Kentucky, 1998

Hail and Damaging Winds in Kentucky, May 20, 1998

May 20, 1998 · NWS LMK · 22 events in 20 counties and zones

A large thunderstorm complex moved southeast across south central indiana into north central and then south central and east central Kentucky producing widespread power outages with numerous trees down across each of the counties affected as reported by DES, dispatch and spotters. A few spots also had roof and barn damage attributing to light property damages in a few of the counties.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$15,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
22

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS LMK wrote it up.

A large thunderstorm complex moved southeast across south central indiana into north central and then south central and east central Kentucky producing widespread power outages with numerous trees down across each of the counties affected as reported by DES, dispatch and spotters. A few spots also had roof and barn damage attributing to light property damages in a few of the counties. Hail was not common, however Lewisport in Hancock received golfball szie hail in the early stages of the activity.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

21 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hancock

When
May 20, 2:45 PM EST
Where
Hancock County, Lewisport
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.930, -86.900

Hail, Hancock

When
May 20, 2:45 PM EST to 2:50 PM EST
Where
Hancock County, Lewisport
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
37.930, -86.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Meade

When
May 20, 3:20 PM EST
Where
Meade County, Payneville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.980, -86.320

Thunderstorm Wind, Hardin

When
May 20, 3:35 PM EST
Where
Hardin County, Vine Grove
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.800, -85.980

Thunderstorm Wind, Bullitt

When
May 20, 3:50 PM EST
Where
Bullitt County, Shepherdsville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.980, -85.720

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When
May 20, 3:50 PM EST
Where
Jefferson County, Valley Station
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
38.120, -85.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Larue

When
May 20, 4:05 PM EST
Where
Larue County, Buffalo
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
37.520, -85.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Nelson

When
May 20, 4:10 PM EST
Where
Nelson County, Bardstown
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.820, -85.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Spencer

When
May 20, 4:10 PM EST
Where
Spencer County, Waterford
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
38.030, -85.430

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When
May 20, 4:20 PM EST
Where
Washington County, Springfield
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.680, -85.220

Thunderstorm Wind, Marion

When
May 20, 4:25 PM EST
Where
Marion County, Lebanon
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.570, -85.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Green

When
May 20, 4:25 PM EST
Where
Green County, 5 mi NW of Greensburg
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.320, -85.570

Thunderstorm Wind, Taylor

When
May 20, 4:30 PM EST
Where
Taylor County, Campbellsville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.330, -85.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Boyle

When
May 20, 4:45 PM EST
Where
Boyle County, Danville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.650, -84.780

Thunderstorm Wind, Mercer

When
May 20, 4:45 PM EST
Where
Mercer County, Terrapin
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
37.880, -84.930

Thunderstorm Wind, Mercer

When
May 20, 4:45 PM EST
Where
Mercer County, Harrodsburg
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.750, -84.850

Thunderstorm Wind, Garrard

When
May 20, 4:50 PM EST
Where
Garrard County, Bryantsville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.720, -84.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Jessamine

When
May 20, 4:50 PM EST
Where
Jessamine County, Nicholasville
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.870, -84.570

Thunderstorm Wind, Casey

When
May 20, 4:55 PM EST
Where
Casey County, 8 mi N of Liberty
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.430, -84.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Lincoln

When
May 20, 5:05 PM EST
Where
Lincoln County, Stanford
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.530, -84.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Fayette

When
May 20, 5:30 PM EST
Where
Fayette County, Lexington
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
38.050, -84.500

Thunderstorm Wind, Madison

When
May 20, 5:35 PM EST
Where
Madison County, Richmond
Measured
50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates
37.750, -84.300

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Kentucky in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, May 1998

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5637945, 5637946, 5637947, 5637948, 5637949, 5637950, 5637963, 5637951, 5637954, 5637952, 5637953, 5637964, 5637955, 5637956, 5637957, 5637958, 5637965, 5637966, 5637959, 5637960, 5637961, 5637962.