Alert archive / Kentucky / Tornado Warnings in 2003

Tornado Warning 22, NWS Paducah, KY

May 4, 2003McCracken County, Kentucky; Massac County, Illinois

NWS Paducah, KY issued this tornado warning at May 4, 2003, 9:40 PM CDT for McCracken County, Kentucky; Massac County, Illinois. It was in force for 50 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued: May 4, 2003, 9:40 PM CDT (02:40 UTC)
Expired: May 4, 2003, 10:30 PM CDT
In force: 50 min
Issued by: NWS Paducah, KY
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Massac County, IL, McCracken County, KY

The radar

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 15 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:40 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
May 4, 6:55 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 2.7 hours before the alert went out and 230 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 117 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -162 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1192 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 293 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 530 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

978 
WFUS53 KPAH 050240
TORPAH
ILC127-KYC145-050330-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
937 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PADUCAH KENTUCKY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  MASSAC COUNTY IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
  MCCRACKEN COUNTY IN WESTERN KENTUCKY

* UNTIL 1030 PM CDT

* AT 935 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 10 MILES WEST OF
  GRAHMVILLE...OR ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BANDANA...MOVING EAST AT
  40 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE JOPPA

THIS STORM SHOULD REMAIN ACROSS THE EXTREME NORTHERN PART OF 
MCCRACKEN...AND PASS NORTH OF PADUCAH PROPER...AND LONE OAK. THE 
STORM SHOULD ALSO PASS JUST NORTH OF THE USEC PLANT. METROPOLIS IS 
IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM. RAGLAND IN NORTHWEST MCCRACKEN COUNTY IS 
IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM.

SEEK SHELTER NOW MOVE INTO A BASEMENT...OR INTERIOR ROOM ON THE
LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. ABANDON MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES.

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER OR ANY STORM DAMAGE TO YOUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT...FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. STAY TUNED
FOR LATER STATEMENTS.

LAT...LON 3722 8891 3712 8888 3718 8861 3729 8868

$$

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.

NWS Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at May 4, 2:44 PM CDT, 6 hours 56 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 4, 2:44 PM CDT, 6 hours 56 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
244 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003

FORECAST CHALLENGE IS TIMING OF PRECIP AND SVR WX.

FIRST CLUSTER OF STORMS NORTH OF WARM FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH WARM AIR
ADVECTION AT 850 SLOWLY MOVING OFF TO THE EAST. AT 1900 UTC WARM
FRONT ENTERING THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF CWA WITH MID TO UPPER 60 DEW
POINTS. LARGE HAIL WITH ISOLATED WIND DAMAGE REPORTED WITH THESE
STORMS.

SEVERE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAIN SYSTEM NOW OVER
NEBRASKA...KANSAS AND OKLAHOMA.  EXPECT THIS SYSTEM TO MERGE INTO A
POSSIBLE SQUALL LINE AS IT REACHES THE AREA THIS EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT. WILL KEEP MENTION OF SEVERE IN ZONES BOTH TONIGHT AND
AGAIN TOMORROW AFTERNOON. EHI AND VGP VALUES FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
WEATHER BOTH TIME FRAMES. FIRST SQUALL LINE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE
THROUGH THE AREA OVERNIGHT AND WEAKENS TO OUR EAST DURING THE DAY ON
MONDAY. IF THE CLOUDS BREAK AS EXPECTED...WE WILL DESTABILIZE BY
AFTERNOON WITH FORECAST CAPES OVER 3500 J/KG. AGAIN WITH VGP VALUES
OVER .3 IN PART OF WEST KENTUCKY TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND EHI VALUES
AROUND 5...SUPERCELLS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN WESTERN KENTUCKY.

AS FRONT SLOWLY SAGS SOUTH...IT IS FORECAST TO BE ALONG OHIO RIVER
BY EARLY WEDNESDAY...WITH SURFACE LOW MOVING ALONG FRONT...WILL
MENTION HEAVY RAIN.

LITTLE CHANGE TO THE REST OF THE FORECAST WITH ONLY MINOR CHANGES TO
WINDS...TEMPERATURES.

EXTENDED FORECAST...ALL MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT THROUGH FRIDAY
WHICH MEANS A CONTINUED CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. WEAK
TROUGH OVER WEST COAST WILL KEEP SOUTHWEST FLOW OVER THE REGION.
TIMING OF IMPULSES IN SOUTHWEST FLOW THAT WILL PRODUCE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS IS VERY DIFFICULT. THIS WILL KEEP A WEAK FRONTAL
BOUNDARY ALONG THE OHIO RIVER UNTIL FRIDAY. MODELS SWING DECENT
SYSTEM THROUGH ON FRIDAY...ANOTHER LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY.

.PAH...NONE.

SPODEN

Hazardous weather outlook, May 4, 8:57 PM CDT, 43 minutes before

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100-
107>112-114-051000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
857 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003

...HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI TONIGHT
WITH A MODERATE RISK OVER MOST OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND WESTERN
KENTUCKY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND WESTERN KENTUCKY.

.DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
TONIGHT WITH A MODERATE RISK OVER MOST OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND
WESTERN KENTUCKY. A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS OVER
THE REST OF THE REGION. SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND TORNADOES WILL BE
POSSIBLE...MAINLY OVER THE SOUTHWEST HALF OF THE
REGION...GENERALLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM JUST NORTH OF CARBONDALE
ILLINOIS...TO NEAR MADISONVILLE KENTUCKY. STORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WIND ARE POSSIBLE NORTH OF THE LINE.

ONE ROUND IS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA THIS EVENING...ANOTHER ROUND OF
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE LATER TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS WESTERN
KENTUCKY TOMORROW...WITH A SLIGHT RISK OVER THE REST OF THE QUAD
STATE AREA. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE
AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. AT THIS TIME...IS APPEARS THAT
SUPERCELLS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY OVER WESTERN KENTUCKY. LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE
TOMORROW. THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO DIMINISH DURING THE EVENING
HOURS.

THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY THIS WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING IN
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WATCH AREAS. ADDITIONAL
ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE QUAD STATE
AREA. IN ADDITION...SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUESTED MONDAY
AFTERNOON.

PS

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 4, 9:03 PM CDT, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
903 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0859 PM    BETWEEN SIKESTON AND HAYWOOD CITYMO   FUNNEL CLOUD
05/04/03   SCOTT                          REPORTED BY SCOTT COUNTY
                                          EM

Special weather statement, May 4, 9:07 PM CDT, 33 minutes before

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100-
107>112-114-050400-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
907 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003

...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL LIKELY WITH THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS THE
QUAD STATE REGION...

AT 900 PM...THE TRAILING EDGE OF A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED
FROM MT. VERNON ILLINOIS TO POPLAR BLUFF MISSOURI. THE STORMS WERE
MOVING EAST AT 55 TO 60 MPH...AND SHOULD REACH A LINE FROM ROCKPORT
INDIANA TO CROFTON KENTUCKY BY 11 PM.

THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY PRODUCE HOURLY RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN
EXCESS OF ONE INCH PER HOUR. THIS WILL CAUSE MINOR STREET FLOODING
AND ALLOW SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS TO OVERFLOW.

PERSONS SHOULD BE WATCHFUL FOR RISING WATER AND SEEK HIGH GROUND IF
NECESSARY. AVOID ROADS THAT MAY BECOME FLOODED.

AT 855 PM...SEVERAL ROADS ALONG ROUTE 3 IN JACKSON COUNTY
ILLINOIS WERE COVERED WITH WATER...NEAR THE RANDOLPH COUNTY
ILLINOIS LINE.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.

DLL

Local storm report, May 4, 9:16 PM CDT, 24 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
916 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0913 PM    COWLING                   IL   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   WABASH                         REPORTED BY WABASH COUNTY
                                          DES

Local storm report, May 4, 9:21 PM CDT, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
921 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0914 PM    OLIVE BRANCH              IL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   ALEXANDER                      REPORTED BY EOC ALSO 60
                                          MPH WIND WITH SOME TREES
                                          DOWN

Local storm report, May 4, 9:24 PM CDT, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
924 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0918 PM    BELMONT                   IL   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   WABASH                         REPORTED BY WABASH COUNTY
                                          EMA

0920 PM    DELTA                     MO   FLOODING
05/04/03   CAPE GIRARDEAU                 STREET FLOODING 2 1/2
                                          INCHES OF RAIN  WITH 1
                                          INCH IN 20 MINUTES

Local storm report, May 4, 9:30 PM CDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
930 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0924 PM    OLMSTEAD                  IL   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   PULASKI                        REPORTED BY PULASKI
                                          COUNTY DES

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 4, 9:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Ballard	50 min
May 4, 9:47 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	PAH	Ballard, McCracken	3 hr
May 4, 9:58 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Livingston	47 min
May 4, 10:07 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Calloway	38 min
May 4, 10:13 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Graves	32 min
May 4, 10:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Crittenden	37 min
May 4, 10:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Union	36 min
May 4, 10:47 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Union, Webster	43 min
May 4, 10:50 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	PAH	Calloway, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Lyon and 2 more	6 hr
May 4, 10:50 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Union, Webster	40 min
May 4, 10:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Webster	35 min
May 4, 10:57 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Trigg	48 min
May 4, 11:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Christian	53 min
May 4, 11:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Calloway	57 min
May 4, 11:33 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Daviess, McLean	42 min
May 4, 11:36 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Christian, Todd	54 min
May 4, 11:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Trigg	53 min
May 5, 1:25 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	PAH	Christian, Todd	3 hr
May 5, 2:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Christian	44 min
May 5, 2:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Todd	36 min
May 4, 8:04 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Jefferson	26 min
May 4, 8:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	White	36 min
May 4, 9:00 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Alexander	45 min
May 4, 9:08 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Alexander	37 min
May 4, 9:11 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	PAH	Pulaski	49 min
May 4, 9:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Wabash	29 min
May 4, 9:36 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	PAH	Johnson	3 hr
May 4, 10:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Gallatin	34 min
May 5, 12:58 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Perry	32 min
May 5, 2:12 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Wayne	18 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kentucky, 2003 Tornado Warnings in Illinois, 2003 Every tornado warning in 2003 Tornadoes in 2003

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.