Alert archive / Kentucky / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 89, NWS Louisville, KY

July 8, 2026Shelby County, Kentucky

NWS Louisville, KY issued this flash flood warning at Jul 8, 2026, 2:10 PM EDT for Shelby County, Kentucky. It was in force for 2 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jul 8, 2026, 2:10 PM EDT (18:10 UTC)
Expired
Jul 8, 2026, 4:39 PM EDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Louisville, KY
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Shelby County, KY

The radar

The Louisville radar (KLVX), 62 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:11 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The nearest sounding before it

Cncnati-Daytn, OH (KILN), launched 12:00Z, 6.2 hours before the alert went out and 187 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, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 12:00Z on 2026-07-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 113 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, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 12:00Z on 2026-07-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 10 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
113 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-61 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
963 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
1 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
10 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
11 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

463 
WGUS53 KLMK 081810
FFWLMK
KYC211-082115-
/O.NEW.KLMK.FF.W.0089.260708T1810Z-260708T2115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Louisville KY
210 PM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

The National Weather Service in Louisville has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  Northwestern Shelby County in central Kentucky...

* Until 515 PM EDT.

* At 210 PM EDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing 
  heavy rain across the warned area. Between 1 and 2 inches of rain 
  have fallen. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin 
  shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Radar.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
           areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
           other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Shelbyville, Simpsonville, Joyes, Montclair, Finchville, 
  Middletown Heights and Conner.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

Please report flooding to your local law enforcement agency when you 
can do so safely and have them relay your report to the National 
Weather Service in Louisville.

&&

LAT...LON 3825 8540 3828 8525 3829 8522 3815 8525
      3814 8537

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

CJP
1 follow-up statement
026 
WGUS73 KLMK 082039
FFSLMK

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Louisville KY
439 PM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

KYC211-082049-
/O.CAN.KLMK.FF.W.0089.000000T0000Z-260708T2115Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Shelby KY-
439 PM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR NORTHWESTERN SHELBY COUNTY...

Flood waters have receded. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a 
threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.

&&

LAT...LON 3825 8540 3828 8525 3829 8522 3815 8525
      3814 8537

$$

CSG

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 Louisville, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Jul 8, 1:32 PM EDT, 38 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • * Scattered showers and thunderstorms continue bringing threats of isolated flash flooding, lightning, and gusty winds this afternoon and evening. * Rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected late week through the weekend along a slow moving frontal boundary. Flash Flooding, including potential for significant flash flooding, could develop late week through the weekend with repeated rounds of heavy rain. * Additional threats of gusty to damaging wind could develop with complexes of thunderstorms moving into the area. Overall confidence is low with regard to timing of these specific threats.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 8, 1:32 PM EDT, 38 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Louisville KY
132 PM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

* Scattered showers and thunderstorms continue bringing
  threats of isolated flash flooding, lightning, and gusty winds
  this afternoon and evening.

* Rounds of showers and thunderstorms are expected late week through
  the weekend along a slow moving frontal boundary. Flash Flooding,
  including potential for significant flash flooding, could develop
  late week through the weekend with repeated rounds of heavy rain.

* Additional threats of gusty to damaging wind could develop with
  complexes of thunderstorms moving into the area. Overall
  confidence is low with regard to timing of these specific threats.

&&

.UPDATE...
Issued at 1224 PM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

Lifted a longer duration Flash Flood Watch for the entire CWA in
coordination with surrounding offices. The headline will start
tomorrow afternoon and run through late Saturday evening. May have
to adjust it some once each successive wave of rain become more
clear, but for now it appears the entire area has a threat of
flooding during this stretch. Multiple waves of showers and
thunderstorms are expected from as early as Thursday afternoon until
late Saturday evening. Several inches of rain are possible during
this stretch, especially for areas that see repeated rounds. Several
factors will contribute toward intense and efficient rainfall rates
including moderate instability, high freezing levels, some training
potential, and slow storm movement at times.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
Issued at 348 AM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

Today, an upper low, embedded in a weak upper trough, is expected to
get picked up by zonal flow. Stronger upper flow remains well north
of the region which is causing the Lower Ohio Valley to lack
meaningful wind energy, but we continue to have plenty of moisture
with precipitable water values between 1.8-2" covering most of our
CWA. Our top row of Indiana counties is in an area with slightly
less moisture with PWATs between 1.6-1.8".

This afternoon, diurnal warming will once again increase MLCAPE
instability to between 1,300 to 1,800 J/kg which might be slightly
less than what we saw yesterday, but we can expected scattered slow
moving showers and thunderstorms to pose an isolated flooding threat
for any area that gets stuck under a heavy downpour. Highs are
expected to reach into the 80s with dew points in the low to mid
70s.

Tonight, we start to see the pattern change as what was the upper
low begins to move east out of the area. This will begin the
movement of the higher PWATs eastward. The high PWATs won't make it
out of the area before Thursday morning, but any remaining showers
and thunderstorms will begin dissipating as we lose diurnal heating.
Patchy fog will once again be possible as temperatures fall. Lows
are expected to drop to either side of 70.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
Issued at 348 AM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

Thursday, as the remnants of the former upper low gets carried off
to the east, PWATs try to drop below 1.5". The day might not be
completely dry, but any diurnally driven chances for showers and
thunderstorms will likely be more isolated than they have been. As a
surface low begins approaching the Lower Ohio Valley from the west,
an increasing pressure gradient and added WAA will help drive
slightly warmer temperatures, closer to 90 along and west of
Interstate 65.

Thursday evening into the early night, there is a chance that a
system will continue moving east from the Plains and make it's way
into the Lower Ohio Valley. Even though shear over the region is
low, higher instability values could help an already developed
system to sustain itself. This could bring a threat of strong to
severe winds before weakening as the system moves off to the east
later in the night.

Friday into the weekend, a messy west to east oriented boundary is
expected to set up and drop south through the Ohio Valley. This is
expected to bring a return of PWAT values over 2". There could be
some marginal instability at times, but overall the severe threat
looks fairly low at this point. The main concern is expected to be
flooding. Unlike the earlier activity Thursday evening which is
expected to be quick moving, some of the later activity along the
boundary Friday and Saturday could possibly be slower moving and see
multiple rounds of heavy showers causing increased chances for flash
flooding. If we get breaks in rounds of rain, the region will see
less issues than if areas don't get a break from continuous showers.

Early next week, precipitation chances look to finally drop as
moisture gets pushed south of the CWA. High pressure behind the
front is expected to bring clearer skies and slightly warmer
temperatures in the low 90 degrees.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 131 PM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

A low pressure system centered around the MO/IL/KY state line will
meander eastward across the area through tonight, triggering
scattered afternoon-evening showers and thunderstorms. With storms
ongoing, the highest chances at the airfields will be over the next
6 hours, which was captured in prob30 groups. However, there is a
lower (20-30%) chance thunderstorms could linger for another couple
hours beyond 00z. By around 09z Thursday morning, patchy fog and low
stratus is forecast to develop over the area; tempo groups were
added at the terminals where confidence was highest.

&&

.LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...Flood Watch from Thursday afternoon through late Saturday
     night for KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067-070>078-081-
     082.
IN...Flood Watch from Thursday afternoon through late Saturday
     night for INZ076>079-083-084-089>092.

&&

UPDATE...BJS
SHORT TERM...KDW
LONG TERM...KDW
AVIATION...JRB

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 8, 12:27 PM EDT, 1 hour 43 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Louisville KY
1227 PM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

INZ090>092-KYZ030-081715-
Floyd IN-Clark IN-Harrison IN-Jefferson KY-
1227 PM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT EAST CENTRAL HARRISON...SOUTH
CENTRAL CLARK...SOUTHERN FLOYD AND WEST CENTRAL JEFFERSON COUNTIES
THROUGH 115 PM EDT...

At 1227 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
St. Dennis, moving east at 10 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...
Louisville, Jeffersonville, New Albany, Shively, Audubon Park,
Parkway Village, St. Dennis, Pleasure Ridge Par, Pleasure Ridge Park,
and Fairdale.

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 3816 8601 3830 8597 3836 8569 3810 8576
TIME...MOT...LOC 1627Z 278DEG 7KT 3821 8591

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

RJS
Special weather statement, Jul 8, 12:58 PM EDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Louisville KY
1258 PM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

INZ092-KYZ030-081730-
Clark IN-Jefferson KY-
1258 PM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTH CENTRAL CLARK AND CENTRAL
JEFFERSON COUNTIES THROUGH 130 PM EDT...

At 1258 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Strathmoor Village, moving east at 15 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 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...
Louisville, Jeffersonville, Jeffersontown, St. Matthews, Lyndon,
Middletown, Douglass Hills, Hurstbourne, Graymoor-Devondale, and
Windy Hills.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.

&&

LAT...LON 3830 8550 3828 8546 3809 8552 3808 8553
      3813 8579 3833 8574
TIME...MOT...LOC 1658Z 286DEG 12KT 3822 8568

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

RJS
Local storm report, Jul 8, 1:54 PM EDT, 16 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Louisville KY
154 PM EDT Wed Jul 8 2026

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

0150 PM     Flash Flood      1 W Saint Matthews      38.25N 85.66W
07/08/2026                   Jefferson          KY   NWS Employee

            Lexington Rd near Cornell closed due to
            flooding. Nearby Zorn Ave also was water
            over the road.

&&

RJS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 7, 8:36 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKOhio3 hr
Jul 7, 9:44 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKButler3 hr
Jul 7, 11:03 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKButler, Logan3 hr
Jul 8, 11:39 AM EDTFlood WatchLMKAdair, Allen, Anderson, Barren, Bourbon, Boyle and 43 more4 days
Jul 8, 12:44 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKJefferson2 hr
Jul 8, 12:58 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLMKJefferson32 min
Jul 8, 1:08 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKJefferson, Oldham3 hr
Jul 8, 1:17 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKHenry, Oldham, Shelby3 hr
Jul 8, 1:40 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLMKJefferson, Oldham, Shelby3 hr
Jul 8, 2:04 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKJefferson, Shelby3 hr
Jul 8, 2:27 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKHenry, Shelby3 hr
Jul 8, 2:44 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKOhio3 hr
Jul 8, 3:15 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKBarren, Green, Hart, Metcalfe3 hr
Jul 8, 3:16 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKButler, Edmonson, Grayson3 hr
Jul 8, 3:23 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKFranklin, Scott3 hr
Jul 8, 3:48 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKAllen, Barren5 hr
Jul 8, 4:00 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKBreckinridge, Grayson, Hardin, Meade3 hr
Jul 8, 4:08 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKFayette, Garrard, Jessamine, Mercer, Scott, Woodford3 hr
Jul 8, 4:17 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKAdair, Allen, Barren, Green, Metcalfe, Monroe and 1 more3 hr
Jul 8, 4:44 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLMKBourbon, Clark, Fayette31 min
Jul 8, 4:45 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLMKMetcalfe30 min
Jul 8, 5:13 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKEdmonson, Warren3 hr
Jul 8, 5:13 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKBourbon, Clark, Fayette, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine and 2 more3 hr
Jul 8, 5:16 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLMKClark29 min
Jul 8, 5:20 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLMKClark25 min
Jul 8, 6:00 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKAllen, Barren, Warren3 hr
Jul 8, 6:14 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKAllen, Logan, Simpson, Warren3 hr
Jul 8, 6:21 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKMeade3 hr
Jul 8, 6:34 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLMKAllen, Logan, Simpson, Warren88 min
Jul 8, 7:10 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKBreckinridge, Hancock25 min
Jul 8, 7:25 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLMKMeade117 min
Jul 8, 7:35 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLMKBreckinridge, Hancock115 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Kentucky, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

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.