Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Kentucky, April 21, 2002

Name: Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Kentucky, April 21, 2002
Start: 2002-04-21T18:25
End: 2002-04-21T20:15
Location: Kentucky

April 21, 2002 · NWS LMK · 11 events in 10 counties and zones

Trees and power lines were downed by thunderstorm winds over much of central Kentucky.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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: $10,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 11

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.

Trees and power lines were downed by thunderstorm winds over much of central Kentucky.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at Apr 21, 2:20 PM EST, 4 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 21, 2:20 PM EST, 4 hours 5 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
320 PM EDT SUN APR 21 2002 2002

VERY SHARP WARM FNT WAS MEANDERING ACRS SRN INDIANA/NRN KY AT MID
AFTN WITH TEMPS JUST SOUTH OF FNT IN THE LOWER 80S...WITH MID 40S
JUST NORTH OF FNT. S/W TOPPING FLAT H5 RDG IN CNTRL OH VLY...WILL
HELP IGNITE FURTHER TSTMS IN CNTRL KY LATE AFTN/EVNG.  SO FAR ...
TSTMS HAVE BEEN SLGHTLY ELEVATED EITHER NORTH OF FNT OR NORTH OF
OUTFLOW BNDRYS AND HAVE NOT TAPPED INTO EXTREME POTENTIAL ENERGY
TO THE SOUTH. THAT MAY CHG THE NEXT FEW HOURS AS STORMS BUILD S AND
BECOME ROOTED AT THE SFC. MEANWHILE... CDFNT TO SWEEP ACRS OUR FCST
AREA THIS EVNG...WITH BAND OF TSTMS MOVG.

COOL/RATHER MOIST/CYCLONIC FLOW THEN TO SETTLE OVR RGN LATE TNGT &
MONDAY...WITH A DECENT AMOUNT OF LOW CLDS.

GREATER ANTICYCLONIC FLOW LATE MON NITE/TUE SHUD LEAD TO IMPROVING
SKY CONDS. COLD MON NITE...WITH TEMPS BOTTOMING OUT BETWEEN 35 AND
40 DEGREES.

THINK BEST RETURNING WAA TUE NITE WILL REMAIN W AND SOUTHWEST OF OUR
FA...SO NO MENTION OF PCPN THEN.  HAVE THEN KEPT CONTINUITY WITH CHC
SHWRS/TSTMS WRN FA ON WEDNESDAY...WITH APRCHG CDFNT.

NO BIG QUIBBLE WITH GUIDE TEMPS...AS ALL ARE CLUSTERED ARND EACH
OTHER.

.SDF...NONE.
STUREY

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 21, 5:17 PM EST, 1 hour 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE, KY
617 PM EDT SUN APR 21 2002

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0613 PM    HUNTINGBURG               IN   .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/02   DUBOIS                         NEAR THE AIRPORT. REPORTED
                                          BY AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR.

MRC

Local storm report, Apr 21, 5:32 PM EST, 53 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE, KY
632 PM EDT SUN APR 21 2002

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0613 PM    HUNTINGBURG               IN   .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/02   DUBOIS                         NEAR THE AIRPORT. REPORTED
                                          BY AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR.

0622 PM    FERDINAND                 IN   .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/02   DUBOIS                         REPORTED BY AMATEUR RADIO
                                          OPERATOR.

MRC

Local storm report, Apr 21, 5:42 PM EST, 43 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE, KY
642 PM EDT SUN APR 21 2002

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0613 PM    HUNTINGBURG               IN   .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/02   DUBOIS                         NEAR THE AIRPORT. REPORTED
                                          BY AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR.

0622 PM    FERDINAND                 IN   .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/02   DUBOIS                         REPORTED BY AMATEUR RADIO
                                          OPERATOR.

0640 PM    ECKERTY                   IN   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/02   CRAWFORD                       REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT.

MRC

Local storm report, Apr 21, 6:09 PM EST, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE, KY
709 PM EDT SUN APR 21 2002

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0613 PM    HUNTINGBURG               IN   .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/02   DUBOIS                         NEAR THE AIRPORT. REPORTED
                                          BY AMATEUR RADIO OPERATOR.

0622 PM    FERDINAND                 IN   .75 INCH HAIL
04/21/02   DUBOIS                         REPORTED BY AMATEUR RADIO
                                          OPERATOR.

0640 PM    ECKERTY                   IN   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/02   CRAWFORD                       REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT.

0700 PM    RAMSEY                    IN   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/21/02   HARRISON                       REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT.

MRC

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson

When: April 21, 6:25 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, Okolona
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.133, -85.683

Thunderstorm Wind, Bullitt

When: April 21, 6:30 PM EST
Where: Bullitt County, Brooks
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.067, -85.700

Thunderstorm Wind, Shelby

When: April 21, 6:50 PM EST
Where: Shelby County, Simpsonville
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.217, -85.350

Thunderstorm Wind, Breckinridge

When: April 21, 6:55 PM EST
Where: Breckinridge County, Union Star
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.933, -86.450

Flash Flood, Jefferson

When: April 21, 7:00 PM EST to 8:00 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, Countywide
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.187, -85.659 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Roads and low lying areas were covered with water.

Thunderstorm Wind, Anderson

When: April 21, 7:25 PM EST
Where: Anderson County, Mc Brayer
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.967, -84.883

Thunderstorm Wind, Woodford

When: April 21, 7:35 PM EST
Where: Woodford County, Versailles
Measured: 80 kt (92 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.050, -84.733

Power poles were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mercer

When: April 21, 7:45 PM EST
Where: Mercer County, Countywide
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 37.817, -84.933

Trees were blown down at Shakertown and Salvisa. The roof was blown off a barn near Salvisa.

Thunderstorm Wind, Fayette

When: April 21, 7:50 PM EST
Where: Fayette County, Countywide
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.033, -84.467

Thunderstorm Wind, Jessamine

When: April 21, 7:50 PM EST
Where: Jessamine County, 6 mi N of Nicholasville
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.950, -84.567

Thunderstorm Wind, Clark

When: April 21, 8:15 PM EST
Where: Clark County, Ford
Measured: 60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 37.883, -84.250

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.
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.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Kentucky in 2002 Every state in 2002 This day in weather history Warnings in Kentucky, April 2002

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: 5291472, 5291473, 5291474, 5291475, 5291476, 5291608, 5291609, 5291610, 5291611, 5291612, 5291687.