Tornado and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, May 31, 1998

Name: Tornado and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, May 31, 1998
Start: 1998-05-31T15:55
End: 1998-05-31T23:30
Location: Kentucky

May 31, 1998 · NWS LMK · 43 events in 22 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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: $535,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 43

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.

Numerous thunderstorms developed near and north of the Ohio River by late afternoon and dropped south and east across central Kentucky producing widespread severe weather. A brief F2 tornado touched down at Pellyton producing heavy damage to a brick house and destroying several mobile homes. Meanwhile, Marion, Taylor, Russell and Adair counties had widespread flash flooding with numerous roads under water, a few bridges washed out and cars washed away and water entering many homes and businesses. Five families in Calvary in Marion county were forced from their homes due to the high waters. Otherwise, severe thunderstorm winds knocked down numerous trees and power lines across the area and hail to the size of golf balls was reported at several locations. Taylor, Nelson, Henry, Oldham and Clark counties all had some property damage due to thunderstorm winds with barns destroyed, trees falling on cars and mobile home damage. Reports were from DES, spotters and the public.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

31 thunderstorm wind, 7 flash flood, 4 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Trimble

When: May 31, 3:55 PM EST
Where: Trimble County, Milton
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.720, -85.370

Hail, Trimble

When: May 31, 4:00 PM EST to 4:05 PM EST
Where: Trimble County, Milton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.720, -85.370

Thunderstorm Wind, Henry

When: May 31, 4:40 PM EST
Where: Henry County, Franklinton
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage: $20,000
Coordinates: 38.450, -85.050

Hail, Henry

When: May 31, 5:00 PM EST to 5:05 PM EST
Where: Henry County, Lockport
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 38.430, -84.970

Thunderstorm Wind, Oldham

When: May 31, 5:00 PM EST
Where: Oldham County, Goshen
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 38.400, -85.570

Thunderstorm Wind, Breckinridge

When: May 31, 5:05 PM EST
Where: Breckinridge County, Hardinsburg
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.780, -86.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When: May 31, 5:15 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, Louisville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 38.230, -85.780

Thunderstorm Wind, Bullitt

When: May 31, 5:20 PM EST
Where: Bullitt County, Stites
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 38.020, -85.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Meade

When: May 31, 5:30 PM EST
Where: Meade County, Flaherty
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.830, -86.070

Thunderstorm Wind, Oldham

When: May 31, 5:45 PM EST
Where: Oldham County, Goshen
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 38.400, -85.570

Thunderstorm Wind, Nelson

When: May 31, 5:50 PM EST
Where: Nelson County, Boston
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 37.780, -85.670

Thunderstorm Wind, Nelson

When: May 31, 5:55 PM EST
Where: Nelson County, Bardstown
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.820, -85.470

Thunderstorm Wind, Hardin

When: May 31, 6:00 PM EST to 6:05 PM EST
Where: Hardin County, Elizabeth Town
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.700, -85.870

Thunderstorm Wind, Larue

When: May 31, 6:13 PM EST
Where: Larue County, Hodgenville
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.570, -85.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: May 31, 6:20 PM EST
Where: Washington County, 1 mi W of Springfield
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.680, -85.230

Flash Flood, Hardin

When: May 31, 6:30 PM EST to 7:30 PM EST
Where: Hardin County, Elizabeth Town
Coordinates: 37.698, -85.963 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Larue

When: May 31, 6:40 PM EST
Where: Larue County, 2 mi E of Hodgenville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.570, -85.720

Thunderstorm Wind, Marion

When: May 31, 6:40 PM EST
Where: Marion County, Lebanon
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.570, -85.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Clark

When: May 31, 6:55 PM EST
Where: Clark County, Winchester
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Coordinates: 37.980, -84.180

Thunderstorm Wind, Taylor

When: May 31, 6:59 PM EST
Where: Taylor County, Campbellsville
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates: 37.330, -85.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Taylor

When: May 31, 6:59 PM EST to 7:04 PM EST
Where: Taylor County, Campbellsville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.330, -85.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Marion

When: May 31, 7:00 PM EST
Where: Marion County, Lebanon
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.570, -85.250

Thunderstorm Wind, Taylor

When: May 31, 7:20 PM EST
Where: Taylor County, Campbellsville
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 37.330, -85.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Casey

When: May 31, 7:20 PM EST
Where: Casey County, Liberty
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.320, -84.950

Thunderstorm Wind, Lincoln

When: May 31, 7:45 PM EST
Where: Lincoln County, Mc Kinney
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.450, -84.770

Thunderstorm Wind, Russell

When: May 31, 7:48 PM EST
Where: Russell County, Jamestown
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 36.980, -85.070

Thunderstorm Wind, Hardin

When: May 31, 8:12 PM EST
Where: Hardin County, White Mills
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.550, -86.030

Hail, Taylor

When: May 31, 8:15 PM EST
Where: Taylor County, Finley
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.470, -85.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Marion

When: May 31, 8:15 PM EST
Where: Marion County, Raywick
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.550, -85.430

Flash Flood, Marion

When: May 31, 8:15 PM EST to 9:15 PM EST
Where: Marion County, Jessietown
Coordinates: 37.553, -85.270 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Marion

When: May 31, 8:20 PM EST
Where: Marion County, Riley
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.550, -85.100

Flash Flood, Marion

When: May 31, 8:20 PM EST to 9:20 PM EST
Where: Marion County, New Market
Coordinates: 37.553, -85.270 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Larue

When: May 31, 8:25 PM EST
Where: Larue County, Hodgenville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.570, -85.750

Tornado, Adair

When: May 31, 8:35 PM EST to 8:37 PM EST
Where: Adair County, Pellyton
Rating: F2
Path length: 1 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $300,000
Coordinates: 37.220, -85.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Hart

When: May 31, 8:40 PM EST to 8:45 PM EST
Where: Hart County, Munfordville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.280, -85.900

Hail, Hart

When: May 31, 8:42 PM EST
Where: Hart County, Pike View
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Coordinates: 37.380, -85.750

Thunderstorm Wind, Green

When: May 31, 9:00 PM EST
Where: Green County, Hudgins
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 37.350, -85.680

Flash Flood, Marion

When: May 31, 9:30 PM EST to 10:30 PM EST
Where: Marion County, Calvary
Coordinates: 37.553, -85.270 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Logan

When: May 31, 10:00 PM EST
Where: Logan County, Russellville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 36.850, -86.880

Thunderstorm Wind, Simpson

When: May 31, 10:10 PM EST
Where: Simpson County, Franklin
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph)
Coordinates: 36.720, -86.570

Flash Flood, Adair

When: May 31, 10:30 PM EST to 11:30 PM EST
Where: Adair County, Gradyville
Coordinates: 37.104, -85.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Adair

When: May 31, 10:30 PM EST to 11:30 PM EST
Where: Adair County, Columbia
Coordinates: 37.104, -85.281 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Russell

When: May 31, 10:30 PM EST to 11:30 PM EST
Where: Russell County, Jamestown
Coordinates: 36.991, -85.059 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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.
Flash Flood: Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Kentucky in 1998 Every state in 1998 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Kentucky, 1998 Warnings 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: 5636237, 5636238, 5636239, 5636240, 5636241, 5636242, 5636243, 5636244, 5636245, 5636246, 5636247, 5636248, 5636249, 5636316, 5636317, 5636318, 5636319, 5636320, 5636321, 5636322, 5636323, 5636324, 5636325, 5636326, 5636327, 5636328, 5636329, 5636330, 5636331, 5636332, 5636333, 5636334, 5636335, 5636336, 5636337, 5636338, 5636339, 5636340, 5636341, 5636342, and more.