Alert archive / Kentucky / Tornado Warnings in 2004

Tornado Warning 50, NWS Paducah, KY

May 30, 2004Webster County, Kentucky

NWS Paducah, KY issued this tornado warning at May 30, 2004, 8:23 PM CDT for Webster County, Kentucky. It was in force for 52 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 30, 2004, 8:23 PM CDT (01:23 UTC)
Expired: May 30, 2004, 9:15 PM CDT
In force: 52 min
Issued by: NWS Paducah, KY
Area: Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Webster County, KY

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 30, 6:55 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 182 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: 2491 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -6 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1127 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 192 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 257 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 2.8
Supercell composite: 16.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS53 KPAH 310123
TORPAH
KYC233-310215-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
822 PM CDT SUN MAY 30 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PADUCAH KENTUCKY HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WEBSTER COUNTY IN NORTHWEST KENTUCKY

* UNTIL 915 PM CDT

* AT 822 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR   
PROVIDENCE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE CLAY...DIXON...SEBREE AND WHEATCROFT

THIS IS AN UPGRADE TO THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING PREVIOUSLY IN 
EFFECT UNTIL 915 PM.

NOW IS THE TIME TO TAKE ACTION SEEK SHELTER...BY MOVING INTO A
BASEMENT...OR INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING.
ABANDON MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

LAT...LON 3748 8790 3737 8779 3755 8742 3764 8759

$$

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 30, 5:00 PM CDT, 3 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 30, 5:00 PM CDT, 3 hours 23 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
500 PM CDT SUN MAY 30 2004

.DISCUSSION...

WITH SIGNIFICANT WAA GOING ON...SFC TEMPS ACROSS THE AREA WERE VERY
WARM...ALONG WITN THE DEWPOINTS. IN FAIRFIELD AND CARBONDALE
IL...TEMPS WERE AROUND 90 DEG WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE UPPER 70S.
SKIES HAD BECOME TEMPORARILY PARTLY CLOUDY MEANWHILE JUST AHEAD OF
THE MAJOR LINE OF STORMS MOVING THRU CENTRAL MO. EARLIER SPOTTY
CONVECTION PROVED TO HAVE TORNADIC CHARACTERISTICS...WITH SOME
TORNADO REPORTS AND NUMEROUS FUNNEL CLOUDS.

MESOETA...WHICH IS A LITTLE SLOWER THAN GFS/NGM IN THE VERY NEAR
TERM...INDICATES THAT THE FAVORABLE SHEAR PROFILE SHOULD BEGIN TO
DIMINISH IN THE NWRN HALF OF THE FCST AREA BY 03Z...WITH ALL BUT THE
FAR SERN CORNER EXPERIENCING BACKING WITH HEIGHT/CAA BY 09Z. CAPES
ARE EXPECTED TO DROP TO AROUND 1000 J/KG BY AROUND 03Z. WITH LINE OF
STORMS NOW APPROACHING OUR PART OF SEMO...WE WILL BE ON ALERT FOR
TORNADOES ESPECIALLY IN THE EARLY EVENING NORTH OF THE OHIO RIVER
AND STRAIGHT LINE WINDS LATER IN THE EVENING SOUTH OF THE OHIO
RIVER.

AS NEGATIVELY TILTED 500MB LOBE MOVES EAST...SOME SHOWERS...AND EVEN
A THUNDERSTORM OR TWO...ARE POSSIBLE JUST AFTER SUNRISE FOR THE FAR
SERN PART OF THE AREA. THE PARENT LOW WILL BEGIN TO MERGE WITH A
CYCLONIC FEATURE OVER THE NERN U.S. BY WED. THIS WILL BRING ANOTHER
COLD FRONT THRU THE REGION AND THE POSSIBILITY OF MORE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS. NWRN MID LVL FLOW WILL CONTINUE THRU FRI /DAY5/...
WITH ENUF MOISTURE IN THE COLUMN TO NOT CALL THE SKY COVER MOSTLY
CLEAR.

DAY6 AND DAY7...GFS INDICATES DOUBLE BARRELLED 500 MB S/WVS AND SFC
LOWS TO THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH OF THE FCST AREA ARE TO MOVE EAST IN
OUR VICINITY. THESE FEATURES WILL BE IMBEDDED IN A LONG WAVE TROF IN
THE EAST PART OF THE COUNTRY. IT APPEARS ATTM THAT THE TWO SYSTEMS
WILL MERGE INTO A SINGLE 500MB S/WV BY SUN /DAY7/ AND WILL INCLUDE A
FROPA BY LATE SUN ACROSS THE FCST AREA...ENDING WHATEVER RAIN CHCS
THERE ARE...WHICH ARE ONLY ABOUT ONE IN THREE ON SUN.

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...NONE
MO...NONE
IL...NONE
IN...NONE

&&

DB

Hazardous weather outlook, May 30, 6:48 PM CDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
648 PM CDT SUN MAY 30 2004

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100-
107>112-114-311000-
ALEXANDER IL-BALLARD KY-BOLLINGER MO-BUTLER MO-CALDWELL KY-
CALLOWAY KY-CAPE GIRARDEAU MO-CARLISLE KY-CARTER MO-CHRISTIAN KY-
CRITTENDEN KY-DAVIESS KY-EDWARDS IL-FRANKLIN IL-FULTON KY-
GALLATIN IL-GIBSON IN-GRAVES KY-HAMILTON IL-HARDIN IL-HENDERSON KY-
HICKMAN KY-HOPKINS KY-JACKSON IL-JEFFERSON IL-JOHNSON IL-
LIVINGSTON KY-LYON KY-MARSHALL KY-MASSAC IL-MCCRACKEN KY-MCLEAN KY-
MISSISSIPPI MO-MUHLENBERG KY-NEW MADRID MO-PERRY MO-PERRY IL-PIKE IN-
POPE IL-POSEY IN-PULASKI IL-RIPLEY MO-SALINE IL-SCOTT MO-SPENCER IN-
STODDARD MO-TODD KY-TRIGG KY-UNION KY-UNION IL-VANDERBURGH IN-
WABASH IL-WARRICK IN-WAYNE MO-WAYNE IL-WEBSTER KY-WHITE IL-
WILLIAMSON IL-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SIKESTON...POPLAR BLUFF...PERRYVILLE...
CAPE GIRARDEAU...PADUCAH...OWENSBORO...MURRAY...MAYFIELD...
MADISONVILLE...HOPKINSVILLE...HENDERSON...EVANSVILLE...HERRIN...
HARRISBURG...CARMI...CARBONDALE AND CAIRO
648 PM CDT SUN MAY 30 2004

...TORNADO WATCHES IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF THE QUAD STATE THROUGH AT
LEAST 1 AM CDT MONDAY...

...HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING OVER MUCH OF THE
QUAD STATE...

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING FOR THE
ENTIRE QUAD STATE...EXCEPT FOR CARTER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.

A SOLID LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EASTWARD
ACROSS THE ENTIRE QUAD STATE THROUGH THE EVENING AND INTO THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS.  DAMAGING WINDS...TORNADOES...AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE
POSSIBLE WITH THE LINE OF STORMS.  IN ADDITION HEAVY RAINFALL MAY
LEAD TO SOME FLOODING PROBLEMS ALONG THE LINE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THE MISSISSIPPI AND OHIO RIVERS ARE FORECAST TO RISE OVER FLOOD STAGE
AT MANY LOCATIONS. THE FLOODING IS FORECAST TO BE MAINLY
MINOR...ALTHOUGH AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS WITH CROPS IN THE BOTTOMLANDS
WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTED. REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD STATEMENTS
AND WARNINGS FOR MORE DETAILS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED TONIGHT THROUGHOUT THE QUAD STATE.

DRS

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 30, 7:24 PM CDT, 59 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
724 PM CDT SUN MAY 30 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0720 PM     TSTM WND DMG     GOREVILLE               37.56N 88.97W
05/30/2004                   JOHNSON            IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            WIND ESTIMATED 60 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL ALSO.

&&

DLL

Local storm report, May 30, 7:26 PM CDT, 57 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
726 PM CDT SUN MAY 30 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0718 PM     TSTM WND GST     7 SE MARION             37.66N 88.85W
05/30/2004  50 MPH           WILLIAMSON         IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            HEAVY RAINFALL AT GRASSY LAKE RAD AND ST HIGHWAY 148.

&&

DLL

Local storm report, May 30, 7:55 PM CDT, 28 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
755 PM CDT SUN MAY 30 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0730 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     NORRIS CITY             37.98N 88.33W
05/30/2004                   WHITE              IL   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            REPORTED NEAR THE HAMILTON/WHITE COUNTY LINE

0725 PM     TORNADO          CREAL SPRINGS           37.62N 88.84W
05/30/2004                   WILLIAMSON         IL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            BRIEF TOUCHDOWN REPORTED BETWEEN CREAL SPRINGS AND NEW
            BURNSIDE ON ROUTE 166. RELAYED FROM JOHNSON COUNTY EMA.

&&

DLL

Local storm report, May 30, 8:01 PM CDT, 22 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
801 PM CDT SUN MAY 30 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0748 PM     TSTM WND GST     7 W PADUCAH             37.07N 88.76W
05/30/2004  58 MPH           MCCRACKEN          KY   OFFICIAL NWS OBS

0755 PM     TSTM WND GST     LONE OAK                37.04N 88.67W
05/30/2004  60 MPH           MCCRACKEN          KY   BROADCAST MEDIA

&&

RJP

Local storm report, May 30, 8:16 PM CDT, 7 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
816 PM CDT SUN MAY 30 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0656 PM     HAIL             4 W CHRISTOPHER         37.97N 89.13W
05/30/2004  0.75 INCH        FRANKLIN           IL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            REPORTED IN THE COMMUNITY OF MULKEYTOWN.

&&

RJP

Local storm report, May 30, 8:23 PM CDT, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
823 PM CDT SUN MAY 30 2004

..TIME...   ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION...ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0815 PM     TSTM WND GST     MORGANFIELD             37.68N 87.91W
05/30/2004  60 MPH           UNION              KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

RJP

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 30, 7:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Ballard	59 min
May 30, 7:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	McCracken	58 min
May 30, 7:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Carlisle	54 min
May 30, 7:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Crittenden, Livingston	59 min
May 30, 7:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Graves	51 min
May 30, 7:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Marshall	50 min
May 30, 7:58 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Fulton, Hickman	62 min
May 30, 8:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Union	53 min
May 30, 8:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Caldwell, Hopkins, Lyon, Webster	65 min
May 30, 8:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Henderson	59 min
May 30, 8:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	McLean	39 min
May 30, 8:41 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Calloway, Graves, Marshall	49 min
May 30, 8:42 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Daviess	63 min
May 30, 8:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Christian, Muhlenberg	53 min
May 30, 9:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Caldwell, Lyon	32 min
May 30, 9:32 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	PAH	Caldwell, Hopkins, Muhlenberg	3 hr
May 30, 9:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Muhlenberg	36 min
May 30, 9:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Christian, Todd	47 min
May 30, 9:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Christian, Todd	36 min
May 30, 10:25 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	PAH	Henderson, Union	3 hr
May 30, 10:38 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	PAH	Crittenden, Graves, Livingston, Lyon, McCracken, Marshall and 1 more	112 min
May 30, 10:58 PM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	PAH	Daviess, McLean	3 hr
May 31, 12:10 AM CDT	Flash Flood Warning	PAH	Muhlenberg	95 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kentucky, 2004 Every tornado warning in 2004 Tornadoes in 2004

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.