Alert archive / Kentucky / Flash Flood Warnings in 2025
Flash Flood Warning 50, NWS Jackson, KY
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.
- 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
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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</html>The office that day
Everything else NWS Jackson, KY issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 16, 9:13 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Bell | 47 min |
| Jul 16, 10:05 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Fleming | 3 hr |
| Jul 17, 12:26 AM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Bell, Harlan | 8 hr |
| Jul 17, 12:56 AM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | JKL | Bell, Harlan | 3 hr |
| Jul 17, 2:57 AM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Bell, Harlan, Knox | 84 min |
| Jul 17, 3:35 AM EDT | Flood Watch | JKL | Bath, Bell, Breathitt, Clay, Elliott, Estill and 26 more | 45 hr |
| Jul 17, 12:30 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Breathitt | 30 min |
| Jul 17, 2:23 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Bath, Fleming, Rowan | 3 hr |
| Jul 17, 2:28 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Rowan | 32 min |
| Jul 17, 3:04 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Fleming | 26 min |
| Jul 17, 3:19 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Rowan | 26 min |
| Jul 17, 3:28 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Fleming, Rowan | 3 hr |
| Jul 17, 3:44 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | JKL | Fleming, Rowan | 3 hr |
| Jul 17, 3:47 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JKL | Bath, Fleming, Rowan | 28 min |
| Jul 17, 3:53 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Bath, Fleming | 37 min |
| Jul 17, 4:02 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Bath, Rowan | 118 min |
| Jul 17, 4:13 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Elliott | 32 min |
| Jul 17, 4:14 PM EDT | Flash Flood Warning | JKL | Elliott | 3 hr |
| Jul 17, 4:31 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Elliott, Rowan | 119 min |
| Jul 17, 5:02 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Morgan, Powell, Wolfe | 28 min |
| Jul 17, 5:26 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Johnson, Magoffin, Martin, Wolfe | 34 min |
| Jul 17, 6:10 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Estill, Powell | 3 hr |
| Jul 17, 6:22 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Pike | 38 min |
| Jul 17, 6:49 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Montgomery | 41 min |
| Jul 17, 7:00 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Estill, Jackson, Lee, Powell, Wolfe | 3 hr |
| Jul 17, 7:01 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Pike | 44 min |
| Jul 17, 7:11 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Knox, Whitley | 3 hr |
| Jul 17, 7:13 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Knox | 47 min |
| Jul 17, 7:35 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | McCreary, Wayne | 7 hr |
| Jul 17, 7:56 PM EDT | Areal Flood Advisory | JKL | Knox, Laurel, McCreary, Whitley | 5 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.