Hail in Kentucky, May 19, 2005

Name: Hail in Kentucky, May 19, 2005
Start: 2005-05-19T15:45
End: 2005-05-19T17:11
Location: Kentucky

May 19, 2005 · NWS PAH · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

A supercell thunderstorm tracked east across Caldwell County, producing a swath of nickel to quarter-size hail about 8 miles long. The hail swath passed north through northeast of Princeton.

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: $20,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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.

A supercell thunderstorm tracked east across Caldwell County, producing a swath of nickel to quarter-size hail about 8 miles long. The hail swath passed north through northeast of Princeton. The supercell reached its maximum intensity as it crossed into Hopkins County, producing tennis ball to baseball size hail at Dawson Springs. The baseball size hail occurred along the Hopkins County side of the Tradewater River, less than a mile west of Dawson Springs. Windows were broken out of a residence, and a truck was dented. A couple of other less intense storms produced quarter size hail on the south side of Madisonville and golf ball size hail in Mclean County.

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 19, 1:00 PM CST, 2 hours 45 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 19, 1:00 PM CST, 2 hours 45 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
200 PM CDT THU MAY 19 2005

.DISCUSSION...

KPAH 88D RADAR MOSAIC SHOWS CONVECTION CONTINUING TO DEVELOP IN THE
AFTERNOON HEAT. LAPS DATA REVEALS FA AIR MASS (CAPE) DESTABILIZED
INTO THE 1600-2100 J/KG2 RANGE. INHIBITING FACTORS SEEM TO BE LACK
OF WELL DEFINED SURFACE CONVERGENT BOUNDARY...WITH BROAD SWLYS NOTED
ACROSS FA WITHIN INSTABILITY AXIS. HOWEVER...WIDESPREAD CONVECTIVE
DEVELOPMENT MAY WELL YIELD SOME OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES TO PERHATSM WATCHES
REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR DIURNALLY MOST UNSTABLE PART OF DAY...THRU 02Z.

AFT 02Z...EXPECT VERY BRIEF LULL...THEN PERHAPS OUR BEST STRONG TO
SVR STORM THREAT...AS COLD FRONT IS DRIVEN SOUTHWARD BY SEWARD
DIVING UPPER LOW AND STRONG DYNAMICAL PVA IS ROTATED AROUND IT.
BELIEVE BEST POPS WL BE ALONG AHEAD OF SAID FRONT/LOW PASSAGE...ESP
FROM 06Z-12Z. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE ANOTHER BOX FOR THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS.

THE MODEL DIVERGENCE ON THE UPPER LOW TRACK IS PERHAPS LEAST THIS
RUN BUT STILL SIGNIFICANT. NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT IT THOUGH...IT
APPEARS THE LOW IS FAR ENOUGH AWAY TO LINGER ONLY A VERY EARLY
FRIDAY POP IN OUR FAR SERN MOST COUNTIES.

THE PRIMARY MEDIUM TO LONG RANGE IMPACT OF THE DIFFERING UPPER LOW
TRACKS ARE ON TEMPS AND ANY SUBSEQUENT CHANCES OF PCPN DOWN THE
ROAD. THE NGM MOS HAS BACKED OFF ITS EXTREME HIGHS AT 24 AND 48
HOURS...BUT IS STILL THE WARM MODEL. THE ETA HAS WARMED AND THE GFS
HAS MAINTAINED THE COOLER APPROACH...PROBABLY PER PMDHMD THAT ITS
CONVECTIVE FEEDBACK HAS SLOWED THE OVERALL PATTERN EVOLUTION. THE
NET RESULT WAS THAT OUR CONFIDENCE IN RETURN PCPN CHANCES ON DAYS 3
AND 6 WAS MINIMAL...SO WE KEPT THE FORECAST DRY IN HOPES OF SOME
BETTER MODEL CONFIDENCE OVER THE NEXT FEW RUNS. ALSO...WEVE NUDGED
OFF A TOTAL GFS BIAS TO A BETTER GFS/NAM BLEND GIVEN THE
AFOREMENTIONED AND THE PMDHMD MODEL TRENDS ASSESSMENT (PRO NAM).

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...SVR TSM WATCH 288 TIL 7PM AND 289 TIL 9PM ALL COUNTIES.
MO...SVR TSM WATCH 288 TIL 7PM ALL COUNTIES.
IL...SVR TSM WATCH 288 TIL 7PM ALL COUNTIES.
IN...SVR TSM WATCH 289 TIL 9PM ALL COUNTIES.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, May 19, 10:44 AM CST, 5 hours 1 minute before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1144 AM CDT THU MAY 19 2005

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-100-
107>112-114-201000-
ALEXANDER IL-BALLARD KY-BOLLINGER MO-BUTLER MO-CALDWELL KY-
CALLOWAY KY-CAPE GIRARDEAU MO-CARLISLE KY-CARTER MO-CHRISTIAN KY-
CRITTENDEN KY-DAVIESS KY-EDWARDS IL-FRANKLIN IL-FULTON KY-
GALLATIN IL-GIBSON IN-GRAVES KY-HAMILTON IL-HARDIN IL-HENDERSON KY-
HICKMAN KY-HOPKINS KY-JACKSON IL-JEFFERSON IL-JOHNSON IL-
LIVINGSTON KY-LYON KY-MARSHALL KY-MASSAC IL-MCCRACKEN KY-MCLEAN KY-
MISSISSIPPI MO-MUHLENBERG KY-NEW MADRID MO-PERRY MO-PERRY IL-PIKE IN-
POPE IL-POSEY IN-PULASKI IL-RIPLEY MO-SALINE IL-SCOTT MO-SPENCER IN-
STODDARD MO-TODD KY-TRIGG KY-UNION KY-UNION IL-VANDERBURGH IN-
WABASH IL-WARRICK IN-WAYNE MO-WAYNE IL-WEBSTER KY-WHITE IL-
WILLIAMSON IL-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SIKESTON...POPLAR BLUFF...PERRYVILLE...
CAPE GIRARDEAU...PADUCAH...HERRIN...HARRISBURG...CARMI...
CARBONDALE...CAIRO...OWENSBORO...MURRAY...MAYFIELD...HOPKINSVILLE...
EVANSVILLE...MADISONVILLE AND HENDERSON
1144 AM CDT THU MAY 19 2005

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM FOR SOUTHEAST
MISSOURI...SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...AND FAR WESTERN MOST PORTIONS OF
SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND WESTERN KENTUCKY.

AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT WILL KEEP THE CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS...INCLUDING THE SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS...IN THE FORECAST FOR THE ENTIRE AREA THROUGH TONIGHT.

LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND ARE THE PRIMARY THREATS TO BE EXPECTED
WITH ANY POTENTIAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

ON FRIDAY MORNING THERE WILL BE A LINGERING CHANCE OF
THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY IN WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHWEST INDIANA.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS HAVE BEEN ACTIVATED IN THE WATCH AREA...AND JUST OUTSIDE OF
THE WATCH AREA...SPOTTERS SHOULD BE ON ALERT FOR THEIR POSSIBLE
ACTIVATION REQUEST LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 19, 1:49 PM CST, 1 hour 56 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
249 PM CDT THU MAY 19 2005

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

0238 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 NE PEMBROKE           36.79N 87.33W
05/19/2005  60 MPH           CHRISTIAN          KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

            LARGE TREE DOWN

0235 PM     TSTM WND DMG     OAK GROVE               37.84N 88.08W
05/19/2005                   GALLATIN           IN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            BIG SIGN BLOWN DOWN ACROSS 41A NEAR OAK GROVE. SIGNS DOWN
            ALONG I-24 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 86 AND 89.

&&

RST

Local storm report, May 19, 2:52 PM CST, 53 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
352 PM CDT THU MAY 19 2005

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

0238 PM     TSTM WND DMG     EVANSVILLE              37.98N 87.54W
05/19/2005                   VANDERBURGH        IN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TRAFFIC WIRES DOWN...TAKING DOWN TRAFFIC SIGNALS

0252 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 N ELKTON              36.84N 87.16W
05/19/2005                   TODD               KY   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            ABOUT 6 TREES BLOCKING ROADS ACROSS THE NORTHERN PART OF
            THE COUNTY...MAINLY FROM ELKTON NORTH

&&

MTF

Local storm report, May 19, 3:20 PM CST, 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
420 PM CDT THU MAY 19 2005

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

0405 PM     NON-TSTM WND DMG GRANDIN                 36.83N 90.82W
05/19/2005                   CARTER             MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN IN GRANDIN

&&

MTF

Local storm report, May 19, 3:28 PM CST, 17 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
428 PM CDT THU MAY 19 2005

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

&&

MTF

Local storm report, May 19, 3:35 PM CST, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
435 PM CDT THU MAY 19 2005

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

0300 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MORGANFIELD             37.68N 87.91W
05/19/2005                   UNION              KY   UTILITY COMPANY

            SMALL TREES DOWN ALONG US 60 IN UNION CUUNTY

&&

MTF

Local storm report, May 19, 3:42 PM CST, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
442 PM CDT THU MAY 19 2005

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

0345 PM     HAIL             10 NNW POPLAR BLUFF     36.90N 90.48W
05/19/2005  1.00 INCH        BUTLER             MO   EMERGENCY MNGR

            QUARTER SIZED HAIL ALONG US HWY 60 AT CARTER/BUTLER CNTY
            LINE.

&&

MTF

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Caldwell

When: May 19, 3:45 PM CST to 4:00 PM CST
Where: Caldwell County, 10 mi N of Princeton
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.267, -87.867

Hail, Hopkins

When: May 19, 4:11 PM CST
Where: Hopkins County, Dawson Spgs
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.167, -87.700

Hail, McLean

When: May 19, 4:45 PM CST
Where: McLean County, Livermore
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 37.483, -87.133

Hail, Caldwell

When: May 19, 4:58 PM CST
Where: Caldwell County, 2 mi S of Farmersville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.167, -87.883

Hail, Hopkins

When: May 19, 5:11 PM CST
Where: Hopkins County, 1 mi S of Madisonville
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 37.317, -87.500

What these are

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

Every storm in Kentucky in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Kentucky, May 2005

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: 5445710, 5445711, 5445712, 5445775, 5445774.