Warm, moist, unstable air, combined with daytime heating, resulted in the development of a few severe thunderstorms which produced damaging winds in Breathitt County on July 8th.
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.
Warm, moist, unstable air, combined with daytime heating, resulted in the development of a few severe thunderstorms which produced damaging winds in Breathitt County on July 8th.
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 Jul 8, 12:40 PM EST, 46 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 140 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 .SHORT TERM.../THE REST OF TODAY/ HAVE MADE ANOTHER QUICK UPDATE TO NDFD...POINT AND CLICK...AFM AND PFM FORECAST PRODUCTS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT HAVE DEVELOPED OVER THE SOUTHERN PART OF FORECAST AREA. THE PREVIOUS SHORT TERM FORECAST DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... /THE REST OF TODAY/ BASED ON CURRENT TRENDS HAVE MADE A QUICK UPDATE TO LOWER RAIN CHANCES FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS. HAVE ALSO MADE SOME MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO HOURLY TEMPERATURES...DEWPOINTS AND SKY COVER. THE CHANGES AFFECT THE NDFD GRIDS...POINT AND CLICK...AFM AND PFM...BUT NO CHANGES TO THE ZFP. THE PREVIOUS SHORT TERM FORECAST DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... /TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY/ THE MODELS SEEM TO BE IN GOOD GENERAL AGREEMENT THROUGH THURSDAY. MADE VERY LITTLE CHANGE TO THE PREVIOUS FORECAST WITH THE TIMING OF THE FRONT ON WEDNESDAY BEING THE SAME ON THE NEW MODEL RUNS. FOR TEMPERATURES...WENT WITH A MOS BLEND. THE SHOWERS SHOULD BE A BIT MORE WIDESPREAD THIS AFTERNOON AS THE HEATING GETS GOING. THERE IS SOME DECENT DIRECTIONAL SHEAR THIS AFTERNOON AND SUFFICIENT INSTABILITY TO BE ABLE TO GET A COUPLE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POPPING UP OVER THE AREA. WEDNESDAY LOOKS A LITTLE TOO MOIST TO SEE ANY SEVERE...BUT WILL BE MUCH MORE LIKELY TO GET SOME DECENT RAINFALL. .LONG TERM.../THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/ COLD FRONT STILL LOOKS TO SAG SOUTH ENOUGH ON THURSDAY TO ONLY THREATEN AREAS ALONG AND SOUTH OF THE HAL ROGERS PARKWAY AND HIGHWAY WITH ISOLATED CONVECTION IN LINGERING MOISTURE BEHIND THE FRONT. A SUMMER-LIKE PATTERN WILL THEN ENSUE...WITH DAILY CHANCES OF ISOLATED DIURNALLY DRIVEN CONVECTION. TEMPERATURES WILL BUILD THROUGH THE END OF THE WEEK...PUSHING 90 DEGREES FOR MOST BY SATURDAY AND CONTINUING INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS AN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. && .AVIATION.../18Z TO 18Z/...UPDATED RADAR AND LIGHTNING DATA SHOWS SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EAST OF A LINE FROM WHITLEY CITY TO FLEMINGSBURG AT 1730Z. WITH THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST EXPECT MINIMAL IMPACT AT THE SME AND LOZ AIRPORTS...BUT JKL WILL CONTINUE TO BE AFFECTED BY PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS UNTIL 20Z. EXPECT A LULL IN THE ACTIVITY THIS EVENING...BUT A COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING INTO THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY INCREASING THE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. TIMING OF ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ONCE THIS AFTERNOON/S ACTIVITY ENDS IS UNCERTAIN. AT THIS TIME WILL ONLY GO WITH VCTS IN THE TAFS FOR WEDNESDAY BEGINNING IN THE MID MORNING. FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS AFTERNOON EXPECT VFR CONDITIONS OUTSIDE OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH LIFR IN AND NEAR STORMS. CLOUDS SHOULD LIMIT FOG DEVELOPMENT OVERNIGHT...BUT IF THERE IS LESS CLOUDINESS EXPECT SOME MVFR FOG TONIGHT. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SHORT TERM...JJ/SBH LONG TERM....GEOGERIAN AVIATION...SBH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 501 AM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-091215- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE- JACKSON-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX-BELL-HARLAN- ELLIOTT-MORGAN-JOHNSON-WOLFE-MAGOFFIN-FLOYD-LEE-BREATHITT-KNOTT- OWSLEY-PERRY-CLAY-LESLIE-LETCHER-MARTIN-PIKE- 501 AM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BE STRONG...WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS...TORRENTIAL RAIN...AND SMALL HAIL POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES FROM TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. JJ
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 103 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 KYZ118-120-081730- PIKE-LETCHER- 103 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN PIKE AND NORTHEASTERN LETCHER COUNTIES THROUGH 130 PM EDT TUESDAY AFTERNOON... AT 103 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR POTTERS FORK...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR GASKILL AROUND 110 PM EDT...ADAMSON AROUND 115 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER THEN LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD. GEOGERIAN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 114 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 KYZ052-059-060-104-106-108-081800- ROWAN-ELLIOTT-MENIFEE-POWELL-MORGAN-WOLFE- 114 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 ...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT SOUTHERN ROWAN AND SOUTHWESTERN ELLIOTT AND WESTERN MORGAN AND EASTERN MENIFEE AND SOUTHEASTERN POWELL AND WOLFE COUNTIES THROUGH 200 PM EDT TUESDAY AFTERNOON... AT 114 PM EDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM BANGOR TO WELLINGTON TO KOOMER RIDGE CAMPGROUND... MOVING EAST AT 18 MPH. THE STORMS WILL BE NEAR PARAGON AROUND 120 PM EDT...VALERIA AROUND 125 PM EDT...CRANEY AROUND 130 PM EDT...LEISURE AROUND 135 PM EDT... BLAIRS MILLS AROUND 140 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. THE HEAVY RAIN WILL LIKELY CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON AREA ROADWAYS. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO DRIVE CAREFULLY. GEOGERIAN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 117 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 KYZ085-086-081745- WHITLEY-KNOX- 117 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN KNOX AND NORTHERN WHITLEY COUNTIES THROUGH 145 PM EDT TUESDAY AFTERNOON... AT 117 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR CLIO...MOVING EAST AT 19 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR ROCKHOLDS AROUND 125 PM EDT...WOODBINE AROUND 130 PM EDT...PERKINS AROUND 135 PM EDT...LOUDEN AROUND 140 PM EDT... PERMON AROUND 145 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. THE HEAVY RAIN WILL LIKELY CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON AREA ROADWAYS. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO DRIVE CAREFULLY. GEOGERIAN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 149 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 KYZ104-106-107-081815- ELLIOTT-JOHNSON-MORGAN- 149 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT SOUTHERN ELLIOTT AND EAST CENTRAL MORGAN AND NORTHWESTERN JOHNSON COUNTIES THROUGH 215 PM EDT TUESDAY AFTERNOON... AT 149 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR ISONVILLE... MOVING EAST AT 27 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR GILLEM BRANCH AROUND 155 PM EDT...CULVER AROUND 200 PM EDT...BARNROCK AROUND 205 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER THEN LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD. GEOGERIAN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 200 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 KYZ107-109-081830- JOHNSON-MAGOFFIN- 200 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT WESTERN JOHNSON AND NORTHERN MAGOFFIN COUNTIES THROUGH 230 PM EDT TUESDAY AFTERNOON... AT 200 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR GIFFORD... MOVING EAST AT 18 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR SALYERSVILLE AROUND 205 PM EDT...STRINGTOWN AROUND 210 PM EDT...FALCON AROUND 215 PM EDT...MASHFORK AROUND 220 PM EDT...CONLEY AROUND 225 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER THEN LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD. GEOGERIAN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 218 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 KYZ112-081845- BREATHITT- 218 PM EDT TUE JUL 8 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT CENTRAL BREATHITT COUNTY THROUGH 245 PM EDT TUESDAY AFTERNOON... AT 218 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR CURT...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR HADDIX AROUND 225 PM EDT...LOST CREEK AROUND 230 PM EDT...FLINTVILLE AROUND 235 PM EDT...PRESS AROUND 240 PM EDT...SIKES AROUND 245 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. THE HEAVY RAIN WILL LIKELY CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON AREA ROADWAYS. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO DRIVE CAREFULLY. GEOGERIAN
The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 13 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:26 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Four trees and power lines were blown down on Highway 476. A tree was blown down on Highway 15 6 miles south of Jackson.
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, July 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: 122466.