The last in a long series of river flooding events occurred. This flooding was due to a round of thunderstorms with heavy rainfall.
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 PAH wrote it up.
The last in a long series of river flooding events occurred. This flooding was due to a round of thunderstorms with heavy rainfall.
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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 10, 2:09 AM CST, 2 hours 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
309 AM CDT THU APR 10 2008
.DISCUSSION...
MODERATE RISK OF SVR OVER NEARLY ENTIRE FA TODAY. WARM FRONT
CURRENTLY SITTING ON SRN DOORSTEP STILL MODELLED TO LIFT NORTH
THIS AM...SPREADING RAIN SHIELD AND EMBEDDED/MAINLY ELEVATED
THUNDER RISK NORTH AND EAST AS BOUNDARY LIFTS. SOME SVR POTENTIAL
EXISTS AS WARM FRONT LIFTS AND LOW LAYER HELICITY INCREASES ALONG
WITH INCREASING LLJ...COORDINATION W/SPC REVEALS WATCH TO BE
ISSUED SOON. BY PM HOURS WE ARE IN WARM SECTOR AND MAY HAVE
TEMPORARY LULL...AS SURFACE WAVE DEVELOPS AND PUSHES COLD FRONT
TOWARD US FROM THE WEST. THIS WILL GENERATE ACTIVE LINE OF
CONVECTION WHICH WILL INCLUDE BEST CHC SVR AS WIND FIELDS/SHEAR IS
STRONG/IMPRESSIVE. SWODY1 TEXT SUGGESTS THREAT CONTINUES OVERNIGHT
WITH ACTIVE CONVECTION PRIMARILY IN PRE FRONTAL SQUALL AND MAIN
THREAT BEING DAMAGING WINDS GIVEN POWERFUL FLOW OFF THE SURFACE
AND ALOFT.
NEAR 100 POPS ANTICIPATED THIS AM NORTH AND WEST TAPERING TO
LIKELY POPS SOUTH AND EAST...WITH CATEGORICAL POPS OVERNIGHT AS
PRE FRONTAL SQUALL MOVES ACROSS MOST OF THE AREA. OTHER PRIMARY
THREAT REMAINS FLOOD POTENTIAL WITH 1-2 RAIN ON STILL WET GROUNDS
KEEPING FFA ACTIVE THREAT TIL END OF EVENT.
END OF EVENT IS BEHIND FROPA WHICH IS NOT ENTIRELY REMOVING
CONVECTIVE CHANCES UNTIL SOMETIME FRI. WE SPLIT THE MODEL
DIFFERENCES AND DECIDED TO LINGER POPS THRU THE DAY BUT REMOVE
THUNDER BY MIDDAY. THE TRANSITION TO A TROFFY PATTERN THAT WILL
HOLD THRU THE WEEKEND THEN OCCURS...WITH LIGHT SHOWERY CHANCES
REMAINING IN THE WEEKEND FORECAST. IN FACT THE THERMAL PROFILE IS
SUCH THAT SAT NIGHT MAY EVEN SEE A LIGHT MIX/CHANGE OF LIQUID TO
FROZEN...THOUGH MINIMAL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED.
NEW MOS FOR TEMP FORECAST IS CLOSE AND GENERALLY FLOWED W/GOING
FORECAST NOS AND NEW COLLAB PIC.
&&
.AVIATION...
LOTS TO TALK ABOUT FOR THE NEXT 24 HOURS. FIRST OFF...THE EARLY
MORNING HOURS WILL BE TRICKY WITH THE WARM FRONT TO OUR SOUTH...CIGS
AND VSBYS ARE ALL OVER THE PLACE. CIGS ARE AS LOW AS 300 FT IN SOME
PLACES BUT VFR OTHER PLACES. SAME WITH VSBYS. THIS WILL BE THE CASE
UNTIL THE WALL OF RAIN REACHES THE TAF SITES. LOOKS LIKE KCGI SHOULD
EXPERIENCE PRECIP WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO...WITH THE MAIN AREA OF
RAINFALL SLOWLY MOVING EASTWARD WITH TIME. IT WILL LIKELY BE CLOSE
TO SUNRISE OR SLIGHTLY THEREAFTER BEFORE THE OTHER TERMINALS SEE THE
RAIN. THERE WILL BE SOME EMBEDDED THUNDER AS WELL. RAINFALL WILL
CONTINUE FOR MOST OF THE MORNING HOURS.
BY LATE MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS...WE SHOULD SEE A LULL.
HOW MUCH SUNSHINE DEVELOPS IS FAIRLY UNCERTAIN BUT WE SHOULD AT
LEAST SEE A RISE TO VFR CIGS/VSBYS. ANOTHER ASPECT WILL BE THE
STRONG GUSTY SOUTH WINDS THAT WILL COMMENCE LATER TODAY. WE COULD
SEE GUSTS TO NEARLY 35 KTS IN PLACES. NEW SHRA/TRSA DEVELOPMENT WILL
BE POSSIBLE AS WE HEAD INTO THE LATE AFTERNOON HOURS. HOWEVER...THE
MAIN LINE OF CONVECTION WILL LIKELY HOLD OFF UNTIL THE EVENING
HOURS...WHICH WILL OUT AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT.
&&
.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM NOON CDT TODAY THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR
BALLARD-CALDWELL-CALLOWAY-CARLISLE-CHRISTIAN-CRITTENDEN-
DAVIESS-FULTON-GRAVES-HENDERSON-HICKMAN-HOPKINS-LIVINGSTON-
LYON-MARSHALL-MCCRACKEN-MCLEAN-MUHLENBERG-TODD-TRIGG-UNION
KY-WEBSTER.
MO...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM NOON CDT TODAY THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR
BOLLINGER-BUTLER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-CARTER-MISSISSIPPI-NEW
MADRID-PERRY MO-RIPLEY-SCOTT-STODDARD-WAYNE MO.
IL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM NOON CDT TODAY THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR
ALEXANDER-EDWARDS-FRANKLIN-GALLATIN-HAMILTON-HARDIN-JACKSON-
JEFFERSON-JOHNSON-MASSAC-PERRY IL-POPE-PULASKI-SALINE-UNION
IL-WABASH-WAYNE IL-WHITE-WILLIAMSON.
IN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FROM NOON CDT TODAY THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR
GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-SPENCER-VANDERBURGH-WARRICK.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 338 AM CDT THU APR 10 2008 ILZ075>078-080>087-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ014>022-111000- JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON- WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY- VANDERBURGH-WARRICK-SPENCER-UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN- HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN-MUHLENBERG-TODD- 338 AM CDT THU APR 10 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...AND WESTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT. A SIGNIFICANT OUTBREAK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE. THE BEST CHANCE TIME FRAME IS FROM LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. STRONG TORNADOES...DAMAGING WINDS...AND LARGE HAIL ARE ALL POSSIBLE. FLOODING RAINS ARE ALSO A THREAT. REFER TO THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION. ALSO REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD STATEMENTS FOR MORE DETAILED RIVER FLOODING INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FOR INFORMATION ON FLOODING...REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT. ILZ088>094-KYZ001>013-MOZ076-086-087-100-107>112-114-111000- UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE-HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-FULTON- HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES-LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL- CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER- CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER-RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT- MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID- 338 AM CDT THU APR 10 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...WESTERN KENTUCKY...AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT. A WARM FRONT WILL LIFT NORTH THIS MORNING AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS...INCLUDING THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES...ARE THE PRIMARY THREAT. IN ADDITION MUCH OF THE REGION IS UNDER A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT. A SIGNIFICANT OUTBREAK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE. THE BEST CHANCE TIME FRAME IS FROM LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. STRONG TORNADOES...DAMAGING WINDS...AND LARGE HAIL ARE ALL POSSIBLE. FLOODING RAINS ARE ALSO A THREAT. REFER TO THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR MORE DETAILED INFORMATION. ALSO REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD STATEMENTS FOR MORE DETAILED RIVER FLOODING INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY FOR INFORMATION ON FLOODING...REFER TO THE LATEST FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT.
The Paducah radar (KPAH), 154 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:02 UTC.
3 flood, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Moderate flooding of the St. Francis River occurred. At the Patterson gage, the river crest was 26.22 feet on the 11th. Flood stage at Patterson is 16 feet. Low-lying fields and bottomlands were underwater.
Minor flooding of the Black River occurred. At the Poplar Bluff gage, the river crest was 18.91 feet on the 12th. Flood stage at Poplar Bluff is 16 feet. Some levees along the river were weakened by record flooding in March. Because of a levee failure near County Road 606, more land than usual was inundated during this flood. Behind the levee break, water up to three feet deep covered a 15 to 20 square mile area. Many county roads were impassable. Numerous low-lying fields and bottomlands were underwater. Water from the Black River flowed over Highway 53 west of the bridge. The road remained open, but only with flaggers and an escort vehicle from the highway department. Farmland south of Poplar Bluff was flooded. Hillcrest Park in Poplar Bluff was flooded. Highway W was closed due to flooding at Hilliard. A few homes were flooded for the second time since the March 18 record flood.
Moderate flooding of the Current River occurred. At the Doniphan gage, the river crest was 18.17 feet on the 12th. Flood stage at Doniphan is 13 feet. Low-lying fields and bottomlands were underwater.
Along the Black River, a temporary levee near County Road 606 failed. The temporary levee was built to replace a levee that failed during the March 18 record flood. Behind the levee break, water up to three feet deep covered a 15 to 20 square mile area. State Highway AA and many county roads were impassable. At least one house on Route AA was flooded again. A shelter was opened for evacuees in the path of the floodwaters. About 50 homes along Highway AA and nearby county roads were notified to evacuate. The flooding from this levee break was much less severe than the original break that occurred during the March 18 record flood. Numerous low-lying fields and bottomlands were underwater. Farmland south of Poplar Bluff was flooded.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Missouri in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Missouri, 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: 89116, 89114, 89115, 89425.