Alert archive / Kentucky / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 94, NWS Paducah, KY

August 20, 20264 counties in Kentucky

NWS Paducah, KY issued this tornado warning at Aug 20, 2026, 12:43 AM CDT for 4 counties in Kentucky. It was in force for 20 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
Aug 20, 2026, 12:43 AM CDT (05:43 UTC)
Expired
Aug 20, 2026, 1:03 AM CDT
In force
20 min
Issued by
NWS Paducah, KY
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.0 in

Counties Ballard County, KY, Carlisle County, KY, Graves County, KY, McCracken County, KY

The radar

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 17 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:42 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Aug 19, 9:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 5.7 hours before the alert went out and 218 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 00:00Z on 2026-08-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 310 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 00:00Z on 2026-08-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 137 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
310 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-212 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1337 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
137 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
209 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Aug 20, 12:37 AM CDT, 6 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 20, 12:37 AM CDT, 6 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 19, 8:56 PM CDT, 3 hours 47 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Paducah KY
856 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114-210200-
Jefferson-Wayne IL-Edwards-Wabash-Perry IL-Franklin-Hamilton-
White-Jackson-Williamson-Saline-Gallatin-Union-Johnson-Pope-
Hardin-Alexander-Pulaski-Massac-Gibson-Pike-Posey-Vanderburgh-
Warrick-Spencer-Fulton-Hickman-Carlisle-Ballard-McCracken-Graves-
Livingston-Marshall-Calloway-Crittenden-Lyon-Trigg-Caldwell-
Union KY-Webster-Hopkins-Christian-Henderson-Daviess-McLean-
Muhlenberg-Todd-Perry MO-Bollinger-Cape Girardeau-Wayne MO-Carter-
Ripley-Butler-Stoddard-Scott-Mississippi-New Madrid-
856 PM CDT Wed Aug 19 2026 /956 PM EDT Wed Aug 19 2026/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southern
Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast
Missouri.

.DAY ONE...Tonight

Scattered to numerous thunderstorms are expected to move east
southeast across the Quad State through the night. Severe storms
with damaging winds, large hail, and a few tornadoes will be
possible, mainly to the south of a DuQuoin Illinois to Greenville
Kentucky line.

A swath of very heavy rainfall may lead to flash flooding concerns
overnight. Refer to the Flood Watch for additional details.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday

Small chances of thunderstorms are forecast Thursday afternoon,
and then off and on from Friday night through Tuesday. Brief heavy
downpours and lightning would be the primary concerns.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this evening and into part of the
overnight.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 20, 12:15 AM CDT, 28 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
1215 AM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

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

1214 AM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     2 W Blandville          36.93N 89.00W
08/20/2026                   Ballard            KY   Public

            Tree limbs down and brief power outage.

&&
Local storm report, Aug 20, 12:17 AM CDT, 26 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
1217 AM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

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

1145 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     0 SW Cunningham         36.91N 88.89W
08/20/2026                   Carlisle           KY   Public

            Large trees down on house and vehicle.

&&
Local storm report, Aug 20, 12:22 AM CDT, 21 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
1222 AM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

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

1222 AM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 SE Lovelaceville      36.93N 88.81W
08/20/2026                   Graves             KY   Utility Company

            Numerous power outages reported across
            multiple counties.

&&
Local storm report, Aug 20, 12:27 AM CDT, 16 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
1227 AM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

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

1213 AM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     3 E Tanner              36.92N 89.63W
08/20/2026                   Scott              MO   Trained Spotter

&&
Local storm report, Aug 20, 12:35 AM CDT, 8 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
1235 AM CDT Thu Aug 20 2026

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

1235 AM     Tstm Wnd Gst     0 SW Sikeston           36.88N 89.58W
08/20/2026  E60 MPH          Scott              MO   Public

            Several public reports of 60 mph winds.

&&
Local storm report, Aug 20, 12:40 AM CDT, 3 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 19, 8:23 PM CDTFlood WatchPAHBallard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Christian, Crittenden and 16 more11 hr
Aug 19, 11:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHBallard, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, McCracken51 min
Aug 19, 11:46 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHBallard, Carlisle, Graves, McCracken29 min
Aug 19, 11:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHCalloway, Graves, Hickman, McCracken, Marshall54 min
Aug 19, 11:57 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningPAHBallard6 hr
Aug 20, 12:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHBallard, Carlisle40 min
Aug 20, 12:08 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatPAHCalloway, Graves, Hickman, Marshall67 min
Aug 20, 12:12 AM CDTTornado WarningPAHCalloway, Graves, Marshall34 min
Aug 20, 12:21 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningPAHCarlisle, Graves6 hr
Aug 20, 12:31 AM CDTTornado WarningPAHBallard, Carlisle13 min
Aug 20, 12:36 AM CDTTornado WarningPAHCalloway, Marshall, Trigg31 min
Aug 20, 12:43 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatPAHChristian, Trigg47 min
Aug 20, 12:47 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHBallard, Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, McCracken and 1 more34 min
Aug 20, 1:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHCalloway, Graves, Hickman, Marshall44 min
Aug 20, 1:24 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatPAHCalloway, Graves13 min
Aug 20, 1:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHChristian, Todd, Trigg65 min
Aug 20, 1:28 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryPAHCalloway, Graves, Hickman, Marshall4 hr
Aug 20, 1:43 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatPAHChristian34 min
Aug 20, 2:04 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHTodd26 min
Aug 20, 2:09 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementPAHBallard36 min
Aug 20, 2:11 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHBallard, Carlisle, McCracken42 min
Aug 20, 2:59 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementPAHCalloway, Graves46 min
Aug 20, 3:19 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningPAHMcCracken4 hr
Aug 20, 3:28 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHCalloway20 min
Aug 20, 4:02 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementPAHLivingston, McCracken, Marshall28 min
Aug 20, 4:17 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningPAHMarshall4 hr
Aug 19, 10:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHUnion25 min
Aug 19, 10:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHAlexander, Pulaski, Union50 min
Aug 19, 10:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHJohnson, Union36 min
Aug 19, 11:29 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementPAHPope31 min
Aug 19, 11:42 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningPAHAlexander5 hr
Aug 19, 11:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatPAHAlexander, Pulaski14 min
Aug 19, 9:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHBollinger31 min
Aug 19, 9:56 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHCarter34 min
Aug 19, 10:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHBollinger, Cape Girardeau34 min
Aug 19, 10:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHBollinger, Cape Girardeau, Scott, Stoddard40 min
Aug 19, 10:22 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHCarter23 min
Aug 19, 10:41 PM CDTTornado WarningPAHButler, Carter, Wayne34 min
Aug 19, 11:30 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementPAHStoddard30 min
Aug 19, 11:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningPAHBollinger, Cape Girardeau, Scott, Stoddard22 min
Aug 20, 12:16 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatPAHCape Girardeau, Scott, Stoddard23 min
Aug 20, 12:31 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningPAHBollinger, Wayne2 hr
Aug 20, 12:35 AM CDTTornado WarningPAHNew Madrid, Stoddard18 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Kentucky, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes 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.