Flash Flood in Kentucky, May 25 to 26, 2006

Name: Flash Flood in Kentucky, May 25 to 26, 2006
Start: 2006-05-25T23:05
End: 2006-05-26T01:30
Location: Kentucky

May 25 to 26, 2006 · NWS PAH · 1 event in 1 county or zone

1 flash flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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: $100,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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 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 25, 12:00 PM CST, 11 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 25, 12:00 PM CST, 11 hours 5 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
100 PM CDT THU MAY 25 2006

.DISCUSSION...
WATER VAPOR SHOWS UPPER LOW SWIRLING ACROSS IA ON SE TRACK INTO NRN
IL...W/ISOLD LTG STRIKES JUST STARTING TO THE NORTH OF THE LOW.
SURFACE PLOT AND VISIBLE IMAGERY REVEALS THE COLD FRONT EXTENDING
FROM NRN IL SOUTH AND WEST INTO CNTL MO...BUT BOTH WATER VAPOR AND
VISIBLE SHOW DRY AIR WEDGE INTO LOWER OH VALLEY. AS FRONT
APPROACHES...ANTICIPATE LINE DEVELOPMENT TO OUR NORTH AND EAST TO
BUILD BACK SOUTH AND WEST INTO PAH FA...HOW MUCH IS THE PRIMARY
FORECAST CHALLENGE. LATEST SWODY1 RETAINS MDT RISK SVR MAINLY NRN/ERN
PTNS FA CLOSER TO UPPER WINDS/DYNAMICAL ENERGY. HIGH INSTABILITY
ENVIRO IN PLACE W/SUFFICIENT FUEL/LOW LEVEL MOISTURE THAT FRONT
SHOULD ACTIVATE LINEAR STORMS DURING PEAK HEATING. WL KEEP CLOSE
WATCH AND ANTICIPATE THE SAME TO BE POSTED THIS PM/EVENING.

12Z MODELS PUSH FRONT THRU FA TONIGHT. NAM IS MORE
AGGRESSIVE/THOROUGH WITH FROPA WHILE GFS TENDS TO HANG IT UP ALONG
OUR SRN BORDER...WHICH IS IN LINE W/THEIR RUN-RUN TRENDS. HAVE OPTED
TO KEEP PERSISTENCE STRATEGY FORECAST OF LOW POP ALONG STALLING
BOUNDARY ESP SOUTH TONIGHT...THEN CLEAR OUT FRI AM AND RETURN AGAIN
TO OUR SOUTHWEST AS BOUNDARY LIFTS WARM/WASHES OUT. THUS WE NEVER
REALLY GET A GOOD COOL OFF AND QUICKLY RETURN TO SUMMER LIKE FLOW
REGIME AND THUS SUMMER LIKE HEAT/HUMIDITY. THE RESULTANT FORECAST WL
BE A NEAR DAILY DIURNAL POP AT LEAST...WITH A CONTINUING DAILY TAD
HIGHER POP BY MID WEEK NEXT AS A FRONT SAGS AND DAMPENS THE RIDGE.

WE HEDGED ON OR ABOVE HIGH SIDE OF MOS THRU THE PACKAGE IN
ACCORDANCE W/PERSISTENCE STRATEGY AS IT BLENDED COLLABORATIVELY.

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...NONE.
MO...NONE.
IL...NONE.
IN...NONE.
&&

Hazardous weather outlook, May 25, 9:00 AM CST, 14 hours 5 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1000 AM CDT THU MAY 25 2006

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114-261000-
JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON-
WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE-
HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH-
WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES-
LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL-
UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN-
MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER-
RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-
1000 AM CDT THU MAY 25 2006

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND EAST
OF A LINE FROM BELLMONT...TO CARMI...TO HARRISBURG...TO METROPOLIS
ILLINOIS...AND GRAND RIVERS TO FORT CAMPBELL KENTUCKY. THERE IS A
SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE
FOUR STATE AREA. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY
HAZARDS.

A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST INTO THE AREA THIS
AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONT ACROSS
PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST INDIANA...SOUTHERN ILLINOIS AND SOUTHEAST
MISSOURI BY MID TO LATE AFTERNOON...AND THEN MOVE EAST INTO WESTERN
KENTUCKY. THE ATMOSPHERE IS FORECASTED TO BE VERY UNSTABLE AHEAD OF
THE FRONT...WHICH WILL LEAD TO SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ON FRIDAY ALONG
AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM MAYFIELD TO CROFTON KENTUCKY. SOME OF THE
STORMS COULD BE STRONG TO SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS THE MAIN THREATS. WITH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINING IN THE
AREA...THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO BE A POSSIBILITY ESPECIALLY
ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA ON FRIDAY.

CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS REMAIN IN THE FORECAST FOR FRIDAY NIGHT
THROUGH WEDNESDAY...WITH CHANCES MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON ON SUNDAY
AND MONDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUESTED THIS AFTERNOON AND
TONIGHT...AS WELL AS ON FRIDAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 25, 8:21 PM CST, 2 hours 44 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
921 PM CDT THU MAY 25 2006

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

0920 PM     TSTM WND GST     BROOKPORT               37.12N 88.63W
05/25/2006  M58 MPH          MASSAC             IL   AMATEUR RADIO

            PEA SIZE HAIL ASSOCIATED WITH STORM. EVENT OCCURRED ALONG
            THE OHIO RIVERFRONT AREA.

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, May 25, 8:29 PM CST, 2 hours 36 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
929 PM CDT THU MAY 25 2006

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

0829 PM     HAIL             CLINTON                 36.67N 88.99W
05/25/2006  M1.75 INCH       HICKMAN            KY   EMERGENCY MNGR

            GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL DAMAGED POLICE CAR. OVER ONE INCH OF
            RAINFALL WITH STORM.

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, May 25, 8:30 PM CST, 2 hours 35 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
930 PM CDT THU MAY 25 2006

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

0928 PM     HAIL             ISLAND                  37.44N 87.15W
05/25/2006  M0.88 INCH       MCLEAN             KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, May 25, 8:50 PM CST, 2 hours 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
950 PM CDT THU MAY 25 2006

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

0935 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 N HAMLIN              36.61N 88.08W
05/25/2006                   CALLOWAY           KY   EMERGENCY MNGR

            SEVERAL TREES DOWN

&&

DLL

Local storm report, May 25, 9:18 PM CST, 1 hour 47 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1018 PM CDT THU MAY 25 2006

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

1010 PM     HAIL             HICKMAN                 36.56N 89.19W
05/25/2006  M0.88 INCH       FULTON             KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

SMITTY

Local storm report, May 25, 9:40 PM CST, 1 hour 25 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1040 PM CDT THU MAY 25 2006

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

1040 PM     HAIL             HICKMAN                 36.56N 89.19W
05/25/2006  M1.00 INCH       FULTON             KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

SMITTY

The radar

The Paducah radar (KPAH), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:02 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Fulton

When: May 25, 11:05 PM CST to May 26, 1:30 AM CST
Where: Fulton County, Hickman
Property damage: $100,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 36.554, -89.188 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Over an hour of torrential rain in thunderstorms produced widespread flash flooding. Evacuations of five families were conducted in the city of Hickman, and up to three feet of water was over a road. Houses were flooded in the city. Mudslides were reported outside the city. Kentucky 94 was closed between Hickman and the Tennessee state line due to flooding. In Fulton, more than a dozen homes and nine public buildings were damaged. The flooded buildings included an attorney's office and several churches. Between 4 and 6 inches of rain was reported by spotters to the county emergency manager.

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 2006 Every state in 2006 This day in weather history Warnings in Kentucky, May 2006

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: 5508076.