Alert archive / Indiana / Tornado Warnings in 2016

Tornado Warning 15, NWS Paducah, KY

April 26, 2016Spencer County, Vanderburgh County, Warrick County, Indiana; Henderson County, Kentucky

NWS Paducah, KY issued this tornado warning at Apr 26, 2016, 5:56 PM CDT for Spencer County, Vanderburgh County, Warrick County, Indiana; Henderson County, Kentucky. It was in force for 21 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: Apr 26, 2016, 5:56 PM CDT (22:56 UTC)
Expired: Apr 26, 2016, 6:17 PM CDT
In force: 21 min
Issued by: NWS Paducah, KY
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Observed
Hail: 1.0 in

Counties Spencer County, IN, Vanderburgh County, IN, Warrick County, IN, Henderson County, KY

The radar

The Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 44 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:59 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Apr 26, 6:02 PM CDT	TSTM WND GST 60	3 Wnw Newburgh, IN	FROM SPOTTER NETWORK

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

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
Apr 26, 3:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 216 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: 36 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -100 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1318 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 148 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 129 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

551 
WFUS53 KPAH 262256
TORPAH
INC147-163-173-KYC101-262330-
/O.NEW.KPAH.TO.W.0015.160426T2256Z-160426T2330Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
556 PM CDT TUE APR 26 2016

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN PADUCAH HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WEST CENTRAL SPENCER COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN INDIANA...
  EAST CENTRAL VANDERBURGH COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN INDIANA...
  SOUTHWESTERN WARRICK COUNTY IN SOUTHWESTERN INDIANA...
  NORTHEASTERN HENDERSON COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN KENTUCKY...

* UNTIL 630 PM CDT

* AT 555 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR NEWBURGH...
  MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

  HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. 

  SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS CONFIRMED TORNADO. 

  IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
           SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. 
           DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS...AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE 
           DAMAGE IS LIKELY. 

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  CHANDLER AROUND 600 PM CDT. 
  BOONVILLE AROUND 605 PM CDT. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPEAT...A TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. TAKE COVER NOW! MOVE TO A
BASEMENT OR AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A STURDY
BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF YOU ARE OUTDOORS...IN A MOBILE HOME...OR IN
A VEHICLE...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 3793 8749 3805 8751 3806 8717 3791 8720
TIME...MOT...LOC 2255Z 270DEG 35KT 3800 8742 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

DB

1 follow-up statement

493 
WWUS53 KPAH 262317
SVSPAH

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
617 PM CDT TUE APR 26 2016

INC147-163-173-KYC101-262327-
/O.CAN.KPAH.TO.W.0015.000000T0000Z-160426T2330Z/
SPENCER IN-VANDERBURGH IN-WARRICK IN-HENDERSON KY-
617 PM CDT TUE APR 26 2016

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WEST CENTRAL SPENCER...EAST CENTRAL
VANDERBURGH...SOUTHWESTERN WARRICK AND NORTHEASTERN HENDERSON
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...
    
THE TORNADO THREAT HAS DIMINISHED AND THE TORNADO WARNING HAS BEEN
CANCELLED.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN INDIANA...AND NORTHWESTERN KENTUCKY.

LAT...LON 3793 8749 3805 8751 3806 8717 3791 8720
TIME...MOT...LOC 2315Z 270DEG 35KT 3800 8714 

$$

DB

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 Apr 26, 2:41 PM CDT, 3 hours 15 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 26, 2:41 PM CDT, 3 hours 15 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Paducah KY
241 PM CDT TUE APR 26 2016

.SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Thursday night)
Issued at 241 PM CDT Tue Apr 26 2016

Isolated to scattered showers have started to develop across our
northern counties in the warm unstable air south of a warm front.
Thunderstorm complex in east central Missouri will continue to
move east southeast, reaching our northwest counties around 20z,
and sliding across our northern counties through 00z.

Models indicate the warm front will continue to meander near the
Interstate 64 corridor into tonight. Locations near the front
will be the better focus for showers and storms, though isolated
to scattered showers and storms will be possible area wide
through the overnight. By late tonight, the eastward progression
of a cold front will bring a surge of moisture/showers and
thunderstorms into our western counties. The approach and passage
of the cold front will keep widespread showers and storms across
our entire region through the day Wednesday and into Wednesday
evening. Showers and storms will taper off from west to east late
Wednesday night into Thursday. Models show the cold front east of
our area by midday Thursday, so just a few showers and storms may
linger in our far eastern counties mainly early in the day.

South winds across the region will keep us unseasonably warm
tonight into Wednesday night. Low temperatures tonight will be in
the lower to middle 60s, and just couple of degrees cooler for
Wednesday night in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Highs on Wednesday
will be in the upper 70s to around 80 degrees.

A weak upper level ridge will briefly build into our region late
Thursday into Thursday night. This will help give a brief break in
our stormy weather pattern. Temperatures will remain warm on
Thursday with highs in the upper 70s to around 80 degrees, but
winds will shift to the northwest by Thursday night. This will
drop lows back into the middle to upper 50s, which is actually
still above seasonal normals.

.LONG TERM...(Friday through Tuesday)
Issued at 241 PM CDT Tue Apr 26 2016

The forecast for the long term period continues to indicate a rather
wet period. Average confidence in the first half of the long term
period, then below average in the second half due to greater model
differences.

A closed H5 low moving northeast out of the four corners region on
Friday will induce a surface low over the panhandle of Texas on a
frontal boundary extending from the low to the south of our area.
This will generate an overrunning rain event that is forecast to
push showers and thunderstorms into our far western counties by
Friday afternoon.

As the system slowly approaches, precipitation chances continue to
ramp up Friday into Friday night, with the highest chances area wide
being Saturday and Saturday night with the passage of the system. In
its wake, precipitation chances are expected to taper off from the
west but will linger from Sunday into Monday due to the presence of
upstream upper level energy and decent moisture.

Monday night into Tuesday the latest GFS and ECMWF deterministic
models are showing weak H5 ridging, little to no deep layer
moisture, and high pressure at the surface, therefore no QPF
forecast. However the Superblend and GEFS ensembles thinks there's a
chance for showers, albeit small, in those periods so will keep
pops low.

Temperatures remain at or above normal through the period.

&&

.AVIATION...
Issued at 1246 PM CDT Tue Apr 26 2016

MVFR conditions will prevail through much of the TAF period. VFR
conditions will continue for the next hour or two until a broad
area of showers and thunderstorms passes through the Quad State
area this afternoon and evening, causing sharp ceiling and
visibility changes and gusty winds. After convection and showers
move out this evening, MVFR cigs and south winds AOB 7 kts will
prevail until near sunrise. While some uncertainty exists
regarding tomorrow's forecast, at this time it is likely that
another wave of convection will pass through in the morning hours.

&&

.PAH Watches/Warnings/Advisories...
IL...None.
MO...None.
IN...None.
KY...None.
&&

SHORT TERM...RST
LONG TERM...JP
AVIATION...BP2

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 26, 3:12 PM CDT, 2 hours 44 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
312 PM CDT TUE APR 26 2016

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114-271000-
JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON-
WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION-JOHNSON-POPE-
HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH-
WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES-
LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL-
UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN-
MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER-
RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-
312 PM CDT TUE APR 26 2016

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

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #106 IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM FOR PARTS
OF SOUTHWEST IL AND SOUTHEAST MO...

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #110 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM FOR SCOTT
COUNTY MO...AND PARTS OF SOUTHERN IL AND WESTERN KY...AND ALL OF
SOUTHWEST IN...

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO
THE EVENING HOURS GENERALLY NORTH OF A LINE FROM POPLAR BLUFF MO
TO SIKESTON MO TO PADUCAH KY TO GREENVILLE KY. DAMAGING WINDS AND
LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY HAZARDS WITH ANY STORMS THAT BECOME
SEVERE. SEE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCHES 106 AND 110 FOR ADDITIONAL
DETAILS.

OTHERWISE...SMALL THUNDERSTORM CHANCES EXIST OVERNIGHT WITH THE
PRIMARY ASSOCIATED HAZARDS BEING LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT INCLUDE A
SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS FOR DAMAGING WIND AND LARGE HAIL.
ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO A POSSIBILITY WITH THE BEST CHANCE
TIME PERIOD FOR STRONG OR SEVERE STORMS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.

MORE STORM CHANCES EXIST OVER THE WEEKEND AND MAY INCLUDE A THREAT
FOR SEVERE WEATHER HAZARDS AS WELL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING
HOURS...ESPECIALLY IN THOSE AREAS MENTIONED IN THE FIRST PARAGRAPH ABOVE.

JP

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 26, 5:38 PM CDT, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
538 PM CDT TUE APR 26 2016

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

0517 PM     LIGHTNING        EVANSVILLE              37.98N 87.54W
04/26/2016                   VANDERBURGH        IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TWO RESIDENTIAL STRUCTURE FIRES BELIEVED TO BE CAUSED BY
            LIGHTNING PER EVANSVILLE DISPATCH

0523 PM     TSTM WND GST     POPLAR BLUFF            36.76N 90.41W
04/26/2016  M59.00 MPH       BUTLER             MO   ASOS

&&

BP2

Local storm report, Apr 26, 5:41 PM CDT, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
541 PM CDT TUE APR 26 2016

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

0514 PM     HAIL             EVANSVILLE              37.98N 87.54W
04/26/2016  M1.00 INCH       VANDERBURGH        IN   PUBLIC

            PICTURES SENT TO MEDIA FROM A VIEWER

&&

BP2

Local storm report, Apr 26, 5:46 PM CDT, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
546 PM CDT TUE APR 26 2016

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

0542 PM     TSTM WND GST     6 W EVANSVILLE          37.98N 87.65W
04/26/2016  E60 MPH          VANDERBURGH        IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ESTIMATED 55-60 MPH.

&&

BP2

Local storm report, Apr 26, 5:50 PM CDT, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
550 PM CDT TUE APR 26 2016

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

0549 PM     TSTM WND GST     BURNA                   37.26N 88.39W
04/26/2016  E40 MPH          LIVINGSTON         KY   EMERGENCY MNGR

            PEA SIZE HAIL TOO.

&&

BP2

Local storm report, Apr 26, 5:52 PM CDT, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
552 PM CDT TUE APR 26 2016

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

0546 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     EVANSVILLE              37.98N 87.54W
04/26/2016                   VANDERBURGH        IN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            REPORTED BY SPOTTERS AND FIRE DEPARTMENT. FUNNEL CAME
            DOWN AND WENT BACK UP.

&&

BP2

Local storm report, Apr 26, 5:55 PM CDT, 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
555 PM CDT TUE APR 26 2016

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

0554 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG EVANSVILLE              37.98N 87.54W
04/26/2016                   VANDERBURGH        IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            60-70 MPH WINDS REPORTED IN ANGEL MOUNDS WITH LARGE LIMBS
            DOWN

&&

BP2

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 26, 3:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Pike	23 min
Apr 26, 3:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Gibson, Pike	9 min
Apr 26, 4:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Gibson, Posey	23 min
Apr 26, 4:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Posey	14 min
Apr 26, 4:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Vanderburgh	34 min
Apr 26, 5:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Vanderburgh, Warrick	42 min
Apr 26, 5:55 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PAH	Vanderburgh	2 hr
Apr 26, 6:10 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	PAH	Gibson, Pike	3 hr
Apr 26, 6:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Spencer, Warrick	45 min
Apr 26, 6:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Spencer	30 min
Apr 26, 5:11 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Livingston	34 min
Apr 26, 6:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Daviess, McLean	33 min
Apr 26, 6:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Hopkins	21 min
Apr 26, 6:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	PAH	Daviess	27 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Indiana, 2016 Tornado Warnings in Kentucky, 2016 Every tornado warning in 2016 Tornadoes in 2016

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.