT
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Louisville, KY
Area
Whole counties

Counties Clark County, KY, Fayette County, KY, Madison County, KY

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 20, 6:30 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 50Lexington, KY
May 20, 6:35 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 50Richmond, 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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 20, 5:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Cncnati-Daytn, OH (KILN), launched 12:00Z, 10.1 hours before the alert went out and 174 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, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 12:00Z on 1998-05-20Temperature 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, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 12:00Z on 1998-05-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 66 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
7 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-235 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
898 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
66 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
60 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.

686 
WUUS1 KSDF 202209 RRA
SVRSDF
KYC049-067-151-202245-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
605 PM EDT WED MAY 20 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  CLARK COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY
  SOUTHERN FAYETTE COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY
  MADISON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY

* UNTIL 645 PM EDT

* AT 605 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LEXINGTON
  CENTERED NEAR TROY... MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  ATHENS BY 625 PM EDT
  WINCHESTER BY 630 PM EDT
  RICHMOND BY 620 PM EDT

THESE ARE DANGEROUS STORMS STAY INDOORS AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE WIND GUSTS AROUND 60 MPH.

FUNK/KIRKPATRICK

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

Local storm report, May 20, 5:27 PM EDT, 38 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY
527 PM EDT WED MAY 20 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0510 PM    BARDSTOWN                 KY   WIND DAMAGE
05/20/98   NELSON                         NUMEROUS REPORTS OF TREES
                                          AND POWER LINES DOWN. MUCH
                                          OF BARDSTOWN WITHOUT
                                          POWER. REPORT FROM LOCAL
                                          DISPATCH.
Local storm report, May 20, 5:34 PM EDT, 31 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY
534 PM EDT WED MAY 20 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0520 PM    SPRINGFIELD               KY   WIND DAMAGE
05/20/98   WASHINGTON                     60 MPH WIND GUSTS. REPORT
                                          FROM DISPATCH.

0525 PM    LEBANON                   KY   WIND DAMAGE
05/20/98   MARION                         TREES DOWN ACROSS THE
                                          CITY. REPORT FROM
                                          DISPATCH.
Special weather statement, May 20, 5:39 PM EDT, 26 minutes before
KYZ046-054-202210-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
539 PM EDT WED MAY 20 1998

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR MARION AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES OF
CENTRAL KENTUCKY HAS EXPIRED...

AT 535 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT SEVERE
WEATHER HAD MOVED OUT OF BOTH WASHINGTON AND MARION COUNTIES.

LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE OVER BOTH
WASHINGTON AND MARION COUNTIES THROUGH 6PM EDT.

THEREFORE THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

RNK
Special weather statement, May 20, 5:39 PM EDT, 26 minutes before
KYZ046-054-202210-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
539 PM EDT WED MAY 20 1998

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR MARION AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES OF
CENTRAL KENTUCKY HAS EXPIRED...

AT 535 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT SEVERE
WEATHER HAD MOVED OUT OF BOTH WASHINGTON AND MARION COUNTIES.

LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS WILL CONTINUE OVER BOTH
WASHINGTON AND MARION COUNTIES THROUGH 6PM EDT.

THEREFORE THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

RNK
Local storm report, May 20, 5:41 PM EDT, 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY
541 PM EDT WED MAY 20 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0510 PM    WATERFORD                 KY   WIND DAMAGE
05/20/98   SPENCER                        TREES DOWN. REPORT FROM
                                          HAM RADIO OPERATOR.
Local storm report, May 20, 6:00 PM EDT, 5 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY
600 PM EDT WED MAY 20 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0530 PM    CAMPBELLSVILLE            KY   WIND DAMAGE
05/20/98   TAYLOR                         NUMEROUS REPORTS OF TREES
                                          DOWN ACROSS THE COUNTY.
                                          THREE ROADS BLOCKED.
                                          REPORT FROM DISPATCH AND
                                          NWS SPOTTER.

0545 PM    DANVILLE                  KY   WIND DAMAGE
05/20/98   BOYLE                          NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER
                                          LINES DOWN. REPORT FROM
                                          LOCAL DISPATCH.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 20, 12:45 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKJefferson, Oldham, Shelby, Spencer35 min
May 20, 1:00 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBullitt35 min
May 20, 1:18 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKAnderson, Franklin32 min
May 20, 1:43 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKFayette32 min
May 20, 2:20 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKMadison20 min
May 20, 3:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKHancock40 min
May 20, 3:53 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBreckinridge, Meade37 min
May 20, 4:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBullitt, Hardin, Jefferson36 min
May 20, 4:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKLarue, Nelson30 min
May 20, 5:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKSpencer30 min
May 20, 5:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKMarion, Washington30 min
May 20, 5:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKGreen, Taylor30 min
May 20, 5:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKAnderson, Mercer39 min
May 20, 5:26 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKBoyle, Casey39 min
May 20, 5:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKJessamine, Woodford45 min
May 20, 5:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLMKGarrard, Lincoln45 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kentucky, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998

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.