Damaging Winds in Kentucky, February 6, 2008

Name: Damaging Winds in Kentucky, February 6, 2008
Start: 2008-02-06T03:00
End: 2008-02-06T06:05
Location: Kentucky

February 6, 2008 · NWS RLX · 6 events in 3 counties and zones

A squall line, moving 50 to 60 mph, plowed through northeast Kentucky during the late night hours. This line was well ahead of a strong cold front.

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: $2,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 RLX wrote it up.

A squall line, moving 50 to 60 mph, plowed through northeast Kentucky during the late night hours. This line was well ahead of a strong cold front. Even though the line of thunderstorms had weakened from the evening hours, wind damage was still common. Downed trees were widespread. This event could be labeled as a progressive derecho. Behind this initial line, a few thunderstorms formed toward dawn and became severe.

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 Charleston, WV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 6, 1:27 AM EST, 1 hour 33 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 6, 1:27 AM EST, 1 hour 33 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
127 AM EST WED FEB 6 2008

.SYNOPSIS...
A STATIONARY FRONT EXTENDING ACROSS OHIO WILL MOVE NORTH AS LOW
PRESSURE RIDES UP THE OHIO VALLEY TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY.  IN ITS
WAKE...A STRONG UPPER AIR SYSTEM CROSSES WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO
THURSDAY.  WINTER RETURNS THIS WEEKEND WITH THE PASSAGE OF AN ARCTIC
FRONT.

&&

.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM THIS MORNING/...
RADAR SHOWS THE PRECIPITATION MOVING NORTH OF FORECAST AREA AS THE
ARKANSAS LOW STRENGTHENS AND DYNAMICS ALOFT GET MORE ORGANIZED WITH
THIS LOW.  THIS WILL KEEP US IN THE WARM SECTOR TONIGHT WITH NO REAL
UPPER SUPPORT TO PRODUCE MUCH IN THE WAY OF PRECIPITATION UNTIL THE
SYSTEM APPROACHES WEDNESDAY.

&&

.SHORT TERM /6 AM THIS MORNING THROUGH 6 PM THURSDAY/...
MODELS HAVE TRENDED SLOWER IN THE SURFACE LOW AND ASSOCIATED COLD
FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY ON WEDNESDAY...SO THAT THE
SLOWER NAM IS PREFERRED OVER THE FASTER GFS. EVEN WITH THE SLOWER
TIMING...MODELS HAVE BACKED OFF ON ANY SIGNIFICANT SURFACE WAVE
DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT AS IT MOVES ACROSS OUR AREA. THE MAIN
ENERGY AND GREATEST QPF IS THEREFORE CONCENTRATED WITH THE MAIN
SURFACE LOW TRACKING NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH OHIO. SO THE HEAVIEST
RAINS AHEAD OF THE LOW AND FRONT ON WEDNESDAY FOR OUR AREA WILL
LIKELY BE CLOSEST TO THE LOW...ACROSS SOUTHEAST OHIO AND EXTREME
NORTHWEST WEST VIRGINIA. THIS AREA RECEIVED A GOOD DOSE OF RAIN THIS
MORNING...AND IS INCORPORATED INTO THE FLOOD WATCH WHICH CONTINUES
THRU WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. TIMING OF THE FRONT WOULD HAVE IT ALONG
THE OHIO RIVER AROUND 18Z WEDNESDAY AND EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS BY 00Z
THURSDAY. THERE WILL BE A DECENT BAND OF CONVECTION ALONG AND AHEAD
OF THE FRONT...BUT WILL BE PROGRESSIVE ENOUGH SO THAT THE FLOOD
WATCH IS LIMITED TO MOSTLY THE NORTHWEST PART OF OUR AREA. ENOUGH
INSTABILITY AND CERTAINLY ENOUGH MOISTURE TO INCLUDE
THUNDER...MAINLY IN THE MAIN CONVECTION BAND CLOSE TO THE FRONT.
VERY GOOD SHEAR INDICATES THE POTENTIAL FOR A FEW OF THE STORMS TO
STRONG TO POSSIBLY SEVERE...WILL INCLUDE IN HWO FOR WEDNESDAY.
HOWEVER...LITTLE SUNSHINE IS EXPECTED IN THE RELATIVELY DEEP MOIST
ATMOSPHERE TO AID SEVERE...BUT TEMPERATURES WILL APPROACH RECORD
HIGHS ESPECIALLY IN THE EAST WHERE THE FRONT WILL NOT PASS TIL LATER
IN THE AFTERNOON. THUS...HAVE LOWERED MAX TEMPS FROM GUIDANCE A FEW
DEGREES. FINALLY...GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS AHEAD OF THE FRONT...BUT NO
WIND ADVISORY SEEN AT THIS TIME. LOTS OF MOISTURE REMAINS BEHIND THE
FRONT UNDER DEEP CYCLONIC FLOW AROUND THE DEPARTING LOW...BUT HAVE
DOWNPLAYED POPS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND ESPECIALLY THURSDAY AS WINDS
STAY MORE WESTERLY RATHER THAN NORTHWESTERLY. PREFER THE SLOWER NAM
IN BRINGING THE COLDER AIR IN...AND A SLOWER CHANGEOVER TO SNOW
SHOWERS WEDNESDAY NIGHT. IN ANY CASE...ONLY LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS
ARE EXPECTED IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE MOUNTAINS AS BOUNDARY
LAYER TEMPS IN THE LOWLANDS ARE MARGINAL TO SUPPORT SNOW. ANY LEFT
OVER SNOW SHOWERS QUICKLY WIND DOWN THURSDAY MORNING AS WEAK HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS IN...BUT STILL LOTS OF CLOUDS AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE
HANGS AROUND. SEASONABLE TEMPS THURSDAY.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/...
AN ACTIVE WEATHER PERIOD WITH A TRANSITION TO BELOW NORMAL
TEMPERATURES AS A POLAR VORTEX DIGS ACROSS THE ERN CONUS THIS
WEEKEND.

BEFORE THAT...WEAK WAA YIELDS CLOUDS AND SPOTTY LIGHT PRECIP
THURSDAY NIGHT...BUT MOST OF THE AREA WILL BE DRY.  A GOOD AMOUNT OF
CLOUDS WILL BE AROUND FRIDAY WITH THE PASSAGE OF A BAROCLINIC ZONE.
RAIN CHANGES TO SNOW IN WAKE OF THE FRONT OVERNIGHT FRIDAY.  AN SNOW
ACCUM WILL BE AN INCH OR LESS OUTSIDE THE HIGHEST PEAKS.

GFS AND ECMWF BOTH RESOLVE AN ARCTIC FRONT WHICH RETURNS WINTER TO
THE AREA SAT NGT THRU SUN NGT.  H8 TEMPS PLUMMET TO -20C RANGE SUN
AND SUN NGT.  THIS MEANS WE WILL BE LUCKY TO SEE DAYTIME HIGHS REACH
THE 30S EVEN IN THE SRN COAL FIELDS.  THE ASSOCIATED UPPER AIR
SYSTEM CROSSES SUNDAY AND COULD YIELD A LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATION IN
THE MTNS.  MSTR REMAINS A QUESTION...SO WILL NOT INSERT ANY VERBIAGE
IN THE HWO YET ON POSSIBLE ACCUMULATIONS.

MID LVL HGTS BUILD DAYS 6 AND 7 ALLOWING A SHORT VISIT BY OLD MAN
WINTER.  TEMPS REBOUND BACK TO NORMAL LEVELS TO CLOSE OUT THE LONG
TERM.

&&

.AVIATION /07Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
A STRONG SQUALL APPROACHING FROM THE WEST WILL AFFECT HTS...PKB
AROUND 08Z...WITH SEVERE WEATHER...DAMAGING WINDS BEEN THE MAIN
THREAT. THE LINE WILL REACH CRW AROUND 08-09Z...AND COULD DIMINISH
IN INTENSITY BY THE TIME IT REACHES THE EASTERN SITES FROM 10-11Z.
IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR ALONG THIS LINE OF CONVECTION. DEADLY
DAMAGING WINDS ARE LIKELY TO OCCUR.

AVIATION OUTLOOK /AFTER 00Z THU/...
IFR CONDITIONS FOR THE REMAINDER OF WEDNESDAY. GRADUALLY IMPROVING
FLIGHT CONDITIONS THEREAFTER.

&&

.HYDROLOGY...
WITH THE AMOUNT OF QPF PREDICTED /1 - 3 INCHES / OVER THE NEXT 24 -
36 HRS...THE HOCKING...MUSKINGUM...AND OHIO RIVERS WILL BE RUNNING
NEAR BANKFULL.  THE OHIO RIVER WILL SEE A STRONG RISE LATER THIS
WEEK DUE TO UPSTREAM RAINFALL IN THE ALLEGHANY BASIN.  PLEASE REFER
TO THE AHPS SECTION OF OUR WEBPAGE FOR THE LATEST RIVER FORECAST.

&&

.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR WVZ005>011.
OH...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR OHZ066-067-
     075-076-083>087.
KY...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 AM EST EARLY THIS MORNING FOR KYZ101>103-
     105.
VA...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS...29
NEAR TERM...AAR
SHORT TERM...JMV
LONG TERM...29
AVIATION...ARJ
HYDROLOGY...

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 5, 3:33 PM EST, 11 hours 27 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
333 PM EST TUE FEB 5 2008

OHZ066-067-075-076-084-085-WVZ009>011-062045-
PERRY-MORGAN-ATHENS-WASHINGTON-VINTON-MEIGS-WOOD-PLEASANTS-TYLER-
333 PM EST TUE FEB 5 2008

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHEAST OHIO AND WEST
VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLOOD WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLOOD WATCH.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

KYZ101>103-105-OHZ083-086-087-WVZ005>008-062045-
GREENUP-CARTER-BOYD-LAWRENCE KY-JACKSON OH-GALLIA-LAWRENCE OH-WAYNE-
CABELL-MASON-JACKSON WV-
333 PM EST TUE FEB 5 2008

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST
KENTUCKY...SOUTHEAST OHIO AND WEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLOOD WATCH.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   FLOOD WATCH.

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

VAZ003-004-WVZ013>020-024>040-046-047-062045-
DICKENSON-BUCHANAN-LINCOLN-PUTNAM-KANAWHA-ROANE-WIRT-CALHOUN-RITCHIE-
DODDRIDGE-MINGO-LOGAN-BOONE-CLAY-BRAXTON-GILMER-LEWIS-HARRISON-
TAYLOR-MCDOWELL-WYOMING-RALEIGH-FAYETTE-NICHOLAS-WEBSTER-UPSHUR-
BARBOUR-POCAHONTAS-RANDOLPH-
333 PM EST TUE FEB 5 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WEST
VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WEDNESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.

The radar

The Charleston,WV radar (KRLX), 81 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Boyd

When: February 6, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Boyd County, Ashland
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Emergency Manager
Coordinates: 38.470, -82.630

Several trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Greenup

When: February 6, 3:00 AM EST
Where: Greenup County, South Shore
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 38.720, -82.970

A roof to a mobile home was damaged.

Thunderstorm Wind, Boyd

When: February 6, 6:03 AM EST
Where: Boyd County, Ashland
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 38.470, -82.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When: February 6, 6:05 AM EST
Where: Lawrence County, Blaine
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 38.030, -82.830

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When: February 6, 6:05 AM EST
Where: Lawrence County, Yatesville
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 38.150, -82.680

Trees fell across Route 3.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lawrence

When: February 6, 6:05 AM EST
Where: Lawrence County, Louisa
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Department of Highways
Coordinates: 38.120, -82.600

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Kentucky in 2008 Every state in 2008 This day in weather history Warnings in Kentucky, February 2008

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: 74038, 74039, 74174, 74041, 74042, 74044.