Flash Flooding in Kentucky, May 4, 2003

Name: Flash Flooding in Kentucky, May 4, 2003
Start: 2003-05-04T20:57
End: 2003-05-04T23:00
Location: Kentucky

May 4, 2003 · NWS PAH · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

5 inches per hour.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 10

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 PAH wrote it up.

Severe thunderstorms produced estimated rainfall rates of 1 to 2.5 inches per hour.

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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 4, 1:44 PM CST, 7 hours 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 4, 1:44 PM CST, 7 hours 13 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
244 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003

FORECAST CHALLENGE IS TIMING OF PRECIP AND SVR WX.

FIRST CLUSTER OF STORMS NORTH OF WARM FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH WARM AIR
ADVECTION AT 850 SLOWLY MOVING OFF TO THE EAST. AT 1900 UTC WARM
FRONT ENTERING THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF CWA WITH MID TO UPPER 60 DEW
POINTS. LARGE HAIL WITH ISOLATED WIND DAMAGE REPORTED WITH THESE
STORMS.

SEVERE WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAIN SYSTEM NOW OVER
NEBRASKA...KANSAS AND OKLAHOMA.  EXPECT THIS SYSTEM TO MERGE INTO A
POSSIBLE SQUALL LINE AS IT REACHES THE AREA THIS EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT. WILL KEEP MENTION OF SEVERE IN ZONES BOTH TONIGHT AND
AGAIN TOMORROW AFTERNOON. EHI AND VGP VALUES FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
WEATHER BOTH TIME FRAMES. FIRST SQUALL LINE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE
THROUGH THE AREA OVERNIGHT AND WEAKENS TO OUR EAST DURING THE DAY ON
MONDAY. IF THE CLOUDS BREAK AS EXPECTED...WE WILL DESTABILIZE BY
AFTERNOON WITH FORECAST CAPES OVER 3500 J/KG. AGAIN WITH VGP VALUES
OVER .3 IN PART OF WEST KENTUCKY TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND EHI VALUES
AROUND 5...SUPERCELLS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY IN WESTERN KENTUCKY.

AS FRONT SLOWLY SAGS SOUTH...IT IS FORECAST TO BE ALONG OHIO RIVER
BY EARLY WEDNESDAY...WITH SURFACE LOW MOVING ALONG FRONT...WILL
MENTION HEAVY RAIN.

LITTLE CHANGE TO THE REST OF THE FORECAST WITH ONLY MINOR CHANGES TO
WINDS...TEMPERATURES.

EXTENDED FORECAST...ALL MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT THROUGH FRIDAY
WHICH MEANS A CONTINUED CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. WEAK
TROUGH OVER WEST COAST WILL KEEP SOUTHWEST FLOW OVER THE REGION.
TIMING OF IMPULSES IN SOUTHWEST FLOW THAT WILL PRODUCE SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS IS VERY DIFFICULT. THIS WILL KEEP A WEAK FRONTAL
BOUNDARY ALONG THE OHIO RIVER UNTIL FRIDAY. MODELS SWING DECENT
SYSTEM THROUGH ON FRIDAY...ANOTHER LATE SATURDAY INTO SUNDAY.

.PAH...NONE.

SPODEN

Hazardous weather outlook, May 4, 7:57 PM CST, 1 hour before

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100-
107>112-114-051000-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
857 PM CDT SUN MAY 4 2003

...HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI TONIGHT
WITH A MODERATE RISK OVER MOST OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND WESTERN
KENTUCKY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...SOUTHERN
ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND WESTERN KENTUCKY.

.DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI
TONIGHT WITH A MODERATE RISK OVER MOST OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND
WESTERN KENTUCKY. A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXISTS OVER
THE REST OF THE REGION. SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...AND TORNADOES WILL BE
POSSIBLE...MAINLY OVER THE SOUTHWEST HALF OF THE
REGION...GENERALLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM JUST NORTH OF CARBONDALE
ILLINOIS...TO NEAR MADISONVILLE KENTUCKY. STORMS WITH LARGE HAIL AND
DAMAGING WIND ARE POSSIBLE NORTH OF THE LINE.

ONE ROUND IS MOVING THROUGH THE AREA THIS EVENING...ANOTHER ROUND OF
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE LATER TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS WESTERN
KENTUCKY TOMORROW...WITH A SLIGHT RISK OVER THE REST OF THE QUAD
STATE AREA. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE
AREA DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. AT THIS TIME...IS APPEARS THAT
SUPERCELLS ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY OVER WESTERN KENTUCKY. LARGE
HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE
TOMORROW. THIS ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED TO DIMINISH DURING THE EVENING
HOURS.

THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY THIS WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS REQUESTED ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING IN
THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM AND TORNADO WATCH AREAS. ADDITIONAL
ACTIVATION IS POSSIBLE TONIGHT FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE QUAD STATE
AREA. IN ADDITION...SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUESTED MONDAY
AFTERNOON.

PS

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 4, 8:16 PM CST, 41 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
916 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0913 PM    COWLING                   IL   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   WABASH                         REPORTED BY WABASH COUNTY
                                          DES

Local storm report, May 4, 8:21 PM CST, 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
921 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0914 PM    OLIVE BRANCH              IL   1.75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   ALEXANDER                      REPORTED BY EOC ALSO 60
                                          MPH WIND WITH SOME TREES
                                          DOWN

Local storm report, May 4, 8:24 PM CST, 33 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
924 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0918 PM    BELMONT                   IL   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   WABASH                         REPORTED BY WABASH COUNTY
                                          EMA

0920 PM    DELTA                     MO   FLOODING
05/04/03   CAPE GIRARDEAU                 STREET FLOODING 2 1/2
                                          INCHES OF RAIN  WITH 1
                                          INCH IN 20 MINUTES

Local storm report, May 4, 8:30 PM CST, 27 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
930 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0924 PM    OLMSTEAD                  IL   0.75 INCH HAIL
05/04/03   PULASKI                        REPORTED BY PULASKI
                                          COUNTY DES

Local storm report, May 4, 8:54 PM CST, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
954 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0945 PM    KEVIL                     KY   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/04/03   BALLARD                        REPORTED BY TRAINED
                                          SPOTTERS

Local storm report, May 4, 8:57 PM CST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
957 PM CDT SUN MAY 04 2003

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

0951 PM    WEST PADUCAH              KY   60 MPH WIND GUST
05/04/03   MCCRACKEN                      REPORTED BY WFO PADUCAH
                                          PERSONNEL

The radar

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 20 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 02:55 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Ballard

When: May 4, 8:57 PM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Ballard County, North Portion
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 37.058, -88.999 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, McCracken

When: May 4, 9:07 PM CST to 10:10 PM CST
Where: McCracken County, Northwest Portion
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 37.054, -88.713 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Lyon

When: May 4, 10:01 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Lyon County, Countywide
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 37.019, -88.083 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Marshall

When: May 4, 10:01 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Marshall County, Countywide
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 36.884, -88.329 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Trigg

When: May 4, 10:01 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Trigg County, Countywide
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 36.806, -87.873 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Carlisle

When: May 4, 10:01 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Carlisle County, Countywide
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 36.853, -88.971 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Graves

When: May 4, 10:01 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Graves County, Countywide
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 36.723, -88.651 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Hickman

When: May 4, 10:01 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Hickman County, Countywide
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 36.678, -88.976 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Calloway

When: May 4, 10:01 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Calloway County, Countywide
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 36.621, -88.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flash Flood, Fulton

When: May 4, 10:01 PM CST to 11:00 PM CST
Where: Fulton County, Countywide
Reported by: UNKNOWN
Coordinates: 36.554, -89.188 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

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 2003 Every state in 2003 This day in weather history Warnings in Kentucky, May 2003

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: 5352609, 5352610, 5352611, 5352612, 5352613, 5352614, 5352615, 5352616, 5352617, 5352618.