Alert archive / Kentucky / River Flood Warnings in 2023
River Flood Warning 2, NWS Jackson, KY
NWS Jackson, KY issued this river flood warning at Feb 16, 2023, 6:17 PM EST for Estill County, Kentucky. It took effect at Feb 17, 2023, 1:50 AM EST. It was in force for 3 days.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Feb 16, 2023, 6:17 PM EST (23:17 UTC)
- In effect from
- Feb 17, 2023, 1:50 AM EST
- Expired
- Feb 20, 2023, 5:08 AM EST
- In force
- 3 days
- Issued by
- NWS Jackson, KY
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Flood severity
- Minor
County Estill County, KY
The radar
The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 58 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:20 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 river
Written for the forecast point Kentucky River near Ravenna (RAVK2). The gauge peaked at 31.24 ft at Feb 18, 2023, 7:00 PM EST.
- Action stage
- 17 ft
- Minor stage
- 21 ft
- Moderate stage
- 25 ft
- Major stage
- 31 ft
This gauge today: stage, forecast and historic crests
Stage from the USGS instantaneous record for site 03282120, one reading an hour, from a day before the product to a day after it ended. Flood stages are today's.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this river flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Jackson, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this river flood warning went out at Feb 16, 3:40 PM EST, 2 hours 37 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 16, 3:40 PM EST, 2 hours 37 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Jackson KY 340 PM EST Thu Feb 16 2023 .UPDATE... Issued at 236 PM EST THU FEB 16 2023 The forecast was updated around mid day to take trends into consideration-- holding onto greater precip coverage in our northern counties today, and lowering temps due to extensive precip. The severe wx threat has waned for much of the area due to cooler surface temps. Our southwestern counties, south of the widespread rain, have the best combination of elevated temps and dew points and stand the best shot at svr wx. With flooding already having occurred in our northern counties, will need to monitor the expected increase in precip coverage ahead of the cold front this evening. At least models seem to suggest that the heaviest precip this evening may be over the southern part of the area, sparing some of the more northern areas hardest hit during the day. UPDATE Issued at 750 AM EST THU FEB 16 2023 The continued trend for some of the heavier rains to fall to the north per radar trends and the CAMs consensus - with some gaudy QPF from various runs of the HRRR - have prompted an expansion of the Flash Flood Watch further north in eastern Kentucky. Have updated the grids primarily to fine tune the PoPs and beef up QPF north. Did also add in the latest obs and trends for the T/Td grids. These updates have been sent to the NDFD and web servers along with a freshened set of zones, HWO, FFA, and SAFs. && .SHORT TERM...(Today through Friday) Issued at 535 AM EST THU FEB 16 2023 Key Messages: 1. Widespread showers, with times of thunderstorms and heavy rain, can be expected through tonight. 2. Severe thunderstorm potential primarily for our western and northern areas (northwest of Sandy Hook to Williamsburg) this evening and into the night with damaging wind gusts the main threat. 3. Turning colder late tonight after the front moves through with snow showers through the day on Friday. Any light accumulations will be limited to the higher terrain near the Virginia border. 09Z sfc analysis shows a developing area of low pressure just west of the state riding northeast along a well defined boundary off to the northwest of Kentucky. This features a tightening pressure gradient supporting south winds of near 10 mph through eastern Kentucky this morning. It is these winds, and additional ones aloft, that are pushing higher PW air into the state along with sustaining a warm air mass. As a result, within the WAA sector of the main low, bands of showers and embedded thunderstorm are moving slowly northeast through the area bringing decent QPF to the area with the pockets of heavier rain occurring this morning. In this environment, temperatures and dewpoints are fairly uniform in the unseasonably mild and wet mid to upper 50s. While sfc based instability is still paltry over the area predawn, some limited elevated CAPE has been able to keep thunder going amid the main shower clusters. The models are in surprisingly good agreement aloft through the period especially considering the dynamic pattern affecting the region. They all depict deep layer southwest flow tightening up today and into tonight as an opening up, once deep, 5h wave lifts from the Central Plains to the Great Lakes by Friday morning. This process manages to maintain the amplified pattern aloft through Friday by having a significant portion of the trough holding back through the Southern Plains even as its main core stretches off to the east. This will bring some stark height falls to eastern Kentucky tonight and Friday with a quite healthy band of energy sweeping across the JKL CWA while the 5h trough axis does not pass until near 00Z Saturday. The small model spread supports using the NBM guidance as the starting point with most adjustments centered on severe parameters and QPF - particularly in the near term. Sensible weather will feature four seasons of very active weather through the end of the work week. The ongoing heavy rain and thunderstorm threat early this morning will set the stage for potential flooding from training cells through the morning - capped off by a band of additional heavy rain moving through this evening and tonight. The main concern for this situation is the establishment of prolonged bands of training convection this morning saturating the soils and producing excess runoff where they set up. This remains a confidence challenge as the hi-res models have had a hard time pinpointing a consistent location for the band of highest QPF. Latest HRRR runs continue to shift to the northwest which could spare the Cumberland and parts of the Kentucky basins the worst runoff, but also target the Red and Licking basins. Up to 6 inches of its model QPF heightens concern for these locations. There is still enough model and ensemble support for heavy rain through the southeast 2/3rds of the area, and in conjunction with WPC's excessive rain outlook, to prompt the issuance of a Flood Watch into early Friday morning. However, near term convective and CAM trends may necessitate a shift in the Flood Watch and best QPF more northwest. This situation will be monitored through the morning for updates to headlines and forecast specifics as needed. The next weather challenge will come from the anticipated pre- frontal thunderstorm line moving west to east later this evening with a strong potential for severe weather developing in central Kentucky and progressing east toward the JKL CWA. This line of storms will probably weaken as it runs out of the best instability when moving into eastern Kentucky. However strong to damaging convective winds gusts will be the main threat from these storms when they get here, though some large hail or an isolated tornado cannot be ruled out should the convective line stay robust as it arrives. We continue to message the Enhanced and Slight Risk for severe weather this evening and into the night for this front. The front clears the area by dawn Friday with strong CAA in its wake and that will support ample lingering pcpn transitioning to snow showers from west to east as the column cools. Look for the upslope winds post frontal to support snow showers through most of the day over the area, though warm ground and road temperatures will minimize and zero out any impacts - outside of maybe the highest peaks near the Virgnia border. A return to winter weather will be a stark contrast as highs today in the mid and upper 60s are replaced by afternoon readings in the mid 30s for most on Friday. Did not adjust temperatures much from the NBM through the period but did favor the PoPs and QPF from the CAMs today and tonight - exceeding them on Friday to better capture the upslope snow showers. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Thursday) Issued at 340 PM EST THU FEB 16 2023 A ridge of high pressure will bring dry and pleasant weather to eastern Kentucky over the weekend. It will be a bit cooler on Saturday, as cooler air will still be in place. For Sunday, we should see a nice warm up, as winds pick up out of the south and clouds clear off during the day. In fact, above normal temperatures will likely prevail through out the extended period, as south to southwest winds persist and strengthen across the area. The coolest days should be Saturday and Monday, when we will see highs in the upper 40s and lower 50s and the low to mid 50s respectively. For the rest of the upcoming week, daily highs will max out in the 60s and lower 70s. Nightly lows will fall into the low to mid 30s on the coolest nights, and in the 40s and lower 50s on the warmest nights. A series of storm systems will bring repeated chances for rain to eastern Kentucky through out the week, beginning on Monday. After that, periods of rain will occur through the end of the week, with the afternoon and early evening hours being most active. It will be a bit breezy all week, but we could see southwest winds of 15 to 20 mph, with gusts of 20 to 30 mph, possible toward the end of the week. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday afternoon) ISSUED AT 236 PM EST THU FEB 16 2023 Conditions varied widely across the region at the start of the period, from VLIFR to VFR. The worst conditions were scattered within an area of showers and isolated thunderstorms affecting most places more than about 40 NM north of the TN border. The general scenario will persist for a while this afternoon. While precip persists most of the time from around KJKL northward, more showers and thunderstorms are expected to spread eastward into our southern counties near the TN border after about 22Z, reaching KEKQ 22-23Z, and the VA border by around 03Z. With precip expected at times area wide this evening, sub-VFR conditions are anticipated, at least at times. A cold front will pass through from west to east between about 03Z and 08Z, and precip will begin to taper off after the front comes through, mostly exiting the area by 12Z. However, mostly MVFR conditions are expected behind the front through the end of the period. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch through late tonight for KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068- 069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120. && UPDATE...HAL/GREIF SHORT TERM...GREIF LONG TERM...AR AVIATION...HAL
Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 16, 5:32 PM EST, 45 minutes before
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Local storm report, Feb 16, 3:39 PM EST, 2 hours 38 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
339 PM EST THU FEB 16 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0335 PM FLOOD 2 E BONANZA 37.69N 82.84W
02/16/2023 FLOYD KY TRAINED SPOTTER
18 INCHES OF FLOWING WATER OVER KY
1427/ABBOTT CREEK ROAD NEAR CREEK SIDE
DRIVE.
&&
JCSpecial weather statement, Feb 16, 3:52 PM EST, 2 hours 25 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
352 PM EST Thu Feb 16 2023
KYZ068-079-083-162130-
Wayne KY-Rockcastle KY-Pulaski KY-
352 PM EST Thu Feb 16 2023
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of northern Wayne,
Pulaski and western Rockcastle Counties through 430 PM EST...
At 352 PM EST, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Danville to near Jamestown. Movement was
northeast at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Faubush, Cains Store, Naomi, Pointer, Nancy, Pulaski County Park,
Magnum, Hogue, Stab, Somerset, Science Hill, Dabney, Bobtown,
Somerset Pulaski Airport, Elihu and Ruth.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
Interstate 75 in east central Kentucky between mile markers 60 and
72.
Kentucky Highway 80 in Pulaski County between mile markers 17 and
31.
Louis B. Nunn Parkway
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3692 8496 3696 8494 3695 8490 3700 8484
3705 8491 3712 8490 3736 8456 3733 8451
3748 8444 3747 8438 3754 8435 3751 8427
3752 8420 3690 8459 3689 8500
TIME...MOT...LOC 2052Z 245DEG 44KT 3769 8469 3696 8516
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
BBSpecial weather statement, Feb 16, 4:29 PM EST, 1 hour 48 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
429 PM EST Thu Feb 16 2023
KYZ058-059-068-069-079-080-162200-
Jackson KY-Estill KY-Rockcastle KY-Powell KY-Laurel KY-Pulaski KY-
429 PM EST Thu Feb 16 2023
...Strong thunderstorms will impact portions of southwestern Powell,
central Laurel, Estill, eastern Pulaski, western Jackson and
Rockcastle Counties through 500 PM EST...
At 428 PM EST, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from 6 miles south of Richmond to Somerset Pulaski
Airport. Movement was northeast at 65 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Strong thunderstorms will be near...
Winston, Kings Station, Rice Station, Fox, Blackburn, Witt and
Station Camp around 440 PM EST.
Irvine, Ravenna, Billows, Wiseman Crossing Station, Calloway
Crossing, Hargett, Sandhill, North Irvine, Weedon and West Irvine
around 445 PM EST.
Other locations in the path of these storms include Wood Creek Lake,
Cottage Furnace, Hardwick, Vaughns Mill, Hare, Bernstadt, Hazel
Patch, Camp Wildcat, Luner, Pitts, London, Stanton, East Bernstadt,
Victory, Knowlton, Carmichael, Mershons, Lamero, Pittsburg, Templer,
Atlanta, Peoples, Parrot, Eberle, Deese, Dabolt, Carico, Middlefork
and Ardery.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway between mile markers 21 and 24.
Hal Rogers Parkway near mile marker 1.
Interstate 75 in east central Kentucky between mile markers 38 and
72.
Kentucky Highway 80 in Laurel County between mile markers 1 and 11.
Kentucky Highway 80 in Pulaski County between mile markers 20 and
40.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3748 8445 3747 8438 3754 8435 3751 8426
3752 8420 3756 8416 3756 8409 3765 8413
3767 8409 3777 8409 3786 8381 3707 8411
3697 8467
TIME...MOT...LOC 2128Z 245DEG 58KT 3764 8430 3705 8461
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
BBLocal storm report, Feb 16, 5:06 PM EST, 1 hour 11 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
506 PM EST THU FEB 16 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0440 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NW PINE HILL 37.34N 84.28W
02/16/2023 ROCKCASTLE KY 911 CALL CENTER
TREE DOWN ON US 25.
&&
JCSpecial weather statement, Feb 16, 5:17 PM EST, 1 hour before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
517 PM EST Thu Feb 16 2023
KYZ080-086-116-162245-
Clay KY-Knox KY-Laurel KY-
517 PM EST Thu Feb 16 2023
...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of southeastern Laurel,
northwestern Knox and central Clay Counties through 545 PM EST...
At 516 PM EST, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Lesbas, or 7 miles southeast of London, moving east at 45 mph.
HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
This strong thunderstorm will be near...
Cane Creek, Lida, Gibbs, Knoxfork and Deer Lick around 520 PM EST.
Sasser, Lake, Bush, Blackwater, Marydell, Tedders, Sprule and
Fletcher around 525 PM EST.
Pigeonroost, Cottongin, Jonsee, Park Valley, Herron, Hooker,
Woollum, Urban and Haven around 530 PM EST.
Manchester, Bluehole, House, Hima, Horse Creek Junction, Sibert,
Littleton and Ogle around 535 PM EST.
Other locations in the path of this storm include Boho, Goose Rock,
Botto, Plank, Lipps, Brightshade, Hector, Spurlock and Barcreek.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
Hal Rogers Parkway between mile markers 4 and 31.
Interstate 75 in east central Kentucky between mile markers 35 and
38.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 3698 8408 3711 8411 3723 8363 3702 8356
TIME...MOT...LOC 2216Z 256DEG 38KT 3706 8398
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
BBSpecial weather statement, Feb 16, 5:45 PM EST, 32 minutes before
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</html>The office that day
Everything else NWS Jackson, KY issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 16, 2:14 AM EST | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Lee, Owsley, Wolfe | 31 min |
| Feb 16, 2:19 AM EST | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Breathitt | 26 min |
| Feb 16, 2:38 AM EST | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Breathitt | 52 min |
| Feb 16, 3:00 AM EST | Flood Watch | JKL | Bath, Bell, Breathitt, Clay, Elliott, Estill and 27 more | 25 hr |
| Feb 16, 10:31 AM EST | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Bath, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Lee, Menifee and 5 more | 6 hr |
| Feb 16, 10:38 AM EST | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Clay, Jackson, Laurel | 3 hr |
| Feb 16, 11:48 AM EST | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Jackson, Laurel, Rockcastle | 4 hr |
| Feb 16, 12:09 PM EST | Areal Flood Warning | JKL | Bath, Fleming, Menifee, Montgomery, Powell, Rowan | 6 hr |
| Feb 16, 12:20 PM EST | Areal Flood Warning | JKL | Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Jackson, Lee, Magoffin and 6 more | 6 hr |
| Feb 16, 1:51 PM EST | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Knott, Leslie, Perry | 3 hr |
| Feb 16, 2:51 PM EST | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Breathitt, Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, Morgan | 3 hr |
| Feb 16, 3:52 PM EST | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Pulaski, Rockcastle | 38 min |
| Feb 16, 3:57 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JKL | Pulaski | 33 min |
| Feb 16, 4:19 PM EST | River Flood Advisory | JKL | Estill, Powell | 7 hr |
| Feb 16, 4:29 PM EST | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Estill, Jackson, Laurel, Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle | 31 min |
| Feb 16, 4:38 PM EST | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Elliott, Morgan, Rowan | 3 hr |
| Feb 16, 4:41 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JKL | Clay, Estill, Jackson, Laurel, Lee, Owsley and 1 more | 34 min |
| Feb 16, 5:03 PM EST | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Breathitt, Clay, Jackson, Knott, Laurel, Leslie and 3 more | 7 hr |
| Feb 16, 5:07 PM EST | Flash Flood Warning | JKL | Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Jackson, Lee, Owsley and 3 more | 2 hr |
| Feb 16, 5:13 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JKL | Breathitt, Clay, Jackson, Lee, Leslie, Magoffin and 4 more | 32 min |
| Feb 16, 5:17 PM EST | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Clay | 28 min |
| Feb 16, 5:30 PM EST | Flash Flood Warning | JKL | Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Magoffin, Morgan, Perry and 2 more | 2 hr |
| Feb 16, 5:45 PM EST | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Floyd, Knott, Magoffin | 30 min |
| Feb 16, 6:02 PM EST | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Breathitt, Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, Morgan | 6 hr |
| Feb 16, 6:12 PM EST | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Breathitt, Clay, Estill, Jackson, Lee, Magoffin and 6 more | 6 hr |
| Feb 16, 6:17 PM EST | River Flood Warning | JKL | Lee | 60 hr |
| Feb 16, 6:27 PM EST | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Leslie | 33 min |
Nearby
River Flood Warnings in Kentucky, 2023Every river flood warning in 2023
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive; the gauge from the NWS water service and the USGS.