Alert archive / Kentucky / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Charleston, WV

March 2, 2012Carter County, Greenup County, Kentucky

NWS Charleston, WV issued this tornado warning at Mar 2, 2012, 5:50 PM EST for Carter County, Greenup County, Kentucky. It was in force for 40 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Mar 2, 2012, 5:50 PM EST (22:50 UTC)
Expired
Mar 2, 2012, 6:30 PM EST
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Carter County, KY, Greenup County, KY

The radar

The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 111 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:52 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 2, 6:00 PM ESTTSTM WND DMGGesling, KYONE TREE AND SEVERAL LIMBS DOWN ALONG RT 7

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 2, 4:19 PM ESTTornado Watch PDSSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Cncnati-Daytn, OH (KILN), launched 12:00Z, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 119 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 2012-03-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 12:00Z on 2012-03-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 217 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1876 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
78 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
217 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
254 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.

400 
WFUS51 KRLX 022250
TORRLX
KYC043-089-022330-
/O.NEW.KRLX.TO.W.0002.120302T2250Z-120302T2330Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
550 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTH CENTRAL CARTER COUNTY IN KENTUCKY...
  GREENUP COUNTY IN KENTUCKY...

* UNTIL 630 PM EST

* AT 547 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 19 MILES WEST OF
  GESLING...OR 13 MILES NORTH OF MOREHEAD...MOVING EAST AT 65 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  LOAD...LETITIA...OLDTOWN...GREENBO LAKE...NAPLES AND GREENUP.

.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. IF YOU
ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO THE
LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF DRIVING...DO
NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

PLEASE REPORT TORNADOES...HAIL OR STRONG WINDS TO THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE BY CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN DO
SO SAFELY.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST SATURDAY MORNING
FOR CENTRAL KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST OHIO AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND
CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3847 8319 3850 8319 3856 8310 3868 8304
      3872 8304 3876 8289 3873 8286 3868 8287
      3860 8285 3856 8279 3845 8275 3843 8277
      3836 8324 3842 8324
TIME...MOT...LOC 2250Z 251DEG 56KT 3839 8339

$$
2 follow-up statements
548 
WWUS51 KRLX 022303
SVSRLX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
603 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

KYC043-089-022330-
/O.CON.KRLX.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120302T2330Z/
CARTER KY-GREENUP KY-
603 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM EST FOR GREENUP
AND NORTH CENTRAL CARTER COUNTIES...

AT 556 PM EST...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE 
TWO STORMS...BOTH WITH STRONG ROTATION. ONE OF THE TORNADO WAS 
LOCATED 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CARTER...OR 7 MILES NORTHWEST OF OLIVE 
HILL...MOVING EAST AT 65 MPH. THE SECOND TORNADO WAS LOCATED 8 MILES 
SOUTHEAST OF LETITIA...OR 16 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SOUTH PORTSMOUTH IN 
GREENUP COUNTY...MOVING EAST AT 65 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO 
GESLING...BRUSHART...WARNOCK...LOAD...OLDTOWN...SOUTH PORTSMOUTH 
...GREENBO LAKE...SOUTH SHORE...GRAYS BRANCH...NAPLES AND GREENUP

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING 
GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST
DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST SATURDAY MORNING
FOR CENTRAL KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST OHIO AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND
CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA.

&&

PLEASE REPORT HAIL OR STRONG WINDS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 3847 8319 3850 8319 3856 8310 3868 8304
      3872 8304 3876 8289 3873 8286 3868 8287
      3860 8285 3856 8279 3845 8275 3843 8277
      3836 8324 3842 8324
TIME...MOT...LOC 2259Z 251DEG 56KT 3839 8320

$$
688 
WWUS51 KRLX 022331
SVSRLX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
631 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

KYC043-089-022340-
/O.EXP.KRLX.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-120302T2330Z/
CARTER KY-GREENUP KY-
631 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR GREENUP AND NORTH CENTRAL CARTER COUNTIES
HAS EXPIRED...

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THAT THE STORM WHICH
PROMPTED THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED
AREA. THEREFORE...THE WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE. OTHER
STORMS IN THE AREA COULD PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND PEA SIZE HAIL.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST SATURDAY MORNING
FOR CENTRAL KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST OHIO AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND
CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA.

STAY TUNED FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON OTHER STORMS POSSIBLE OVER 
THE SAME AREA LATER TONIGHT.

PLEASE REPORT HAIL OR STRONG WINDS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BY
CALLING TOLL FREE...877-633-6772...WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.

LAT...LON 3847 8319 3850 8319 3856 8310 3868 8304
      3872 8304 3876 8289 3873 8286 3868 8287
      3860 8285 3856 8279 3845 8275 3843 8277
      3836 8324 3842 8324
TIME...MOT...LOC 2303Z 251DEG 56KT 3841 8312

$$

The office that day

Everything else NWS Charleston, WV issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 2, 9:20 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementRLXBoyd, Carter, Greenup, Lawrence55 min
Mar 2, 9:39 AM ESTFlash Flood WatchRLXBoyd, Carter, Greenup, Lawrence15 hr
Mar 2, 10:11 AM ESTSpecial Weather StatementRLXBoyd, Carter, Lawrence64 min
Mar 2, 5:52 PM ESTTornado WarningRLXCarter, Lawrence38 min
Mar 2, 6:23 PM ESTTornado WarningRLXBoyd, Greenup37 min
Mar 2, 6:27 PM ESTTornado WarningRLXLawrence48 min
Mar 2, 6:29 PM ESTTornado WarningRLXBoyd, Carter, Lawrence46 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kentucky, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes in 2012

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.