Alert archive / Kentucky / Flash Flood Watches in 2019

Flash Flood Watch 7, NWS Louisville, KY

November 30, 201948 counties in Kentucky; 8 counties in Indiana

NWS Louisville, KY issued this flash flood watch at Nov 30, 2019, 1:12 PM CST for 48 counties in Kentucky; 8 counties in Indiana. It was in force for 13 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Nov 30, 2019, 1:12 PM CST (19:12 UTC)
Expired
Dec 1, 2019, 2:00 AM CST
In force
13 hr
Issued by
NWS Louisville, KY
Flood severity
None
All 56 counties

Clark County, IN, Crawford County, IN, Dubois County, IN, Floyd County, IN, Harrison County, IN, Orange County, IN, Perry County, IN, Washington County, IN, Adair County, KY, Allen County, KY, Anderson County, KY, Barren County, KY, Bourbon County, KY, Boyle County, KY, Breckinridge County, KY, Bullitt County, KY, Butler County, KY, Casey County, KY, Clark County, KY, Clinton County, KY, Cumberland County, KY, Edmonson County, KY, Fayette County, KY, Franklin County, KY, Garrard County, KY, Grayson County, KY, Green County, KY, Hancock County, KY, Hardin County, KY, Harrison County, KY, Hart County, KY, Henry County, KY, Jefferson County, KY, Jessamine County, KY, Larue County, KY, Lincoln County, KY, Logan County, KY, Madison County, KY, Marion County, KY, Meade County, KY, Mercer County, KY, Metcalfe County, KY, Monroe County, KY, Nelson County, KY, Nicholas County, KY, Ohio County, KY, Oldham County, KY, Russell County, KY, Scott County, KY, Shelby County, KY, Simpson County, KY, Spencer County, KY, Taylor County, KY, Warren County, KY, Washington County, KY, Woodford County, KY

The radar

The Louisville radar (KLVX), 46 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:14 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 7.2 hours before the alert went out and 200 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 2019-11-30Temperature 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°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 2019-11-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 243 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1008 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
243 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
261 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood watch went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Louisville, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood watch went out at Nov 30, 11:28 AM CST, 1 hour 44 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 30, 11:28 AM CST, 1 hour 44 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Louisville KY
1228 PM EST Sat Nov 30 2019

...Updated Aviation Discussion...

.Forecast Update...
Updated at 1025 AM EST Sat Nov 30 2019

Current forecast remains on track. Widespread rain continues to move
in from the west ahead of a warm front currently stretched across
southern Kentucky. We may see some breaks from the rain this
afternoon (as noted currently in portions of western KY, southern
IL, and southeastern MO), with coverage becoming less widespread as
we head into the evening hours. Coverage of showers and storms will
then pick up again overnight as forcing/lift increase ahead cold
front.

A plume of weak elevated instability will move in from the west late
this afternoon and evening and could contribute to the development
of isolated to scattered storms. Fortunately, despite strong shear
in place, a modest inversion near the surface should keep storms
from becoming surface-based and hamper any wind threat. If we get
some stronger convection to develop, such as what some runs of the
HRRR show, it's possible we could see an isolated strong to severe
wind gust to make it down to the surface, mainly across southern
Kentucky. The more likely scenario is that the surface inversion
keeps storms in check and non-severe later today and tonight.

We have also picked up quite a bit of rain over the last 12-18
hours, and with current rainfall forecasts in place, some of the
smaller rivers in our region are projected to rise above action
stage over the next day or two. A couple could even get into minor
flooding stage if we overachieve on rainfall for the rest of the
event. Additionally, with soils being fairly saturated from the
rainfall we've received today, we will have to watch for a low-end
flash flood potential in any training convection that develops.
Fortunately, most CAMs suggest the convective activity to remain
more scattered in nature, which should prevent any widespread issues.

Updated at 525 AM EST Sat Nov 30 2019

Widespread moderate rain continues across the whole area except for
far southern KY. Since midnight, a heavier swath of rain has fallen
from southern IN east-southeast through Louisville, Taylorsville,
and Richmond. Totals since midnight in this band are 0.75-1.00
inches of rain. While this is a bit of an outlier, SDF actually
picked up 0.46 inches in the hour ending at 456 AM EST.

An additional 0.50-1.00 inches of rain will be possible in the 12-
18z time frame as widespread rain continues, possibly with isolated
embedded convection. Minor flooding issues will likely become a bit
more common, particularly in low spots, given the duration of
moderate rainfall. WPC has highlighted the region with a Marginal
Risk for Excessive Rainfall.

&&

.Short Term...(Today and tonight)
Issued at 330 AM EST Sat Nov 30 2019

Widespread light to moderate rain is ongoing over north-central
Kentucky and southern Indiana early this morning. Warmer air aloft
continues to ride over a sfc warm front draped across the Tennessee
Valley. A strong High Plains low will rotate eastward across
Nebraska today. Strengthening SW low level flow between this low and
a Gulf high is fueling heavier showers and scattered storms in
southeast MO and southern IL early this morning. This activity is on
the nose of max 925 mb moisture transport/temp advection.

The lull in precip we're seeing over southern KY will fill in
through the mid to late morning hours as activity upstream fills in.
So PoPs are at 100 today across the area. Isolated to widely
scattered storms will also be possible, mainly in the late afternoon
and evening hours. A couple of rogue lightning strikes have survived
into the area from the west this morning. But any storms will be
elevated. MUCAPE is forecast to peak around 250-400 J/kg between 21-
03z this evening. PWATs will max out around 1.4 inches today ahead
of the cold front tonight, so heavy rainfall will be possible this
afternoon into tonight as well. Some minor flooding in low spots
could occur, but the risk for flash flooding is quite low.

So it's a rather dismal day of weather with temperatures starting
out fairly cool still. The warm front finally lifting north across
the area will allow temps to max out in the 50s to near 60 in the
south late in the day. The cold front sweeps through tonight, and
forecast soundings show stronger winds throughout the column. Gusts
of 25-35 mph look likely after 00z. Temperatures will remain in the
upper 50s to around 60 through 06z before taking a quick dip behind
fropa. Lows Sun morning will be in the 40s. Skies will clear out
fairly quickly by 09-12z Sun with the arrival of the dry slot.

.Long Term...(Sunday through Friday)
Issued at 245 AM EST Sat Nov 30 2019

Much of Sunday will be dry and quite breezy as a dry slot wraps into
the Ohio Valley. This system looks a bit colder than what we saw
earlier in the week, with a shorter window of clearing. Thus
confidence in strong wind gusts is limited, but still expect 30-35
mph gusts at times. Center of the upper low scoots into NW Ohio late
in the day, so precip chances will ramp back up in the afternoon,
especially for southern Indiana.

Likely to categorical POPs Sunday night into Monday morning for
southern Indiana and over into the Bluegrass region of Kentucky.
Temperature profiles leave plenty of opportunity for a few
snowflakes to mix in, but the upper low remains far enough to our
north and east that the rates shouldn't be enough for it to be
impactful. Even though precip chances diminish by midday Monday, the
flavor of the day will be mostly chilly and raw, with plenty of
cloud cover and temps struggling to crack 40 in the afternoon.

NW flow pattern flattens out through the middle of the week, so
we'll see quiet and cool weather Mon night through Thursday. An
upper wave passes overhead Tue night, but will be too moisture
starved for any precip. A fast-moving southern stream system will
scoot across the Deep South on Friday. Any impacts will be
determined by its ability to phase with the northern stream, so will
just hold onto low chance POPs for Friday.

&&

.Aviation...(18Z TAF Issuance)
Issued at 1226 PM EST Sat Nov 30 2019

Widespread MVFR to LIFR cigs, poor visibilities, and widespread rain
showers are being observed across the region this afternoon. A few
thunderstorms have been embedded in some of the showers, so VCTS has
been introduced for many of the TAF sites.

Expect the poor flying conditions and precipitation to continue
through the first half of the night. After midnight, a cold front
will sweep in from the west, and we'll see VFR cigs/vis quickly
return to the area. Winds will be breezy out of the southwest,
particularly after sunrise tomorrow morning where gusts near 30kts
will be possible.

&&

.LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IN...None.
KY...None.
&&

Update...EBW/DM
Short Term...EBW
Long Term...RAS
Aviation...DM
Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 30, 2:40 AM CST, 10 hours 32 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Louisville KY
340 AM EST Sat Nov 30 2019

INZ076>079-083-084-089>092-KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067-
070>078-081-082-010845-
Orange-Washington-Scott-Jefferson-Dubois-Crawford-Perry-Harrison-
Floyd-Clark-Hancock-Breckinridge-Meade-Ohio-Grayson-Hardin-Bullitt-
Oldham-Trimble-Henry-Shelby-Franklin-Spencer-Anderson-Woodford-
Fayette-Bourbon-Nicholas-Nelson-Mercer-Jessamine-Larue-Marion-Boyle-
Garrard-Madison-Butler-Edmonson-Hart-Green-Taylor-Casey-Lincoln-
Logan-Warren-Simpson-Allen-Barren-Monroe-Metcalfe-Adair-Russell-
Cumberland-Clinton-
Including the cities of Paoli, Salem, Scottsburg, Madison, Jasper,
English, Tell City, Corydon, New Albany, Jeffersonville, Lewisport,
Hawesville, Hardinsburg, Brandenburg, Hartford, Leitchfield,
Elizabethtown, Shepherdsville, Louisville, La Grange, Bedford,
Milton, New Castle, Shelbyville, Frankfort, Georgetown, Cynthiana,
Taylorsville, Lawrenceburg, Versailles, Lexington, Paris, Carlisle,
Bardstown, Springfield, Harrodsburg, Nicholasville, Winchester,
Hodgenville, Lebanon, Danville, Lancaster, Richmond, Morgantown,
Brownsville, Horse Cave, Greensburg, Campbellsville, Liberty,
Stanford, Russellville, Bowling Green, Franklin, Providence,
Scottsville, Glasgow, Tompkinsville, Edmonton, Columbia, Jamestown,
Burkesville, and Albany
340 AM EST Sat Nov 30 2019 /240 AM CST Sat Nov 30 2019/

This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of south central
Indiana and Central Kentucky.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight.

Locally heavy rain is forecast this afternoon into tonight. Minor
flooding problems are expected in spots that collect water easily.
Wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph will be possible tonight.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

Breezy conditions are expected Sunday, with 30 to 40 mph wind gusts
possible.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time.

EBW/RAS

In the hours before

Local storm report, Nov 30, 12:33 PM CST, 39 minutes before
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Local storm report, Nov 30, 12:55 PM CST, 17 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
155 PM EST SAT NOV 30 2019

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

0154 PM     HEAVY RAIN       3 WNW EKRON             37.95N 86.22W
11/30/2019  M3.06 INCH       MEADE              KY   MESONET

            24 HOUR RAINFALL AT THE KENTUCKY MESONET
            SITE.

&&

MRC
Local storm report, Nov 30, 1:02 PM CST, 10 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
202 PM EST SAT NOV 30 2019

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

1216 PM     FLOOD            2 WSW VINE GROVE        37.80N 86.01W
11/30/2019                   HARDIN             KY   NWS EMPLOYEE

            NWS EMPLOYEE REPORTED CREEKS AND DITCHES
            WERE FULL OR OVERFLOWING AND A FEW LOW WATER
            SPOTS HAD WATER OVER THEM.

&&

BJS
Local storm report, Nov 30, 1:03 PM CST, 9 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
203 PM EST SAT NOV 30 2019

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

1155 AM     FLOOD            LAWRENCEBURG            38.04N 84.89W
11/30/2019                   ANDERSON           KY   PUBLIC

            RECEIVED A PUBLIC REPORT AND PICTURES OF
            MINOR STREET FLOODING. PONDING OF WATER AND
            FULL DITCHES.

&&

BJS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Nov 30, 9:46 AM CSTRiver Flood AdvisoryLMKBourbon36 hr
Nov 30, 10:15 AM CSTRiver Flood AdvisoryLMKOhio36 hr
Nov 30, 10:19 AM CSTRiver Flood WarningLMKButler, Warren5 days
Nov 30, 10:29 AM CSTRiver Flood AdvisoryLMKFranklin4 hr
Nov 30, 10:29 AM CSTRiver Flood AdvisoryLMKHardin, Nelson4 hr
Nov 30, 11:04 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKAnderson, Franklin, Marion, Mercer, Nelson, Shelby and 3 more3 hr
Nov 30, 11:22 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKBreckinridge, Hardin, Meade3 hr
Nov 30, 11:44 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKBourbon, Clark, Fayette, Franklin, Garrard, Harrison and 6 more3 hr
Nov 30, 11:50 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKJefferson3 hr
Nov 30, 1:28 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementLMKButler, Hancock, Ohio32 min
Nov 30, 1:47 PM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKAdair, Boyle, Casey, Garrard, Lincoln, Madison and 3 more3 hr
Nov 30, 1:47 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningLMKButler, Muhlenberg, Ohio5 days
Nov 30, 1:55 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningLMKBreckinridge, Bullitt, Grayson, Hancock, Hardin, Larue and 4 more4 hr
Nov 30, 1:58 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningLMKFranklin32 hr
Nov 30, 1:58 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningLMKHardin, Nelson3 days
Nov 30, 2:03 PM CSTRiver Flood AdvisoryLMKHart21 hr
Nov 30, 2:09 PM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKMeade3 hr
Nov 30, 2:17 PM CSTAreal Flood WarningLMKAnderson, Boyle, Franklin, Henry, Marion, Mercer and 5 more3 hr
Nov 30, 2:41 PM CSTFlash Flood WarningLMKBoyle, Casey, Garrard, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison and 5 more3 hr
Nov 30, 2:44 PM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKJefferson, Oldham2 hr
Nov 30, 5:12 PM CSTRiver Flood WarningLMKOhio58 hr
Nov 30, 5:18 PM CSTSpecial Weather StatementLMKCumberland, Monroe27 min
Nov 30, 5:35 PM CSTAreal Flood WarningLMKBoyle, Casey, Garrard, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison and 3 more6 hr
Nov 30, 5:58 PM CSTAreal Flood WarningLMKBreckinridge, Hardin, Larue6 hr
Nov 30, 11:27 AM CSTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKCrawford, Dubois, Orange, Perry3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Watches in Kentucky, 2019Flash Flood Watches in Indiana, 2019Every flash flood watch in 2019

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.