An isolated heavy thunderstorm caused flooding on some roads in Spencer County, resulting in their closure.
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 LMK wrote it up.
An isolated heavy thunderstorm caused flooding on some roads in Spencer County, resulting in their closure.
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 Louisville, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 27, 6:16 PM EST, 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 716 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009 .UPDATE FOR 00Z TAFS... && .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT AND FRIDAY)... THE CHALLENGE EARLY THIS EVENING WILL BE FORECASTING THE TIMING AND LOCATION OF ANY SCATTERED CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY. SATELLITE AND SURFACE ANALYSIS EARLIER AROUND 2 PM INDICATED A NEARLY STATIONARY FRONT DRAPED IN AN EAST-WEST FASHION JUST SOUTH OF INDIANAPOLIS. THIS BOUNDARY WILL PROBABLY NOT REACH OUR SOUTHERN INDIANA COUNTIES THIS EVENING OR OVERNIGHT. ALL OF OUR AREA IS WEAKLY UNSTABLE WITH A BIT OF A CAP AROUND 13K FEET. SCATTERED SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED THUNDER HAVE ALREADY DEVELOPED IN AN UNORGANIZED FASHION ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA ARCING INTO THE BLUEGRASS REGION. EXPECT THESE STORMS TO STAY ISOLATED ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA...BUT INCREASE TO SCATTERED ACROSS THE BLUEGRASS REGION BY LATE AFTERNOON OR EARLY EVENING. WITH VERY WEAK WINDS ALOFT...ANY SHOWERS WILL TEND TO MOVE NORTH VERY SLOWLY AND RAIN TO RAIN THEMSELVES OUT THESE SHOWERS WILL ALSO PRODUCE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES THAT MAY EVENTUALLY SPARK OTHER STORMS. ISOLATED AREAS WILL EXPERIENCE BRIEF DOWNPOURS AND A VERY QUICK HALF-INCH OF RAIN OR MORE. A WEAK 500MB CUTOFF LOW NOW OVER THE MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI WILL MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS ALABAMA AND WILL EVENTUALLY DISSIPATE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. MID LEVEL MOISTURE HAS MOVED NORTH ACROSS EASTERN TENNESSEE AND IS FORECAST TO MOVE INTO THE LAKE CUMBERLAND REGION AND THE BLUEGRASS REGION THIS EVENING THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS FRIDAY. THE LOCAL WRF AND THE 12Z MESO-NAM BOTH SHOW CONVECTION DEVELOPING THIS EVENING ALONG/EAST OF INTERSTATE 75. WILL INCREASE POPS TO 40 TO 50% ACROSS OUR EASTERN COUNTIES THIS EVENING. SYNOPTICALLY ACROSS THE NATION AS A WHOLE...500MB PATTERN WILL AMPLIFY BEGINNING TOMORROW. JET ENERGY WILL DIVE SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS FRIDAY AS RIDGING MOVES NORTH ACROSS BRITISH COLUMBIA. THIS WILL QUICKLY FORM A CLOSED LOW OVER THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES EARLY SATURDAY. FRIDAY WILL BE OUR LAST WARM HUMID DAY FOR AWHILE. FORECASTING PRECIPITATION CHANCES TOMORROW WILL BE CHALLENGING. CENTRAL KENTUCKY WILL LIE IN BETWEEN WIDESPREAD CLOUDINESS AND LIKELY SHOWERS OVER THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS AND EASTERN TENNESSEE...AND CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH A COLD FRONT EXPECTED ACROSS ILLINOIS AND EASTERN MISSOURI. WILL KEEP ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS FOR TOMORROW WITH CHANCES INCREASING TO AROUND 40 TO 50% ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE OHIO RIVER DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS SATURDAY. WILL INCREASE POPS TO 50% LATE TOMORROW EVENING THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS SATURDAY. .LONG TERM (FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY)... FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY... A DEEPENING UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AND CLOSED LOW NORTH OF LAKE SUPERIOR AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS FORECAST PERIOD WILL DIG INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION AND THEN QUICKLY SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST. THIS WILL SERVE TO PUSH A COOL FRONT THROUGH THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING AND WE WILL MENTION HIGH CHANCE POPS FOR THIS 6 HOUR PERIOD. BUFKIT SOUNDINGS FOR THIS TIME INDICATE ONLY A MARGINALLY UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE BUT PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES ARE IN EXCESS OF 2 INCHES SO THE MAIN CONCERN WILL BE PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN. WE WILL HOLD ONTO DIMINISHING CHANCES OF SHOWERS SATURDAY AS COOLER AIR FILTERS INTO THE REGION. THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH DOES NOT CROSS THE REGION UNTIL SUNDAY BUT WITH A DRY NORTHWEST FLOW I DO NOT SEE ANY ADDITIONAL PRECIPITATION AT THIS TIME. SO WITH THE UPPER TROUGH HOLDING BACK WESTERLY LOW LEVEL WINDS WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES SATURDAY SOMEWHAT WARM WITH HIGHS FROM THE UPPER 70S TO LOWER 80S. COOLER READINGS WILL BE NOTED SUNDAY AS THE WINDS SHIFT TO THE NORTHWEST. MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... THE AFOREMENTIONED UPPER LOW WILL SHIFT TO THE NORTHEAST EARLY IN THE PERIOD WITH THE TROUGH GRADUALLY SHIFTING TO THE EAST COAST. AT THE SURFACE COOL HIGH PRESSURE WILL DROP INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND SHIFT EAST TO OHIO BY THURSDAY. THIS WILL PROVIDE THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY WITH MOSTLY SUNNY DAYS AND CLEAR NIGHTS. ALTHOUGH NOT AS COOL AS EARLIER EXPECTED... TEMPERATURES WILL BE SEASONABLY COOL FOR EARLY SEPTEMBER. && .AVIATION (28/00Z TAFS)... AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE SPINNING OVER NEW ORLEANS ALONG WITH TROPICAL STORM DANNY OFF THE SE CONUS COAST ARE HELPING PUMP MOISTURE INTO THE LOWER OHIO VALLEY THIS EVENING. A SFC LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER MISSOURI AND ITS ATTENDANT COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION DURING THE LATTER HALF OF THIS TAF PERIOD. SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THIS ALONG WITH THE UPPER-LEVEL FORCING WILL KEEP A GOOD CHANCE FOR SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS THROUGH THIS 24/36 HR TAF PERIOD...WITH THE BEST CHANCE THROUGH 02Z TONIGHT...AND AGAIN FRIDAY AFTER 16Z DURING PEAK HEATING HOURS. THE LEX TERMINAL MAY STILL SEE VCTS TONIGHT...AND PERHAPS SDF AS WELL BUT BWG LOOKS TO STAY DRY THROUGH 02Z. WITH ANY STORMS...BRIEF IFR-MVFR VSBYS WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG WITH VRB WINDS UP TO 15 KTS. AFTER THAT...THINK PRECIP WILL WANE WITHOUT HEATING OF THE DAY SO WILL END VCTS/VCSH AT TERMINALS AT THAT POINT. FROM THE RAINFALL AND MUGGY CONDITIONS...WILL INCLUDE MVFR VSBYS IN AT TAF SITES BETWEEN 09-13Z FRIDAY. LIGHT SOUTHERLY WINDS AND INCREASING CLOUDS (BKN 3.5-5KFT) WILL BE THE RULE FRIDAY MORNING. SCATTERED AFTERNOON SHRA/TSRA WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE BLUEGRASS REGION AGAIN...BUT WITH MORE NUMEROUS ACTIVITY EXPECTED FOR SDF AND BWG AS THE LOW PRESSURE AND FRONTAL BOUNDARY APPROACH AFTER 18Z FRIDAY. STILL FEEL MOST ACTIVITY WILL REMAIN BELOW 30 PERCENT COVERAGE...SO MAY ONLY INCLUDE VCTS AT THIS POINT. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && SHORT TERM...JSD LONG TERM....JDA AVIATION.....AL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 345 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009 INZ076>079-083-084-089>092-KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067- 070>078-081-082-280830- ORANGE IN-WASHINGTON IN-SCOTT IN-JEFFERSON IN-DUBOIS IN- CRAWFORD IN-PERRY IN-HARRISON IN-FLOYD IN-CLARK IN-HANCOCK KY- BRECKINRIDGE KY-MEADE KY-OHIO KY-GRAYSON KY-HARDIN KY-BULLITT KY- JEFFERSON KY-OLDHAM KY-TRIMBLE KY-HENRY KY-SHELBY KY-FRANKLIN KY- SCOTT KY-HARRISON KY-SPENCER KY-ANDERSON KY-WOODFORD KY- FAYETTE KY-BOURBON KY-NICHOLAS KY-NELSON KY-WASHINGTON KY- MERCER KY-JESSAMINE KY-CLARK KY-LARUE KY-MARION KY-BOYLE KY- GARRARD KY-MADISON KY-BUTLER KY-EDMONSON KY-HART KY-GREEN KY- TAYLOR KY-CASEY KY-LINCOLN KY-LOGAN KY-WARREN KY-SIMPSON KY- ALLEN KY-BARREN KY-MONROE KY-METCALFE KY-ADAIR KY-RUSSELL KY- CUMBERLAND KY-CLINTON KY- 345 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009 /245 PM CDT THU AUG 27 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED LATE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING. THE GREATEST CONCENTRATION OF THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING WILL BE ACROSS THE BLUEGRASS AND LAKE CUMBERLAND AREAS. ANY STORMS THAT FORM WILL BE SLOW MOVING AND WILL PRODUCE VERY LOCALIZED AREAS OF HEAVY DOWNPOURS. CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND GUSTY WINDS TO AROUND 40 MPH WILL ACCOMPANY ANY THUNDERSTORMS. SCATTERED STORMS MAY CONTINUE AFTER MIDNIGHT IN THE INTERSTATE 75 AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT BEFORE A COLD FRONT PASSES THROUGH THE AREA. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL OCCUR FRIDAY NIGHT WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING A PERIOD OF HEAVY RAIN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. JSD/JDA
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
549 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0547 PM HEAVY RAIN CORYDON 38.21N 86.13W
08/27/2009 M1.90 INCH HARRISON IN BROADCAST MEDIA
OVER ABOUT AN HOUR PERIOD.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LMK0900102
MRCSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 612 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009 KYZ034-038-272300- SHELBY-SPENCER- 612 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009 ...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL AFFECTING SHELBY AND SPENCER COUNTIES... AT 611 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE FROM SHELBYVILLE TO TAYLORSVILLE. THESE STORMS WERE NEARLY STATIONARY. OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING...TORRENTIAL RAIN WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF OVER AN INCH PER HOUR REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE HALF MILE...AND GUSTY WINDS OF AROUND 30 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS WILL BE... NEAR WAKEFIELD AROUND 620 PM EDT. NEAR LITTLE MOUNT AROUND 700 PM EDT. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT INTERSTATE 64 IN KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 32 AND 35. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING. EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON LOCAL ROADWAYS AND BLINDING DOWNPOURS. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS IF ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS. && AL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 630 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009 KYZ033-272315- HENRY- 630 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009 ...THUNDERSTORM WITH HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS AFFECTING HENRY COUNTY... AT 626 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR NEW CASTLE...OR 20 MILES SOUTH OF CARROLLTON...AND MOVING NORTH AT 10 MPH. OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AROUND ONE INCH PER HOUR REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE MILE...AND GUSTY WINDS OF AROUND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR NEW CASTLE AROUND 650 PM EDT...AND WILL AFFECT INTERSTATE 71 IN KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 28 AND 34. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON LOCAL ROADWAYS. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS IF ENCOUNTERING BLIDING DOWNPOURS RAINS. BE AWARE THAT A GUST FRONT PRECEDING THESE STORMS WILL GENERATE GUSTY WINDS BEFORE THE ARRIVAL OF ANY RAIN. && AL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 633 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009 KYZ038-272315- SPENCER- 633 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009 ...THUNDERSTORM WITH GUSTY WINDS AND TORRENTIAL RAIN AFFECTING SPENCER COUNTY... AT 630 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR TAYLORSVILLE...OR 27 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LOUISVILLE. THIS STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY. FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...TORRENTIAL RAIN WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF UP TO AN INCH AND A HALF PER HOUR...REDUCED VISIBILITIES FROM DOWNPOURS...AND GUSTY WINDS OF AROUND 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. THIS STORM WILL BE... NEAR TAYLORSVILLE AROUND 700 PM EDT. NEAR WATERFORD AROUND 715 PM EDT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING. EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON LOCAL ROADWAYS. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS IF ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS. BE AWARE THAT A GUST FRONT PRECEDING THESE STORMS WILL GENERATE GUSTY WINDS WITHOUT THE PRESENCE OF ANY RAIN...ESPECIALLY WEST OF TAYLORSVILLE. && AL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 703 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009 KYZ038-272345- SPENCER- 703 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH TORRENTIAL RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS AFFECTING SPENCER COUNTY... AT 657 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS CENTRAL SPENCER COUNTY...OVER TAYLORSVILLE AT THE MOMENT...AND REMAINING NEARLY STATIONARY. STRONG GUSTY WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. THERE IS A FLASH FLOOD WARNING OUT FOR CENTRAL SPENCER COUNTY UNTIL 9PM EDT. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT ELK CREEK...WATERFORD AND AREAS INCLUDING AND SURROUNDING TAYLORSVILLE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING. EXPECT STANDING WATER ON LOCAL ROADWAYS AND MINOR FLOODING. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS IF ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS. BECAUSE OF THE HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS...SMALL BRANCHES FROM TREES MAY FALL FROM WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH. && AL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
709 PM EDT THU AUG 27 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0708 PM HEAVY RAIN TAYLORSVILLE 38.03N 85.34W
08/27/2009 E3.00 INCH SPENCER KY CO-OP OBSERVER
INNER TUBE OF THE RAIN GAGE WAS FULL TO A TWO INCH
CAPACITY...AND THE OBSERVER ESTIMATED ANOTHER INCH IN
THE OVERFLOW CAN.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LMK0900103
MRCThe Louisville radar (KLVX), 53 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:28 UTC.
1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The entire length of Main St. in Taylorsville was closed due to flowing water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, August 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: 193362.