Hail and Damaging Wind in Kentucky, July 9, 2008

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Kentucky, July 9, 2008
Start: 2008-07-09T11:00
End: 2008-07-09T12:50
Location: Kentucky

July 9, 2008 · NWS JKL · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

An isolated severe thunderstorm developed over Southeastern Kentucky during the early afternoon of July 9th. This storm developed ahead of an approaching cold front, and produced nickel size hail.

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: $1,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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 JKL wrote it up.

An isolated severe thunderstorm developed over Southeastern Kentucky during the early afternoon of July 9th. This storm developed ahead of an approaching cold front, and produced nickel size hail.

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 Jackson, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 9, 9:31 AM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 9, 9:31 AM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
1031 AM EDT WED JUL 9 2008

.SHORT TERM.../THE REST OF TODAY/...UPDATED

HAVE PUT OUT A QUICK MORNING UPDATE THIS MORNING TO RAISE POPS TO
CATEGORICAL MAINLY SOUTH OF THE HAL ROGERS PARKWAY...WITH LIKELY POPS
IN THE REST OF THE CWA. CURRENT RADAR IMAGERY SHOWS A CLUSTER OF
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS THE INTERSTATE 75 CORRIDOR. WATER
VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS AN IMPULSE MOVING INTO THE AREA...PROVIDING A
FORCING MECHANISM ALONG WITH AN UPSLOPE FLOW AT THE SURFACE. LAPS
SOUNDINGS SHOW INCREASING INSTABILITY THROUGHOUT THE ATMOSPHERE...
WITH WEAK UNIDIRECTIONAL SHEAR THROUGHOUT THE COLUMN. SPC HAS PLACED
THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE CWA IN A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE WEATHER...
WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING WINDS. A VERY MOIST COLUMN COULD
BE A LIMITING FACTOR FOR THIS. ANOTHER CONCERN FOR THIS AFTERNOON
WILL BE THE CHANCE FOR SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL AND POSSIBLE HYDRO
CONCERNS. PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES WILL BE AROUND 2 INCHES...ALONG
WITH SOME TRAINING ECHOES COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS IN THE SOUTHERN CWA.
WILL HAVE TO MONITOR THIS.

ALSO...HAVE LOWERED OVERALL HIGH TEMPERATURES FOR THIS AFTERNOON...
ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTH. LATEST GUIDANCE VALUES ARE COMING IN COOLER
TO SUPPORT THE FEELING THAT ONGOING CONVECTION THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE
DAY WILL LIMIT SURFACE HEATING. UPDATED ZFP IS ALREADY OUT AND
UPDATED HWO WILL BE OUT SHORTLY.

THE PREVIOUS SHORT TERM FORECAST DISCUSSION FOLLOWS...

/TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/ A SQUALL LINE
MOVED ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY LAST NIGHT. THE CURRENT NCEP SURFACE
ANALYSIS HAS A COUPLE OF SURFACE TROUGHS OUT AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING
COLD FRONT. THE FRONT WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING...
WITH IT MOVING OUT OF EASTERN KENTUCKY AROUND MIDNIGHT. JUST AS IT IS
NOW...MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WILL FALL OUT AHEAD OF THE COLD
FRONT. THE MODEL SOUNDINGS ARE SHOWING PRECIP ITAL WATER VALUES OF
1.89 INCHES FOR THIS AFTERNOON. IF ANY STORMS ARE ABLE TO TRAIN OVER
THE SAME AREA...THEN SOME LOCALIZED HIGH WATER IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE.
BE SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WORDING IN THE ZONES DUE TO THE HIGH
POTENTIAL. THE CHANCES FOR SEVERE SHOULD BE A LESS TODAY AS THERE IS
LESS SHEAR AND THE SOUNDING ARE TOO MOIST. THE BIG QUESTION IS REALLY
HOW FAR SOUTH THE FRONT WILL MOVE AND WHETHER ANY WAVES THAT DEVELOP
ON THE FRONT WILL BE ABLE TO BRING MORE PRECIPITATION OVER THE AREA
ON THURSDAY. THE GFS IS NOW ENDING ALL PRECIP BY THURSDAY
MORNING...HOWEVER THE NAM IS BRINGING IT BACK THROUGH THE AREA. DID
NOT CHANGE THE EARLIER FORECAST...BUT WOULD NOT BE SURPRISE TO SEE IT
CHANGED BY THE DAY SHIFT.

.LONG TERM.../SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/

LATEST MODEL SUITE HAS STRONGER RIDGING ON HOLD THIS WEEKEND AS
PASSING NORTHERN STREAM SHORT WAVES KEEP THE RIDGE AT BAY ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN CONUS. ECMWF HAS SHIFTED TO THE LARGEST EXTREME COMPARED TO
THE DATA FROM YESTERDAY. EASTERN KENTUCKY WILL START OUT UNDER THE
INFLUENCE OF HIGH PRESSURE ON SATURDAY...WITH ENOUGH LINGERING
MOISTURE TO SET OFF AT LEAST AN ISOLATED STORM ON SATURDAY. A COLD
FRONT WILL THEN MOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA ON SUNDAY PROVIDING
SCATTERED CONVECTION. MODEST RIDGING WILL THEN ENSUE
THEREAFTER...HOWEVER ENOUGH MOISTURE WILL LIKELY LINGER AROUND TO
JUSTIFY DIURNALLY DRIVEN ISOLATED CONVECTION. TOOK TEMPERATURES DOWN
A BIT TO ACCOUNT FOR THE SLOWER RIDGING...HOWEVER CONTINUED TO
GENERALLY KEEP THE READINGS A BIT HIGHER THAN GFS MOS.

&&

.AVIATION.../12Z TO 12Z/

ISOLATED SHOWERS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY
DURING THE MORNING HOURS HOURS. BOTH THE NAM12 AND GFS MODELS FAVOR A
LINE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS MOVING ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY AFTER 17Z
THIS AFTERNOON...WITH THE PEAK ACTIVITY EXPECTED BETWEEN 18Z
WEDNESDAY AND 0Z THURSDAY. STRONG WINDS...SMALL HAIL...FREQUENT
LIGHTNING...AND TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH ANY
THUNDERSTORMS LATER TODAY. EXPECT SOME FOG TO FORM AFTER MIDNIGHT. A
LOT WILL DEPEND ON THE WINDS AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. IF THEY ARE
ABLE TO DECOUPLE...THEN SOME VLIFR MAY EVEN BE POSSIBLE. RIGHT
NOW...JUST WENT WITH A 3SM VIS AT THE TAF SITES.

&&

.JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE.

&&

SHORT TERM...JJ/SCHOETTMER
LONG TERM....GEOGERIAN
AVIATION...JJ

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 9, 9:47 AM EST, 1 hour 13 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
1047 AM EDT WED JUL 9 2008

KYZ079-080-083>088-110-113-115>118-120-101800-
PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX-BELL-HARLAN-FLOYD-KNOTT-
PERRY-CLAY-LESLIE-LETCHER-PIKE-
1047 AM EDT WED JUL 9 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY...MAINLY SOUTH
OF THE HAL ROGERS PARKWAY. THE MAIN THREATS WITH THESE STORMS WILL
BE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AROUND STREAMS AND LOW
WATER CROSSINGS AS WELL AS DITCHES AND CULVERTS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

ON THURSDAY...THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SOUTH OF THE HAL ROGERS
PARKWAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE AT TIMES FROM SATURDAY
THROUGH TUESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT INSTANCES OF DAMAGING WINDS...
LARGE HAIL...AND ONE HOUR RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER ONE INCH TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN JACKSON.

KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-104-106>109-111-112-114-119-101800-
FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE-
JACKSON-ELLIOTT-MORGAN-JOHNSON-WOLFE-MAGOFFIN-LEE-BREATHITT-OWSLEY-
MARTIN-
1047 AM EDT WED JUL 9 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS ARE
LIKELY TODAY AND TONIGHT. THESE STORMS MAY BE STRONG AND PRODUCE WIND
GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH AND SMALL HAIL. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL MAY CREATE
SOME LOCALIZED HIGH WATER AT LOW WATER CROSSINGS AND DRAINAGE
DITCHES MAY RUN FULL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

ON THURSDAY...THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SOUTH OF THE HAL ROGERS
PARKWAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE AT TIMES FROM SATURDAY
THROUGH TUESDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT INSTANCES OF DAMAGING WINDS...
LARGE HAIL...AND ONE HOUR RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVER ONE INCH TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN JACKSON.

JJ/SCHOETTMER

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 9, 7:59 AM EST, 3 hours 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
859 AM EDT WED JUL 09 2008

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

0226 PM     TSTM WND DMG     CLAYHOLE                37.47N 83.30W
07/08/2008                   BREATHITT          KY   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS

            FOUR TREES AND POWERLINES WERE REPORTED DOWN ON HIGHWAY
            476 NEAR CLAYHOLE. ALSO...ONE TREE WAS REPORTED DONW ON
            HIGHWAY 15 ABOUT 6 MILES SOUTH OF JACKSON.

&&

BSCHOETT

Local storm report, Jul 9, 8:11 AM EST, 2 hours 49 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
911 AM EDT WED JUL 09 2008

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

0146 AM     TSTM WND DMG     1 N JACKSON             37.57N 83.38W
07/09/2008                   BREATHITT          KY   NWS EMPLOYEE

            ONE TREE WAS REPORTED DOWN ON WOLVERINE HOLLOW ROAD.

&&

BSCHOETT

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 71 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 15:57 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Bell

When: July 9, 11:00 AM EST to 11:05 AM EST
Where: Bell County, Pineville
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 36.770, -83.680

Thunderstorm Wind, Breathitt

When: July 9, 12:46 PM EST to 12:50 PM EST
Where: Breathitt County, 1 mi N of Jackson
Measured: 51 kt (59 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 37.565, -83.380

A tree was blown down by thunderstorm wind gusts near Jackson.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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, July 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: 122471, 122472.