A frontal system and upper level low brought widespread heavy rains and flooding to central Kentucky.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS LMK wrote it up.
A frontal system and upper level low brought widespread heavy rains and flooding to central Kentucky.
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 3, 1:00 PM CST, 2 hours 20 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED FORMAT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
300 PM EDT THU APR 3 2008
.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT)...
FLOOD WATCH STILL IN EFFECT FOR ENTIRE AREA.
EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON AN AREA OF RAIN MOVED ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL
KENTUCKY BRINGING WIDESPREAD 1 TO 1/2 INCHES OF RAIN ALONG AND SOUTH
OF THE CUMBERLAND PARKWAY.
IN RESPONSE TO AN UPPER DISTURBANCE MOVING ACROSS KANSAS...LOW
PRESSURE WILL MOVE ACROSS MISSOURI THIS EVENING. AT 3 PM...A WARM
FRONT STRETCHED SOUTHEAST OF THIS LOW ACROSS THE MISSOURI BOOTHEEL
AND ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN TENNESSEE. THIS FRONT WILL ATTEMPT TO MOVE
NORTH OVERNIGHT AND MAY MOVE AS FAR NORTH AS CENTRAL KENTUCKY BY THE
EARLY MORNING HOURS.
LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WILL PROVIDE A BRIEF RESPITE FROM
THE RAIN AS SHOWERS ACROSS THE SOUTH WILL MOVE OUT OF THE AREA BY
LATE AFTERNOON.
STRONG CONVECTION OVER MISSOURI WILL WEAKEN...BUT STILL PROVIDE
PLENTY OF ADDITIONAL RAINFALL LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT.
IN MY OPINION...THE NAM IS TOO FAR NORTH WITH BOTH THE PATH OF THE
SURFACE LOW AND THE AXIS OF THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION...FORECASTING
AN ADDITIONAL 2 OR MORE INCHES IN A SWATH ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA.
THE 12Z GFS HAS A MORE ACCURATE PREDICTION OF BOTH THE TRACK OF THE
SURFACE LOW (RIGHT ALONG THE OHIO RIVER) AND THE FARTHER SOUTH TRACK
OF THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION. AGREE WITH HPCS FORECAST PRECIP
AMOUNTS OF 1 1/2 TO 2/ 1/2 ADDITIONAL INCHES CENTERED ALONG A TRACK
FROM PERHAPS BOWLING GREEN THROUGH THE BLUEGRASS REGION. ACCORDING
TO THIS...SOUTHERN INDIANA MAY MISS THE HEAVIER RAINFALL THAT WILL
FALL SOUTH OF THE OHIO RIVER.
IN ANY CASE EXPECT RAIN WITH SCATTERED THUNDER TO ARRIVE TOWARDS
MIDNIGHT.
TEMPERATURES WILL RISE OVERNIGHT ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE OHIO
RIVER...WITH THE WARMEST TEMPERATURES OCCURING TOWARDS THE EARLY
MORNING HOURS. SHOULD THE WARM FRONT MAKE IT INTO CENTRAL
KENTUCKY...SOUTH WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 10 TO 20 MPH ACROSS OUR
SOUTHERN COUNTIES.
SHOWERS WILL TEND TO DIMINISH FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST DURING THE
AFTERNOON TOMORROW. A SECOND WAVE WILL DEVELOP LATE TOMORROW ACROSS
TENNESSEE. AS LOW PRESSURE MOVES EARLY SATURDAY INTO SOUTHEASTERN
KENTUCKY..SHOWERS MAY LINGER ACROSS OUR SOUTHEASTERN COUNTIES
THROUGH EARLY SATURDAY.
WITH NORTHWEST WINDS DEVELOPING LATE FRIDAY...COOLER AIR WILL LOWER
TEMPERATURES EARLY SATURDAY INTO THE 40S.
.LONG TERM (SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)...
A DRY ZONAL PATTERN WILL SET UP FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE
EXTENDED...FOLLOWED BY A TRANSITION TO A WARMER AND MORE ACTIVE
PATTERN MID TO LATE NEXT WEEK.
SATURDAY-SUNDAY...
THE FRONT WILL BE EAST OF OUR CWA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE
WEEKEND...WHICH WILL BRING A MUCH NEEDED DRY COUPLE OF DAYS. TEMPS
WILL BE A LITTLE ON THE COOL SIDE FOR SATURDAY...WITH TEMPS
REBOUNDING INTO THE MID 50S N TO THE LOW 60S S. HOWEVER BY SUNDAY
WITH ZONAL FLOW IN FULL EFFECT AND SFC WINDS SHIFTING AROUND TO THE
SE...TEMPS WILL BE VERY NICE WITH HIGHS IN THE UPPER 60S TO LOW 70S.
MONDAY-TUESDAY...
BY THE WORK WEEK...TROUGHING INITIATES OVER THE INTERMOUNTAIN
WEST...WITH SWRLY FLOW OVER OUR REGION. A WEAK SFC LOW OVER THE
GREAT LAKES TRIES TO DRAG A WEAK FRONT ACROSS THE AREA. HOWEVER...IT
APPEARS TO MOSTLY WASH OUT WITH THE 12Z GFS RUN...SO HAVE BACKED OFF
ON POPS TO JUST SLT CHC OVER THE NNE PART OF THE CWA. NOT EVEN SURE
I WILL KEEP THOSE POPS IN THERE OR NOW.
HOWEVER DURING THIS TIME...A STRONGER SYSTEM APPEARS TO DEVELOP OVER
THE CENTRAL PLAINS AHEAD OF THE AFOREMENTIONED TROUGHING. THIS
SYSTEM WOULD AFFECT OUR REGION BY LATE TUESDAY. IF THE TROUGH DIGS
TOO MUCH...THIS LOW WILL TRAVEL MORE TOWARD THE UPPER GREAT
LAKES...MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR THE SYSTEM TO DRAG A COLD FRONT
ACROSS OUR AREA. BUT RIGHT NOW...THE GFS SHOWS A POTENT LOW WITH THE
COLD FRONT APPROACHING THE CWA BY TUESDAY...GENERALLY LATER IN THE
DAY. AHEAD OF THIS...TUESDAY SHOULD BE VERY WARM AND WINDY...WITH
HIGHS IN THE LOW 70S. THIS COLD FRONT COULD BRING POSSIBLY STRONG
T-STORMS ACROSS THE AREA...BUT IT IS TOO EARLY TO TELL FOR SURE.
WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY...
AS THIS SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH...CONTINUED POPS OVER THE EASTERN CWA.
HOWEVER OUR SW FLOW CONTINUES BEHIND THE FRONT SO NOT EXPECTING A
COOL DOWN. IN FACT...ANOTHER SYSTEM RIGHT ON ITS TOES APPROACHES THE
CWA LATE THURSDAY...AND THIS ALSO LOOKS LIKE IT HAS POTENTIAL TO
PRODUCE STRONG T-STORMS THRS-THRS NIGHT. AGAIN ITS TOO EARLY TO GET
CUTE WITH THOSE DETAILS...BUT FROM TUESDAY ON...WE ARE LOOKING AT A
WARM AND WET SPRING-LIKE PATTERN.
&&
.AVIATION (18Z TAFS)...
A WIDESPREAD AREA OF RAIN WILL SLOWLY MOVE EAST OF THE AREA BY LATE
AFTERNOON. RAIN AT SDF WILL DIMINISH TO SCATTERED SHOWERS BY 19Z.
RAIN AT LEXINGTON WILL TURN TO SCATTERED SHOWERS BY 21Z. AT
BWG...RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL TAPER OFF TO SCATTERED
SHOWERS BY 19 TO 20Z.
EXPECT SOUTHEAST WINDS TO CONTINUE AT ALL SITES THROUGH 02Z...WITH
MVFR CIGS.
A WARM FRONT WILL MOVE NORTH OF BOWLING GREEN BY LATE EVENING.
SURFACE WINDS AT BWG WILL INCREASE TO SOUTHERLY AT 10 TO 15 MPH
OVERNIGHT.
ANOTHER AREA OF RAIN AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO
CENTRAL KENTUCKY TOWARDS MIDNIGHT. RAIN MAY BECOME HEAVY AT TIMES
AND VISIBILITIES MAY BE REDUCED WITHIN SOME OF THE HEAVIER SHOWERS.
MVFR CIGS...OCCASIONALLY IFR SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH
FRIDAY MORNING. RAIN MAY DIMINISH AT SDF BY AROUND 14 TO 16Z.
&&
.LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...FLOOD WATCH FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING FOR
KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067-070>078-081-082.
IN...FLOOD WATCH FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING FOR
INZ076>079-083-084-089>092.
&&
SHORT TERM...JSD
LONG TERM....AL
AVIATION.....JSDHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 353 PM EDT THU APR 3 2008 INZ076>079-083-084-089>092-KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067- 070>078-081-082-042000- ORANGE IN-WASHINGTON IN-SCOTT IN-JEFFERSON IN-DUBOIS IN- CRAWFORD IN-PERRY IN-HARRISON IN-FLOYD IN-CLARK IN-HANCOCK KY- BRECKINRIDGE KY-MEADE KY-OHIO KY-GRAYSON KY-HARDIN KY-BULLITT KY- JEFFERSON KY-OLDHAM KY-TRIMBLE KY-HENRY KY-SHELBY KY-FRANKLIN KY- SCOTT KY-HARRISON KY-SPENCER KY-ANDERSON KY-WOODFORD KY- FAYETTE KY-BOURBON KY-NICHOLAS KY-NELSON KY-WASHINGTON KY- MERCER KY-JESSAMINE KY-CLARK KY-LARUE KY-MARION KY-BOYLE KY- GARRARD KY-MADISON KY-BUTLER KY-EDMONSON KY-HART KY-GREEN KY- TAYLOR KY-CASEY KY-LINCOLN KY-LOGAN KY-WARREN KY-SIMPSON KY- ALLEN KY-BARREN KY-MONROE KY-METCALFE KY-ADAIR KY-RUSSELL KY- CUMBERLAND KY-CLINTON KY- 353 PM EDT THU APR 3 2008 /253 PM CDT THU APR 3 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. A FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR ALL AREAS THROUGH FRIDAY. SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE LATE THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY. HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE WITH AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 AND ONE HALF INCHES POSSIBLE ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE OHIO RIVER. AREAS ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED OVER ONE INCH OF RAIN. ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN MAY PRODUCE FLOODING OF SMALL STREAMS AND LOW LYING AREAS. DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT FROM ANY THUNDERSTORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A THREAT EXISTS FOR ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN SOUTH AND EAST OF THE BLUEGRASS PARKWAY. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF OVER 1 INCH ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN BLUEGRASS AND SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION FROM THE WEST. AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THAT ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORM WOULD BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO REPORT INSTANCES OF HEAVY RAINFALL OR FLOODING TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE. JSD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 1223 PM EDT THU APR 3 2008 KYZ026-027-061>066-070>078-081-031730- ADAIR-ALLEN-BARREN-BUTLER-CASEY-CUMBERLAND-EDMONSON-GRAYSON-GREEN- HART-LOGAN-METCALFE-MONROE-OHIO-RUSSELL-SIMPSON-TAYLOR-WARREN- 1123 AM CDT THU APR 3 2008 ...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL... AT 1119 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE TENNESSEE BORDER EXTENDING INTO SOUTH-CENTRAL KENTUCKY...AND MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST TOWARD THE SOUTHERN BLUEGRASS REGION. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT THE TOWNS OF FRANKLIN...BOWLING GREEN...SCOTTSVILLE...RUSSELLVILLE...TOMPKINSVILLE...GLASGOW AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAINFALL WITH AMOUNTS OF UP TO ONE INCH PER HOUR ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. BECAUSE OF THE VERY HEAVY RAIN...EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON LOCAL ROADWAYS AND REDUCED VISIBILITIES. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS IF ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS. AL
The Nashville radar (KOHX), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:22 UTC.
21 flood, 17 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Three or four roads across the county were closed due to high water.
Several vehicles were submerged in the Louisville area, but no injuries or water rescues were reported. Numerous roads were closed due to flooding around the Louisville Metro area. Some of the closures included: a lane of Interstate 65 at the Woodbine exit, Third Street at Eastern Parkway, Breckinridge Lane at Six Mile Lane, Outer Loop at Preston Highway, and Outer Loop at New Cut Road.
County roads were closed due to high water. At least one water rescue was performed.
The Rough River at Dundee crested at 28.9 feet around 330 AM EST on April 5. Flood stage at Dundee is 25 feet. Moderate flooding occurs at this level, with the post office flooded and sections of Kentucky Highway 69 covered with water.
Numerous county roads and streets in Vine Grove and Radcliff were closed due to high water. Water got into homes on Frontier Court in Radcliff. A motorist drove into high water on Highway 144 near the Creekvale Subdivision, and a water rescue was performed. Water backed up into businesses and apartments in both Radcliff and Vine Grove.
Stoner Creek at Paris crested at 23.5 feet around 1005 PM EST on April 4. Flood stage at Paris is 18 feet. Moderate flooding occurs at this level, with water entering some homes below the water plant. Parts of the city park are flooded. The hardest hit areas were Sandy Bottoms, Houston Avenue, and the Garrard Park area, where water entered the lower levels of some homes.
Heavy rains caused widespread flooding and numerous road closures around the county. A mud slide on highway 62 near Boston closed the road for ten hours.
Six homes had water under the floor. Two homes had water on the main floor. One water rescue was conducted with no injuries.
Numerous roads were closed due to high water, including parts of New Circle Road, and Newtown Pike. Some high water rescues were accomplished.
Numerous roads in the county were closed due to high water.
Heavy rains caused widespread area flooding across the county. Eight roads were closed due to high water.
A motorist drove into high water, and was rescued. Other cars were abandoned in high water. Fifteen to twenty roadways were under water in the county. Some locations included Devils Hollow Bridge Road, Wilkinson Boulevard, and sections of Holmes Street.
Thunderstorm winds downed power lines, and downed a tree across a roadway.
A woman was rescued from a car stranded in high water in the city of Winchester.
Three mobile homes had water in them and the families had to be evacuated. Numerous roads around the county were closed due to high water, and some roads were washed out.
Several basements were flooded. Some county roads were closed due to high water. There was a landslide on Red House Road north of Richmond.
Three roads in the county were closed due to high water.
Twenty-four roads around the county were closed due to high water. There was a mudslide on Pryor Valley Road.
Numerous roads were closed due to high water, including two state highways. On Scottsville Road, the roof of a building collapsed due to the weight of ponded water.
Because of high water, the Kentucky Highway Department closed several roads near the Green River Parkway corridor.
Fallen Timber Road was closed due to high water.
Seventeen county roads were closed due to high water. State Highway 460 north of North Middletown was covered with water. At least two successful high water rescues were completed.
State highways were closed due to high water.
Tate's Creek was running out of its banks. Residents of Tate's Creek Estates were evacuated.
East Union Road, Kentucky Highway 1285, was closed due to high waters.
Sections of Clifton Road near the Kentucky River were closed due to high water. The U.S. Highway 60 Bypass in Versailles was closed.
Flood waters forced the evacuation of some homes in Beaver Dam. Numerous roads in the county were closed due to high water. A high water rescue was performed on Belltown Road north of Hartford.
Numerous county roads were closed due to high water, or debris left over from high water..
The Rolling Fork River at Boston crested at 43.6 feet around 930 AM EST on April 6. Flood stage at Boston is 35 feet. Moderate flooding occurs at this level, with a few homes and trailers flooded outside of Boston.
Kentucky Highway 403 between mile markers 4 and 5 was closed due to flooding.
The Licking River at Blue Licks Spring crested at 31.4 feet around 1045 PM EST on April 4. Flood stage at the site is 25 feet. Minor flooding occurs at this level, with some flooding of cultivated crop land.
Sections of Kentucky Highway 655 were closed due to flooding.
Sections of Kentucky Highways 100 and 678 were closed due to high water.
The Green River at Woodbury crested at 40.7 feet around 4 AM CST on April 7. Flood stage at Woodbury is 33 feet. Minor flooding occurs at this level, with low spots on North and South Church Streets in Woodbury flooded, and several county roads covered with water.
The Green River at Rochester crested at 22.8 feet around 5 AM CST on April 8. Flood stage at Rochester is 17 feet. Minor flooding occurs at this level, with ferry operations suspended.
The Barren River at Bowling Green crested at 29.4 feet around 615 AM CST on April 5. Flood stage at Bowling Green is 28 feet. Minor flooding occurs at this level, with cultivated land flooding about eight miles downstream from the gauge.
The Green River at Munfordville crested at 30.5 feet around 1245 PM CST on April 5. Flood stage at the site is 28 feet. Minor flooding occurs at this level, with the city park flooded under the U.S. Highway 31W bridge.
The Green River at Brownsville crested at 22.1 feet around 245 AM CST on April 6. Flood stage at Brownsville is 18 feet. Minor flooding occurs at this level, with the river overflowing the lock walls and some lower banks and creeks.
The South Fork Licking River at Cynthiana crested at 20.1 feet around 530 AM EST on April 5. Flood stage at Cynthiana is 20 feet. Minor flooding occurs at this level. A large section of the city park floods, and water backs up into some streets on the west side of town.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, April 2008
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: 93743, 92892, 92901, 98464, 92893, 98442, 92896, 92899, 92902, 93544, 93549, 92894, 92903, 92895, 92898, 92900, 93551, 92897, 93745, 93769, 93747, 93748, 93751, 93760, 93761, 93762, 93765, 93766, 98463, 93774, 98445, 93767, 93768, 98470, 98471, 98466, 98468, 98469, 98462.