Alert archive / Kentucky / Flash Flood Warnings in 2025

Flash Flood Warning 50, NWS Jackson, KY

July 17, 2025Knox County, Whitley County, Kentucky

NWS Jackson, KY issued this flash flood warning at Jul 17, 2025, 7:23 PM EDT for Knox County, Whitley County, Kentucky. It was in force for 5 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 17, 2025, 7:23 PM EDT (23:23 UTC)
Expired
Jul 18, 2025, 12:00 AM EDT
In force
5 hr
Issued by
NWS Jackson, KY
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Knox County, KY, Whitley County, KY

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 90 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:27 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, 11.4 hours before the alert went out and 245 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 2025-07-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1248 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2025-07-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 51 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1248 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-65 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
913 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
51 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
42 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 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 flash flood warning went out at Jul 17, 4:07 PM EDT, 3 hours 16 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Flood Watch for risk of isolated to scattered flash flooding remains in effect through 8 PM EDT, Friday.
  • Thunderstorms this evening and Friday could produce heavy rainfall. Flash flooding is the primary concern where storms repeatedly track over the same locations.
  • The humid and stagnant pattern will persist, keeping the environment primed for isolated/scattered instances of flash flooding through the weekend.
  • Heat indices will become oppressive next week as a hotter air mass returns. Values are forecast to reach as high as 105F in the warmest places on Tuesday with even higher values possible by Wednesday and Thursday.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 17, 4:07 PM EDT, 3 hours 16 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
National Weather Service Jackson KY
407 PM EDT Thu Jul 17 2025

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Flood Watch for risk of isolated to scattered flash flooding
  remains in effect through 8 PM EDT, Friday.

- Thunderstorms this evening and Friday could produce heavy
  rainfall. Flash flooding is the primary concern where storms
  repeatedly track over the same locations.

- The humid and stagnant pattern will persist, keeping the
  environment primed for isolated/scattered instances of flash
  flooding through the weekend.

- Heat indices will become oppressive next week as a hotter air
  mass returns. Values are forecast to reach as high as 105F in
  the warmest places on Tuesday with even higher values possible
  by Wednesday and Thursday.

&&

.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday night)
Issued at 323 PM EDT THU JUL 17 2025

Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms continue to move
across eastern Kentucky this afternoon and evening. Some of these
thunderstorms have the potential to produce strong to damaging wind
gusts, as well as heavy rainfall, and high precip rates. Rain
falling repeatedly over the same locations could lead to flash
flooding. As such the SPC has the area under a Marginal Risk for
severe weather, and the WPC has the area  under a Slight Risk for
excessive rainfall through 8 AM Friday. A Flood Watch also remains
in effect for the entire area, minus Wayne county.

Instability has been slowly "loading" across the area this
afternoon, with a widespread Surface CAPE of 3000-4500 J/kg, with
the highest values across the Bluegrass. A somewhat strong vort-
maxima precedes a surface cold front that will be slowly working
its way across the Ohio Valley this afternoon and evening. CAMS
have somewhat struggled with this pattern the last few days, with
several members across multiple runs under doing model precip
output. This is likely partly attributed to models under doing
dewpoints (or available moisture) across the area. Surface
dewpoints have been observed in the mid to upper 70s, with the
highest dewpoint of 80 being observed in Bath, Morgan, and
Breathitt so far. The NAMNEST seems to have the highest modeled
dewpoints as it relates to observations, however they still only
touch 74-75F in runs, and the model itself has struggled to handle
current radar trends.

The 09Z RAP shows a strong 500-mb Vorticity maxima along the cold
frontal passage this evening. The lift available suggests that
storms could linger through the overnight hours, and into tomorrow
morning. The potential remains that somewhere, training storms
could lead to rain totals over 2 inches, most favored along and
north of I-64.

A later run of the RAP, the 15Z is slower with the frontal passage
and has a more persistent rain Friday afternoon. Regardless, Showers
and thunderstorms are expected Friday, as quasi-zonal flow remains
off to the west, with another vort-maxima set to move into eastern
Kentucky. This vort-maxima is stronger than the last few days, and
will aid in lift and storm growth. A strong Bermuda high off the SE
Atlantic coast will continue to transport warm, moist air into the
area out of the southwest. SCAPE is elevated again tomorrow with
4000 J/kg, more than enough to support convection. PWATs will
remain near 2 inches for tomorrow, with the area in a Marginal
Risk for excessive rainfall. Rain falling repeatedly over the same
locations could lead to instances of flash flooding.

.LONG TERM...(Saturday through Thursday)
Issued at 353 PM EDT THU JUL 17 2025

The 17/12z model suite remains in good agreement on the large-
scale pattern -- a stagnant, humid, and muggy pattern will linger
through at least next Thursday. The long-term analysis beginning
Saturday morning shows an ~596 dam high over the Florida Peninsula
with a ridge axis extending west northwest to over the Texas
Panhandle. A quasi-zonal 500 hPa flow lingers atop the ridging
over the northern CONUS from the Plains eastward through New
England. A temporarily retreating boundary extends from the
Delmarva Peninsula to a weak wave of low pressure over the Upper
Midwest and then southwest into the prairies of Kansas and
Nebraska. Multiple 500 hPa disturbances (vorticity maxima) are
riding the baroclinic zone. One of those more prominent
disturbances will be riding across the Lower Ohio Valley while
additional disturbances are noted upstream over the Central Plains
and Central Rockies. PWATs remain near 150 percent of normal in
the 1.9 to 2.1 inch range.

For Saturday and Sunday, the upper level high will continue
retrograding to near the Mississippi Delta while the wavering
frontal boundary sags back toward the Ohio River. PWATs remain
high in the 1.8 to 2.1 inch range (or ~90th percentile relative to
climatology). Instability values climb to between 2,000 to 3,000+
J/kg of MUCAPE each afternoon. For the time being, not seeing a
particularly strong signal in moisture transport or convergence to
signal a potential widespread flooding event. However, the
ongoing daily rounds of showers and storms will continue to prime
our area for flash flooding for when showers and storms are most
widespread on Saturday and Sunday. The parameter space will remain
quite favorable at times for persistent training and/or repeated
rounds of convection. While it is too far out to pinpoint specific
locations where the heaviest activity might occur, the
environment appears supportive of flash flooding, perhaps locally
high impact. The ECMWF EFI does show a weak signal for an unusual
QPF event north of the Mountain Parkway from Friday night through
Saturday--however, mesoscale and topographic effects are not
necessarily well captured. Those with interests near streams and
smaller rivers across all of eastern Kentucky are encouraged to
monitor later forecasts and be alert for potential flood
headlines.

From Monday through Thursday, the upper level high will drift
northward to over the Mid-Mississippi Valley while the boundary
again retreats northeast. This will allow a hotter and still very
humid air mass to infiltrate our region. Disturbances riding down
the eastern side of the high will favor additional convection and
possible MCSs diving into our region from the Upper Midwest at
times. However, there should be considerable sunshine and rain-
free time as well. Heat indices could approach the Heat Advisory
threshold (105F) in the warmest spots on Tuesday and are favored
to meet or exceed criteria on Wednesday and Thursday.

Sensible weather will feature periods of showers and
thunderstorms, some with torrential downpours, through the
upcoming weekend. Isolated to scattered instances of flash flood
appear increasingly probable and could become significant in the
hardest hit locales. The most widespread rainfall is expected
during the afternoon and evening hours, but showers and
thunderstorms will remain possible during the night as well and
could still produce torrential rainfall late into the night. High
temperatures are forecast to reach mainly into the 80s through
Sunday while nights remain very muggy as temperatures only settle
back into the lower 70s. Looking ahead to the new work week,
temperatures are forecast to begin climbing a few degrees warmer
each day while humidity levels remain high. Increasingly
oppressive heat indices could flirt with 95 to 105F by Tuesday
afternoon and then warm further into the 100 to 110F range for
Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Shower and thunderstorm chances
will linger, though coverage is expected to be less than over the
weekend.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday afternoon)
ISSUED AT 205 PM EDT THU JUL 17 2025

Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms continue across
eastern Kentucky this afternoon, with current flight conditions
hovering right around VFR and MVFR. Ceilings are BKN 3000 and may
drop further along with visibilities with any direct hit from a
thunderstorm through 04Z this evening. A PROB30 group has been
added through 04Z this evening at all TAF sites. A lull in
thunderstorm activity is expected from 04Z-10Z this evening, with
redevelopment thereafter. A Prob30 has been reintroduced at SYM
for this chance. In general ceilings will remain low end VFR high
end MVFR through the period. Winds will be light through the TAF
period.

&&

.JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
Flood Watch through Friday evening for KYZ044-050>052-058>060-
068-069-079-080-084>088-104-106>120.

&&

SHORT TERM...GINNICK
LONG TERM...GEERTSON
AVIATION...GINNICK
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 17, 3:43 PM EDT, 3 hours 40 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Jackson KY
343 PM EDT Thu Jul 17 2025

KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-084>088-104-106>120-181200-
Fleming-Montgomery-Bath-Rowan-Estill-Powell-Menifee-Rockcastle-
Jackson-Pulaski-Laurel-McCreary-Whitley-Knox-Bell-Harlan-Elliott-
Morgan-Johnson-Wolfe-Magoffin-Floyd-Lee-Breathitt-Knott-Owsley-Perry-
Clay-Leslie-Letcher-Martin-Pike-
343 PM EDT Thu Jul 17 2025

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING...

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a portion of eastern Kentucky.

.DAY ONE...Through Tonight.

Thunderstorms are expected across the area through tonight. Heavy
rain and gusty to damaging winds are the main threats from these.
Heavy rain falling repeatedly over the same locations could lead to
flash flooding.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

Thunderstorms are expected at times from Friday through Wednesday,
especially during afternoon and evening hours. Some storms could
produce locally heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

KYZ083-181200-
Wayne-
343 PM EDT Thu Jul 17 2025

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a portion of eastern Kentucky.

.DAY ONE...Through Tonight.

Thunderstorms are possible through tonight. Some of these could
contain locally heavy rainfall and gusty to damaging wind gusts.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

Thunderstorms are expected at times from Friday through Wednesday,
especially during afternoon and evening hours. Some storms could
produce locally heavy rainfall.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

GINNICK/GEERTSON

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 17, 5:42 PM EDT, 1 hour 41 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 17, 5:52 PM EDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 17, 6:22 PM EDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
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Special weather statement, Jul 17, 6:49 PM EDT, 34 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 17, 7:01 PM EDT, 22 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 17, 7:13 PM EDT, 10 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 16, 9:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLBell47 min
Jul 16, 10:05 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryJKLFleming3 hr
Jul 17, 12:26 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryJKLBell, Harlan8 hr
Jul 17, 12:56 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningJKLBell, Harlan3 hr
Jul 17, 2:57 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryJKLBell, Harlan, Knox84 min
Jul 17, 3:35 AM EDTFlood WatchJKLBath, Bell, Breathitt, Clay, Elliott, Estill and 26 more45 hr
Jul 17, 12:30 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLBreathitt30 min
Jul 17, 2:23 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryJKLBath, Fleming, Rowan3 hr
Jul 17, 2:28 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLRowan32 min
Jul 17, 3:04 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLFleming26 min
Jul 17, 3:19 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLRowan26 min
Jul 17, 3:28 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryJKLFleming, Rowan3 hr
Jul 17, 3:44 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningJKLFleming, Rowan3 hr
Jul 17, 3:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningJKLBath, Fleming, Rowan28 min
Jul 17, 3:53 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLBath, Fleming37 min
Jul 17, 4:02 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryJKLBath, Rowan118 min
Jul 17, 4:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLElliott32 min
Jul 17, 4:14 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningJKLElliott3 hr
Jul 17, 4:31 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryJKLElliott, Rowan119 min
Jul 17, 5:02 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLMorgan, Powell, Wolfe28 min
Jul 17, 5:26 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLJohnson, Magoffin, Martin, Wolfe34 min
Jul 17, 6:10 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryJKLEstill, Powell3 hr
Jul 17, 6:22 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLPike38 min
Jul 17, 6:49 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLMontgomery41 min
Jul 17, 7:00 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryJKLEstill, Jackson, Lee, Powell, Wolfe3 hr
Jul 17, 7:01 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLPike44 min
Jul 17, 7:11 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryJKLKnox, Whitley3 hr
Jul 17, 7:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementJKLKnox47 min
Jul 17, 7:35 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryJKLMcCreary, Wayne7 hr
Jul 17, 7:56 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryJKLKnox, Laurel, McCreary, Whitley5 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Kentucky, 2025Every flash flood warning in 2025

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.