Moderate to strong instability developed near a stalled front across the Lower Ohio Valley. Despite seasonably weak winds aloft, isolated occurrences of wind damage and heavy rain were reported.
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.
Moderate to strong instability developed near a stalled front across the Lower Ohio Valley. Despite seasonably weak winds aloft, isolated occurrences of wind damage and heavy rain were reported.
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 Jul 12, 12:35 PM CST, 1 hour 25 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 135 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 .UPDATE... SECOND INTERIM UPDATE FOR SENSIBLE WEATHER TRENDS BEFORE ROUTINE PACKAGE ISSUANCE LATER THIS AFTERNOON. && .DISCUSSION... SHARP BOUNDARY OF DRY AIR INSTRUSION HAS HALTED NW OF MOUNT VERNON ILLINOIS TO EVANSVILLE INDIANA LINE...WITH RETURN FLOW ALONG CONVERGENCE LINE EDGING BACK THROUGH SOUTHERN IL AND NORTHWEST KY IN ADVANCE OF MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THE ST. LOUIS METRO AREA AND EAST MO AT THIS TIME. I HAVE HAD TO MOVE THE BOUNDARY BACK CLOSE TO THE LOCATION IT WAS SITUATED AT WITH THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON PACKAGE. A MENTION OF GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL ADDED TO RECENT UPDATES OF TEXT PACKAGE GIVEN POTENTIAL FOR MORE WIDESPREAD GUSTY WINDS AND EXCESSIVE RAINFALL POTENTIAL. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 1041 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009/ UPDATE... INTERIM DISCUSSION FOR SHORT TERM /TODAY/ TRENDS. DISCUSSION... MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO HANDLE DEWPOINT/CLOUD/NEAR TERM PRECIPITATION TRENDS THIS MORNING INTO THIS AFTERNOON. TAMDAR SOUNDINGS SHOWING EXTENSIVE DRYING ABOVE 875 MB OVER SOUTHWEST INDIANA...SO SHARPLY CURTAILED POPS/WEATHER OVER THAT AREA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON. MAIN AXIS FOR ANY SIGNFICANT RAIN/SEVERE POTENTIAL SHOULD REMAIN FOCUSED OVER SERN MO/PURCHASE AREA OF WEST KENTUCKY THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. THERE MAY BE SOME DELAY FOR THE NEXT ROUND UNTIL THE CURRENT ROUND OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY MOVES OUT AND THE COMBINATION OF DIFFERENTIAL HEATING/SHEAR/INSTABILITY AND BOUNDARY CONVERGENCE BECOMES MAXIMIZED LATER TODAY. PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 635 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009/ UPDATE... UPDATED AVIATION SECTION FOR 12Z TAF PACKAGE. DISCUSSION /ISSUED 330 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009/... MUDDLED FORECAST CONTINUES AS MESOSCALE BAROCLINIC /THERMAL/ INTERACTIONS BETWEEN AND AROUND GROWING/DECAYING CONVECTIVE SYSTEMS ALONG AND TO THE N OF A SURFACE FRONTAL BOUNDARY COMPLICATE MATTERS. AFOREMENTIONED COLD FRONT HAS SETTLED IN ACROSS THE OH RVR OVERNIGHT...AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE SOUTH INTO SOUTH/WEST PORTIONS OF THE REGION TODAY. THIS IS WHERE STORMS WILL BE MORE LIKELY /THROUGH THE MS RVR VALLEY INTO WRN KY/. SEVERE RISK IS STILL THERE...BUT WILL DEPEND TO A LARGE EXTENT ON HOW MUCH SFC HEATING OCCURS ALONG THE FRONT. SOMEWHAT DRIER AIR MOVING INTO SW IN SHOULD LIMIT STORM CHANCES IN THAT AREA. FRONT WILL LIKELY REMAIN STATIONARY THROUGH MONDAY...AS MID LVL SHORT WAVES PROPAGATE SE IN H50 NW FLOW REGIME. TIMING OF THESE RIPPLES OF ENERGY ALONG THE FRONT WILL NOT BE AN EASY TASK. ONE SUCH WAVE SHOULD PROPAGATE ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT INTO EARLY MONDAY...ENHANCING STORM CHCS ALONG AND JUST NORTH OF THE FRONT. WHERE THE STORMS DO FORM...SHOULD BE ENOUGH BULK SHEAR TO RAISE A CONCERN FOR BOW SEGMENTS AND SOME DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. STILL LOOKS AS THOUGH THE MID LEVEL RIDGE BRINGING SEVERE HEAT TO THE SRN PLAINS/TX WILL BUILD NE TUE/WED TIME FRAME...SO SHOULD SEE THE FRONT LIFT OR WASH OUT IN THAT TIME FRAME. THIS WILL LEAD TO DECREASING POPS AND INCREASING HEAT AS WE HEAD INTO MID WEEK. HEAT SHOULD NOT BE A LONG LIVED EVENT THOUGH...AS MED RANGE MODELS HAVE NOW HONED IN ON A FAIRLY CONSISTENT SIGNAL OF A COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE WED NIGHT/THU TIME FRAME. THIS FRONT WILL BRING A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS WITH IT...BUT INDICATIONS NOW ARE THAT HIGH PRESSURE WILL PRESS SE AND BRING COOLER/DRIER AIR BY THE END OF THE WEEK. AVIATION... AT KEVV AND KOWB...A FEW PERIODS OF IFR TO LIFR CIGS AND IFR TO MVFR VSBYS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH 13Z WITH SOME AREAS OF LOW CLOUDS DEVELOPING AND MOVING SOUTHEAST...BUT VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE PREDOMINANT THROUGH THE REST OF THE TAF PERIOD. AT KCGI AND KPAH...LIFR TO IFR CIGS AND VSBYS CAN BE EXPECTED THROUGH 13Z...THEN BOTH CIGS AND VSBYS WILL BE PREDOMINANTLY VFR THROUGH THE DAY. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE MAINLY AT KCGI AND KPAH FROM LATE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON...AND MVFR CIGS AND VSBYS WILL BE BRIEFLY POSSIBLE WITH ANY STORMS AT THE TAF SITES. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...NONE. MO...NONE. IL...NONE. IN...NONE. && AVIATI0N...ML SHORT/LONG TERM...SMITH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 447 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-131000- JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON- WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE- HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH- WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES- LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL- UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN- MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER- RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID- 447 AM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TODAY AND TONIGHT...MAINLY OVER WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. ISOLATED SUPERCELLS MAY FORM...PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND HAIL AS THE PRIMARY WEATHER HAZARDS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT. ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO FORM WILL ALSO BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...CAPABLE OF CAUSING LOCALIZED FLOODING...AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN ON MONDAY...ESPECIALLY ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY AND INTO THE PURCHASE AREA OF WESTERN KENTUCKY. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE LOCALLY DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL. MORE HUMID CONDITIONS WILL RETURN BRIEFLY NEXT TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. AFTERNOON HEAT INDEX READINGS ARE LIKELY TO RISE INTO THE 100 TO 105 DEGREE RANGE DURING THIS TIME PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY AND MONDAY...MAINLY IN PORTIONS OF WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. SPOTTERS SHOULD ALSO RELAY ANY REPORTS OF HEAVY RAIN...STREET FLOODING OR ROAD CLOSURES TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 138 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 MOZ076-086-087-122000- BOLLINGER MO-CAPE GIRARDEAU MO-PERRY MO- 138 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR PERRY...BOLLINGER AND CAPE GIRARDEAU COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNTIL 300 PM CDT... AT 134 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY STRONG WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 18 MILES WEST OF LITHIUM TO 8 MILES WEST OF PATTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS AS WELL. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...WHICH MAY RESULT IN STANDING WATER ON AREA ROADS. WATER LEVELS IN SMALL CREEKS...STREAMS AND IN DITCHES MAY RISE QUICKLY...ESPECIALLY IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 229 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 ILZ075-080-081-084-085-122130- WILLIAMSON IL-JACKSON IL-FRANKLIN IL-PERRY IL-JEFFERSON IL- 229 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2009 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR PERRY...JACKSON...JEFFERSON... FRANKLIN AND WILLIAMSON COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNTIL 430 PM CDT... AT 226 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY STRONG WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 19 MILES NORTHWEST OF TAMAROA TO WILLISVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS AS WELL. THIS LINE OF STORMS WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...WHICH MAY RESULT IN STANDING WATER ON AREA ROADS. WATER LEVELS IN SMALL CREEKS...STREAMS AND IN DITCHES MAY RISE QUICKLY...ESPECIALLY IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
The Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 104 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:02 UTC.
1 heavy rain, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A spotter reported 0.74 inches of rainfall were received in ten minutes. Water was ponding on Route 37.
Trees were blown down on the Veterans Administration Hospital campus and elsewhere in the city.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, July 2009
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: 179128, 175679.