Alert archive / Kentucky / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Charleston, WV

March 2, 2012Carter County, Lawrence County, Kentucky; Wayne County, West Virginia

NWS Charleston, WV issued this tornado warning at Mar 2, 2012, 5:52 PM EST for Carter County, Lawrence County, Kentucky; Wayne County, West Virginia. It was in force for 38 min. 5 reports 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, 5:52 PM EST (22:52 UTC)
Expired
Mar 2, 2012, 6:30 PM EST
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Charleston, WV
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Carter County, KY, Lawrence County, KY, Wayne County, WV

The radar

The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 67 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, 6:22 PM ESTHAIL 22 W Blaine, KY1.5 AND 2.0 INCH HAIL. NUMEROUS 3-4 INCH DIAMETER TREES REPORTED DOWN.
Mar 2, 6:30 PM ESTHAIL 1.75Louisa, KY
Mar 2, 6:30 PM ESTTORNADOLouisa, KY*** 2 FATAL *** CONFIRMED BY PHONE WITH EMERGENCY MANAGER VIA PHONE 0800 ON 03 03 2012.
Mar 2, 6:35 PM ESTHAIL 1.25Louisa, KY
Mar 2, 6:35 PM ESTHAIL 1.75Se Fort Gay, WV

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, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 171 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.

353 
WFUS51 KRLX 022252
TORRLX
KYC043-127-WVC099-022330-
/O.NEW.KRLX.TO.W.0003.120302T2252Z-120302T2330Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHARLESTON HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN CARTER COUNTY IN KENTUCKY...
  LAWRENCE COUNTY IN KENTUCKY...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...YATESVILLE LAKE STATE PARK...
  LOUISA...BLAINE...
  EXTREME WEST CENTRAL WAYNE COUNTY IN WEST VIRGINIA...

* UNTIL 630 PM EST

* AT 547 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
  A TORNADO 30 MILES WEST OF MARTHA...OR 10 MILES WEST OF WEST
  LIBERTY...MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH.

* OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
  WEBBVILLE...CHARLEY...ULYSSES AND FORT GAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS 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.

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 3803 8301 3811 8290 3817 8292 3818 8298
      3824 8274 3827 8266 3827 8261 3795 8254
      3792 8276 3797 8284 3799 8296 3796 8299
      3798 8303
TIME...MOT...LOC 2252Z 256DEG 53KT 3794 8336

30
$$
2 follow-up statements
688 
WWUS51 KRLX 022308
SVSRLX

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

KYC043-127-WVC099-022330-
/O.CON.KRLX.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120302T2330Z/
LAWRENCE KY-CARTER KY-WAYNE WV-
608 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM EST FOR
SOUTHEASTERN CARTER AND LAWRENCE COUNTIES IN KENTUCKY...AND EXTREME
WEST CENTRAL WAYNE COUNTY IN WEST VIRGINIA...

AT 601 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AND STORM
SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO.  THIS
TORNADO WAS LOCATED 15 MILES WEST OF MARTHA...OR NEAR WEST LIBERTY...
MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH. 

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
BLAINE...HOUCKVILLE...WEBBVILLE...CHARLEY...ULYSSES...BUCHANAN...
GALLUP...FALLSBURG...YATESVILLE LAKE STATE PARK...LOUISA AND FORT GAY

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GOLF 
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 3803 8301 3811 8290 3817 8292 3818 8298
      3824 8274 3827 8266 3827 8261 3795 8254
      3792 8276 3797 8284 3799 8296 3796 8299
      3798 8303
TIME...MOT...LOC 2306Z 256DEG 53KT 3795 8309

$$
742 
WWUS51 KRLX 022315
SVSRLX

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

WVC099-022325-
/O.CAN.KRLX.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120302T2330Z/
WAYNE WV-
615 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EXTREME WEST CENTRAL WAYNE COUNTY IS
CANCELLED...

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 3803 8301 3806 8296 3811 8290 3813 8262
      3810 8258 3808 8257 3795 8254 3792 8276
      3797 8284 3799 8296 3796 8299 3798 8303
TIME...MOT...LOC 2315Z 256DEG 53KT 3794 8291

$$

KYC127-022330-
/O.CON.KRLX.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-120302T2330Z/
LAWRENCE KY-
615 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM EST FOR SOUTHERN
LAWRENCE COUNTY IN KENTUCKY...

AT 610 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AND STORM
SPOTTERS WERE TRACKING A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO.  THIS
TORNADO WAS LOCATED 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MARTHA...OR 11 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF BLAINE...MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO
HOUCKVILLE...CHARLEY...ULYSSES...GALLUP AND LOUISA

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 3803 8301 3806 8296 3811 8290 3813 8262
      3810 8258 3808 8257 3795 8254 3792 8276
      3797 8284 3799 8296 3796 8299 3798 8303
TIME...MOT...LOC 2315Z 256DEG 53KT 3794 8291

$$

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, 5:50 PM ESTTornado WarningRLXCarter, Greenup40 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
Mar 2, 10:29 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXBoone, Fayette, Kanawha, Logan, Raleigh, Wyoming46 min
Mar 2, 6:10 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXMason35 min
Mar 2, 6:38 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningRLXJackson, Kanawha, Mason, Putnam, Roane, Wirt and 1 more52 min
Mar 2, 6:58 PM ESTTornado WarningRLXBoone, Kanawha, Lincoln47 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kentucky, 2012Tornado Warnings in West Virginia, 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.