A complex storm system brought one and one half to three inches of rain to portions of Eastern Kentucky on December 11th. This led to flash flooding across portions of Letcher County in the evening hours.
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 JKL wrote it up.
A complex storm system brought one and one half to three inches of rain to portions of Eastern Kentucky on December 11th. This led to flash flooding across portions of Letcher County in the evening hours. The flash flooding transitioned to areal flooding on December 12th. Also, flooding due to the Cumberland River at Barbourville running high occurred in Knox County.
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 Jackson, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 11, 4:42 PM EST, 1 hour 38 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 442 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 .SHORT TERM.../TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...UPDATED DRY SLOT HAS WORKED INTO MOST OF THE FORECAST AREA WITH THE SOLID PRECIP SHIELD SHIFTING TO OUR NORTH. HAVE ALLOWED THE WSW FOR FREEZING RAIN IN THE NORTH TO EXPIRE...SINCE MOST PRECIP HAS MOVED OUT FOR THE TIME BEING...AND A CHANGEOVER TO SNOW IS CURRENTLY HAPPENING. SNOW SHOULD NOT BE ENOUGH THERE TO WARRANT AN ADVISORY. DEFORMATION ZONE/WRAP AROUND PRECIP ON BACK SIDE OF THE STORM SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE REGION DURING THE NIGHT...ESPECIALLY THE SE PART OF THE AREA. COLDER AIR ARRIVING FROM THE NORTH IS DISPLACING THE VERY WARM ELEVATED LAYER WHICH WAS PRESENT DURING THE DAY. THIS WILL BRING THE CHANGE TO SNOW QUICKLY SE TO THE VA BORDER BY ABOUT 8 PM. THIS WILL ALLOW UP TO A COUPLE OF INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION... ESPECIALLY OVER HIGH TERRAIN WHERE FREEZING TEMPERATURES ARRIVE FIRST. A WSW FOR SNOW HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR BELL TO JOHNSON COUNTY SOUTHEASTWARD FROM 6 PM TO 6 AM TONIGHT. MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO LINGER AT LOW LEVELS BENEATH AN INVERSION ON FRIDAY...LIKELY RESULTING IN CLOUDINESS. ALTHOUGH...THE CLOUDS SHOULD BEGIN TO ERODE DURING THE DAY...ESPECIALLY IN THE WEST. .LONG TERM.../FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/ THE PERIOD SHOULD START OFF QUIET WITH HIGH PRESSURE IN CONTROL. THE HIGH WILL DRIFT EAST TO THE ATLANTIC COAST OVER THE WEEKEND. COULD BE SOME MID LEVEL CLOUDS MOVING THROUGH LATE SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT WITH A VERY WEAK H5 WAVE. THE NEXT CHANCE FOR PRECIP SHOULD ARRIVE MONDAY...AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE WEST. GENERALLY WENT CLOSER TO THE GFS ENSEMBLES...WHICH HAD GOOD AGREEMENT WITH HPC GUIDANCE. THE FRONT SHOULD SLIDE THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. THE FRONT IS EXPECTED TO STALL JUST TO OUR SOUTH...WITH WAVES OF LOW PRESSURE MOVING ALONG IT FROM TIME TO TIME. IMPOSSIBLE TO TIME EACH WAVE AS IT MOVES ALONG THE FRONT...SO ENDED UP WITH A PROLONGED PERIOD OF CHANCE POPS. FOLLOWING THE ENSEMBLE TEMPERATURES...COULD BE SOME SNOW MIXING IN AT TIMES...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF THE HAL ROGERS PARKWAY...FROM TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. OPERATIONAL RUNS OF THE ECMWF AND GFS ARE LESS FAVORABLE FOR THIS...BUT PREFER THE SLIGHTLY COOLER ENSEMBLES. && .AVIATION.../18Z TO 18Z/ RAIN CONTINUES ACROSS THE TAF SITES...WITH WIDESPREAD IFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS. A SURFACE LOW WAS MOVING NORTHEAST FROM THE GULF COAST STATES. THIS RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON...AND COULD BE BRIEFLY FZRA OR IP AT TIMES ON THE RIDGE TOPS LIKE JKL. RAIN SHOULD CHANGE OVER TO SNOW LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THIS EVENING AS THE LOW MOVES TO THE VIRGINIA COAST...AND COLDER AIR ALOFT MOVES IN. SHOULD SEE IFR TO LIFR CONDITIONS CONTINUING AS THE CHANGEOVER OCCURS...AND SOME PATCHY -FZDZ MAY OCCUR AFTER THE SNOW ENDS. MOST OF THE PRECIP SHOULD BE DONE BY FRIDAY MORNING...WITH LOW CIGS IN THE IFR RANGE LINGERING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EST FRIDAY FOR KYZ087-088-107- 109-110-112-113-115-117>120. && SHORT TERM...HAL LONG TERM....WJM AVIATION...WJM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 501 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-104-106-108-111-114-116-121200- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE- JACKSON-ELLIOTT-MORGAN-WOLFE-LEE-OWSLEY-CLAY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLEMINGSBURG...MOUNT STERLING... OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD...IRVINE...STANTON...FRENCHBURG... MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE...SANDY HOOK...WEST LIBERTY...CAMPTON... BEATTYVILLE...BOONEVILLE...MANCHESTER 501 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SNOW WILL FALL AT MOST LOCATIONS...BUT ANY ACCUMULATIONS SHOULD BE AN INCH OR LESS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. KYZ087-088-107-109-110-112-113-115-117>120-121200- BELL-HARLAN-JOHNSON-MAGOFFIN-FLOYD-BREATHITT-KNOTT-PERRY-LESLIE- LETCHER-MARTIN-PIKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MIDDLESBORO...PINEVILLE...HARLAN... PAINTSVILLE...SALYERSVILLE...PRESTONSBURG...JACKSON...HINDMAN... HAZARD...HYDEN...WHITESBURG...INEZ...PIKEVILLE 501 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SNOW IS EXPECTED TONIGHT...WITH ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO TWO INCHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TONIGHT. KYZ079-080-083>086-121200- PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SOMERSET...LONDON...MONTICELLO... WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG...BARBOURVILLE 501 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SNOW IS LIKELY TONIGHT BUT ANY ACCUMULATION SHOULD BE AN INCH OR LESS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. HAL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 246 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 KYZ058-068-069-079-080-083>088-106>120-112300- ESTILL-ROCKCASTLE-JACKSON-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX- BELL-HARLAN-MORGAN-JOHNSON-WOLFE-MAGOFFIN-FLOYD-LEE-BREATHITT-KNOTT- OWSLEY-PERRY-CLAY-LESLIE-LETCHER-MARTIN-PIKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...IRVINE...MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE...SOMERSET... LONDON...MONTICELLO...WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG... BARBOURVILLE...MIDDLESBORO...PINEVILLE...HARLAN...WEST LIBERTY... PAINTSVILLE...CAMPTON...SALYERSVILLE...PRESTONSBURG...BEATTYVILLE... JACKSON...HINDMAN...BOONEVILLE...HAZARD...MANCHESTER...HYDEN... WHITESBURG...INEZ...PIKEVILLE 246 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO FALL AT TIMES THROUGH THE AFTERNOON WITH A LAYER OF COLDER AIR WORKING INTO THE REGION AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS. AS A RESULT...RAIN HAS BEGUN TO FREEZE ON RAISED SURFACES AT ELEVATIONS ABOVE 1500 FEET NEAR THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY AND ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2500 FEET NEAR THE TENNESSEE AND VIRGINIA BORDER COUNTIES. THESE ELEVATIONS ARE BASED ON REPORTS RECEIVED BY COUNTY DISPATCH CENTERS AND COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS. EXPECT RAIN TO BEGIN CHANGING OVER TO SNOW LATE THIS AFTERNOON NORTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY...THEN CHANGING OVER LATER THE FARTHER SOUTH YOU GET. ICE IS MORE LIKELY TO ACCUMULATE ON ELEVATED SURFACES... ALTHOUGH A SLICK SPOT OR TWO ON THE ROADWAYS CANNOT BE RULED OUT. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES. FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT OUR INTERNET WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/JACKSONKY. SCHOETTMER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 541 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 KYZ052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>086-104-106-108-111-114-116- 121000- ROWAN-ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE-JACKSON-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE- MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX-ELLIOTT-MORGAN-WOLFE-LEE-OWSLEY-CLAY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MOREHEAD...IRVINE...STANTON...FRENCHBURG... MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE...SOMERSET...LONDON...MONTICELLO... WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG...BARBOURVILLE...SANDY HOOK... WEST LIBERTY...CAMPTON...BEATTYVILLE...BOONEVILLE...MANCHESTER 541 PM EST THU DEC 11 2008 SNOW HAS STARTED TO MIX IN WITH RAIN AND WILL CHANGE OVER TO ALL SNOW BY 8 PM. UP TO ONE INCH OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE WITH THE GREATEST AMOUNTS EXPECTED AT ELEVATED LOCATIONS. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO END DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. INITIALLY...SNOW WILL MAINLY STICK ON GRASSY AREAS AND ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES. AS THE EVENING PROGRESSES...IT MAY CAUSE SOME SLICK SPOTS ON UNTREATED ROADWAYS. MOTORIST SHOULD EXERCISE CAUTION AS ROAD CONDITIONS COULD VARY...ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING UP HILL. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES. FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT OUR INTERNET WEB SITE AT WEATHER.GOV/JACKSONKY. JJ
The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 73 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:19 UTC.
2 flash flood, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
State police reported that the Gordon Fire Dept had at least 6 inches of running water over the road at the intersection of Highways 17786 and 160.
Kentucky State Police reported 6 to 8 inches of running water over Highway 7 near Apple Tree Branch.
Portions of Highway 7 South near Blackey was under 6 to 8 inches of standing water. Water levels have started to recede. There was also some water covering low water crossings in Fleming-Neon along Highway 317.
There were 6 to 8 inches of standing water over portions of Highway 80 east and west in the vicinity of Jenkins.
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, December 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: 140335, 140336, 140338, 140339.