Alert archive / Kentucky / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2025
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 201, NWS Jackson, KY
NWS Jackson, KY issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 20, 2025, 3:24 PM EDT for Bell County, Knox County, Whitley County, Kentucky. It was in force for 36 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 20, 2025, 3:24 PM EDT (19:24 UTC)
- Expired
- May 20, 2025, 4:00 PM EDT
- In force
- 36 min
- Issued by
- NWS Jackson, KY
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Possible
- Hail
- 1.0 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
Counties Bell County, KY, Knox County, KY, Whitley County, KY
The radar
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 82 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:23 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 watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 1:10 PM EDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 7.4 hours before the alert went out and 253 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
- 1162 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -41 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 904 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 58 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 114 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 137 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.9
- Supercell composite
- 3.9
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 20, 2:57 PM EDT, 27 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 20, 2:57 PM EDT, 27 minutes before
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</html>Hazardous weather outlook, May 20, 1:23 PM EDT, 2 hours 1 minute before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Jackson KY 123 PM EDT Tue May 20 2025 KYZ050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-211100- Montgomery-Bath-Rowan-Estill-Powell-Menifee-Rockcastle-Jackson- Pulaski-Laurel-Wayne-McCreary-Whitley-Knox-Bell-Harlan-Elliott- Morgan-Johnson-Wolfe-Magoffin-Floyd-Lee-Breathitt-Knott-Owsley-Perry- Clay-Leslie-Letcher-Martin-Pike- 123 PM EDT Tue May 20 2025 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... ...TORNADO WATCH 302 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a portion of eastern Kentucky. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Thunderstorms are expected at times through late tonight. Some of these storms may be severe, with the greatest risk being damaging wind. However, tornadoes and large hail are also a possibility. Thunderstorms could also bring heavy rainfall and localized flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms on Wednesday. Thunderstorms are also possible in some locations Thursday evening, and Sunday afternoon through Monday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed. KYZ044-211100- Fleming- 123 PM EDT Tue May 20 2025 ...TORNADO WATCH 302 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a portion of eastern Kentucky. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Thunderstorms are expected at times through late tonight. Some of these storms may be severe, with the greatest risk being damaging wind. However, tornadoes and large hail are also a possibility. Thunderstorms could also bring heavy rainfall. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed. HAL
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 20, 1:38 PM EDT, 1 hour 46 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
138 PM EDT Tue May 20 2025
KYZ083-084-201815-
McCreary KY-Wayne KY-
138 PM EDT Tue May 20 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN WAYNE AND SOUTHWESTERN
MCCREARY COUNTIES THROUGH 215 PM EDT...
At 138 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Byrdstown, moving northeast at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Monticello, Parmleysville, Oil Valley, Coopersville, Susie, Burfield,
Barrier, Hidalgo, Rockeybranch, Slickford, Griffin, Zula, Mount
Pisgah, Powersburg, Sunnybrook, and Cooper.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM EDT for south central
Kentucky.
&&
LAT...LON 3661 8487 3662 8499 3663 8500 3668 8500
3669 8502 3672 8502 3676 8500 3689 8479
3668 8462 3660 8486
TIME...MOT...LOC 1738Z 240DEG 44KT 3662 8509
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
VORSTSpecial weather statement, May 20, 1:57 PM EDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
157 PM EDT Tue May 20 2025
KYZ079-201830-
Pulaski KY-
157 PM EDT Tue May 20 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL PULASKI COUNTY THROUGH
230 PM EDT...
At 157 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Nancy, or 7 miles west of Somerset, moving northeast at 45 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Somerset, Science Hill, Naomi, Bobtown, Nancy, Grade, Ruth, Elihu,
Shopville, Dykes, Dabney, Valley Oak, Bent, Pulaski County Park,
Somerset Pulaski Airport, Faubush, Trimble, and Ferguson.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
Kentucky Highway 80 in Pulaski County between mile markers 17 and
35.
Louis B. Nunn Parkway
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM EDT for south central
Kentucky.
&&
LAT...LON 3729 8446 3710 8431 3698 8468 3698 8470
3697 8473 3696 8477 3698 8479 3700 8483
3705 8486
TIME...MOT...LOC 1757Z 242DEG 39KT 3704 8474
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
VORSTSpecial weather statement, May 20, 2:02 PM EDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
202 PM EDT Tue May 20 2025
KYZ079-083-084-201830-
McCreary KY-Wayne KY-Pulaski KY-
202 PM EDT Tue May 20 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT CENTRAL WAYNE...SOUTH CENTRAL
PULASKI AND CENTRAL MCCREARY COUNTIES THROUGH 230 PM EDT...
At 202 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Burfield, or 9 miles south of Monticello, moving northeast at 45 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Whitley City, Parmleysville, Slavens, Sloans Valley, Parkers Lake,
Barrier, Gregory, Co-
Operative, Slickford, Ritner, Denney, Wiborg, Oil Valley,
Coopersville, Marshes Siding, Greenwood, Burfield, Beulah Heights,
Alpine, and Kidds Crossing.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM EDT for south central
Kentucky.
&&
LAT...LON 3661 8483 3674 8494 3697 8451 3673 8435
TIME...MOT...LOC 1802Z 243DEG 41KT 3671 8480
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
VORSTSpecial weather statement, May 20, 2:25 PM EDT, 59 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 1:38 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Wayne | 37 min |
| May 20, 1:57 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Pulaski | 33 min |
| May 20, 2:02 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | McCreary | 28 min |
| May 20, 2:25 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Jackson, Laurel, McCreary, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Whitley | 50 min |
| May 20, 2:31 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JKL | Estill, Jackson, Lee, Rockcastle | 44 min |
| May 20, 2:37 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JKL | Bell, Clay, Jackson, Knox, Laurel, Lee and 5 more | 38 min |
| May 20, 2:43 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JKL | Bath, Estill, Jackson, Lee, Menifee, Montgomery and 3 more | 47 min |
| May 20, 3:00 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Bath, Fleming, Montgomery | 30 min |
| May 20, 3:08 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JKL | Bell, Breathitt, Clay, Jackson, Knox, Laurel and 3 more | 37 min |
| May 20, 3:09 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Bell | 36 min |
| May 20, 3:24 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JKL | Bath, Breathitt, Elliott, Estill, Lee, Menifee and 4 more | 51 min |
| May 20, 3:37 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JKL | Bell, Breathitt, Clay, Harlan, Knott, Knox and 4 more | 38 min |
| May 20, 4:00 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JKL | Breathitt, Elliott, Floyd, Johnson, Magoffin, Morgan and 2 more | 45 min |
| May 20, 4:07 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | JKL | Breathitt, Floyd, Knott, Leslie, Letcher, Magoffin and 1 more | 38 min |
| May 20, 4:25 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Harlan, Letcher | 35 min |
| May 20, 4:38 PM EDT | Special Weather Statement | JKL | Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Martin, Pike | 37 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Kentucky, 2025Every severe thunderstorm 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.