Melting from an ice storm on January 27th combined with rain on the 28th created minor river flooding along the Barren and Green Rivers in South Central Kentucky. Minor flooding was also reported on Stoner Creek in Bourbon County in the Bluegrass Region of North Central Kentucky.
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.
Melting from an ice storm on January 27th combined with rain on the 28th created minor river flooding along the Barren and Green Rivers in South Central Kentucky. Minor flooding was also reported on Stoner Creek in Bourbon County in the Bluegrass Region of North Central Kentucky.
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 Jan 28, 6:11 PM EST, 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 611 PM EST WED JAN 28 2009 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT AND THURSDAY)... SHORT TERM ISSUES SURROUND CLOUD COVER FOR THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. MODELS KEEP A SATURATED LAYER RIGHT ABOVE THE SURFACE THAT WOULD KEEP SKIES CLOUDY WHILE CURRENT OBSERVATIONS INDICATE CLEAR SKIES JUST TO THE NORTHWEST. IF SKIES CLEAR TEMPERATURES WILL DROP LIKE A ROCK WITH LOWS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS WHILE A CLOUD DECK WILL KEEP IT WARMER. FOR THIS FORECAST WE WILL GRADUALLY CLEAR SKIES OVER THE NORTHWEST WHILE KEEPING THE SOUTH AND EAST IN A BROKEN DECK. STILL WE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE WITH FORECAST LOWS TONIGHT IN THE LOWER TEENS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE AREA ALONG THE TENNESSEE BORDER WHERE WE EXPECT LOWS IN THE LOWER 20S. BACKING WINDS WILL OCCUR THURSDAY IN ADVANCE OF A WEAK TROUGH THAT WILL SHARPEN UP ACROSS THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. WE WILL SEE INCREASING CLOUDS DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EXPECT HIGH TEMPERATURES THURSDAY TO BE SOME 5 TO 8 DEGREES BELOW MOS GUIDANCE OVER THE NORTH AND EAST. SO WE ARE LOOKING AT HIGHS THURSDAY FROM THE UPPER 20S OVER SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA TO THE UPPER 30S NEAR THE TENNESSEE BORDER. .LONG TERM (THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY)... MODELS OVERALL IN DECENT AGREEMENT THRU THE PERIOD...AND IT COULD BE VERY CHANGEABLE AND POTENTIALLY ACTIVE FOR PART OF THE PERIOD. THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT... UPPER TROF PROGGED TO DIG SEWD FROM THE NRN PLAINS ACROSS THE OH VALLEY DURING THE PERIOD BRINGING A RENEWED SURGE OF COLD AIR. MODEL SOUNDINGS/TIME-HEIGHT CROSS-SECTIONS INDICATE AN INCREASE IN LOW- LEVEL MOISTURE WITH GFS MOST AGGRESSIVE. WHICHEVER MOISTURE SOLUTION ENDS UP BEST...EACH MODEL DOES SHOW COLD ENOUGH AIR WITHIN THE MOISTURE COLUMN TO GENERATE SCT SNOW SHOWERS THU NIGHT AND FRI... WITH THE GREATEST ACTIVITY OVER NRN HALF OF FCST AREA. COULD SEE A MINOR ACCUMULATION WITH THIS SYSTEM. COLD AIR ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TROF WILL KEEP THE RISE IN TEMPS FROM FRI MORNING TO FRI AFTERNOON MINIMAL...AND HAVE GONE BELOW GUIDANCE MAX TEMPS. LIKEWISE...GOING BELOW GUIDANCE FOR MIN TEMPS SAT MORNING...WITH LOWS IN SINGLE NUMBERS OVER MUCH OF S-CNTRL IND...N-CNTRL AND E-CNTRL KY. SATURDAY AND SUNDAY... UPPER TROF MOVES TO OUR EAST AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE MOVES INTO SERN U.S. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR A WARMING TREND OVER THE WEEKEND. SAT AFTERNOON WILL STILL BE CHILLY...BUT SUNDAY WILL BE MILDER WITH HIGHS MAKING IT INTO THE 40S IN MANY AREAS. MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... THIS IS WHERE THE FCST CHALLENGE IS GREATEST FOR THE LONG TERM. YESTERDAY...GFS AND ECMWF WERE SHOWING POTENTIAL FOR SOME PHASING OF SRN STREAM MOISTURE WITH NRN STREAM ENERGY DIGGING SEWD INTO OH VALLEY. THAT TRENDS CONTINUES TODAY...WITH 12Z GFS ECMWF AND CANADIAN ALL SHOWING DEEPENING UPPER TROF WHICH TAPS SRN STREAM MOISTURE RESULTING IN A RAPID INFLUX OF MOISTURE INTO TN AND OH VALLEYS. CANADIAN IS A BIT FARTHER EAST WITH ENTIRE SYSTEM AS IT DOES NOT TEMPORARILY CLOSE OFF A 500 MB SYSTEM OVER OH VALLEY. THUS...ITS SURFACE LOW IS FARTHER EAST ALONG EAST COAST THAN GFS AND ECMWF WHICH WANT TO TAKE A LOW FROM GULF COAST UP PIEDMONT AREA EAST OF THE APPALACHIANS. BEING SEVERAL DAYS AWAY AND CONSIDERING THE NECESSARY PHASING AND TIMING PROCESSES NEEDED TO GET SIGNIFICANT PRECIP IN OUR FCST AREA...HAVE INCREASED POPS AND MANIPULATED TEMPS TO MATCH...BUT HAVE NOT GONE TOO HIGH WITH PRECIP CHANCES YET. CLIMATOLOGICALLY...CNTRL KY USUALLY IS ON THE FRINGE OF EAST COAST STORMS. WE STILL NEED TO SEE HOW FUTURE MODEL RUNS AFFECT OUR AREA...BUT A SIGNAL IS BEGINNING TO EMERGE OF A POTENTIAL MAJOR STORM OVER ERN THIRD OF U.S. AT THIS TIME...APPEARS WE MAY SEE SOME RAIN SHOWERS SUN NIGHT OR MON AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH DIGGING NRN STREAM SYSTEM (SINCE MILDER AIR WILL BE IN PLACE ON SUNDAY AHEAD OF FRONT). THEN ASSUMING PHASING OCCURS...COLD AIR WILL BE DRAWN INTO SYSTEM QUICKLY WHICH WOULD CHANGE PRECIP TO SNOW ON MONDAY...POTENTIALLY CONTINUING MONDAY NIGHT ESPECIALLY OVER ERN PART OF FCST AREA. LATER FCSTS WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON HOW THIS SYSTEM MIGHT COME TOGETHER AND HOW IT MIGHT AFFECT OUR REGION. && .AVIATION (00Z TAFS)... MAIN CHALLENGE FOR THIS TAF PERIOD IS THE MVFR CEILING AT ALL THREE TAF SITES. MODELS HINT AT BREAKING THIS CEILING UP LATE TONIGHT OR TOWARDS DAWN...BUT THE MODELS HAVE BEEN TOO EAGER TO GET RID OF THE LOW CLOUDS RECENTLY. ALSO LOOKING AT SATELLITE LOOPS THE CLOUD DECK APPEARS IN NO HURRY TO LEAVE THE REGION. SO...WILL GO ON THE PESSIMISTIC SIDE AND LEAVE THE LOW OVERCAST IN PLACE THROUGH THE NIGHT BEFORE BREAKING IT UP THURSDAY MORNING. AN ADVANCING UPPER TROF WILL BRING CLOUDS BACK TO SDF TOMORROW AFTERNOON AND EVENING. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && SHORT TERM....JA LONG TERM....TF AVIATION.....13
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 345 PM EST WED JAN 28 2009 INZ076>079-083-084-089>092-KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067- 070>078-081-082-292045- 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 EST WED JAN 28 2009 /245 PM CST WED JAN 28 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. NO ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT PRECIPITATION WILL OCCUR TONIGHT. HOWEVER...WITH VERY COLD LOW TEMPERATURES EXPECTED...ANY SLUSH OR WET ROADS WILL FREEZE TONIGHT RESULTING IN SLICK DRIVING CONDITIONS ESPECIALLY ON UNTREATED ROADS AND BRIDGES. ALSO BEWARE OF DOWNED TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES THROUGHOUT THE AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. ANY ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE LIGHT...GENERALLY AN INCH OR LESS. ON MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT...ANOTHER STORM SYSTEM MAY FORM OVER THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES THEN MOVE NORTHEAST INTO THE EASTERN STATES. IF THIS OCCURS...THE IMPACT THIS STORM MAY HAVE ON CENTRAL KENTUCKY AND SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA IS NOT CLEAR AT THIS TIME...BUT THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR RAIN CHANGING TO SNOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CONTINUE TO REPORT FINAL SNOW AND ICE TOTALS AND DAMAGE REPORTS FROM YESTERDAYS AND TODAYS STORM TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. JA/TWF
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
1249 PM EST WED JAN 28 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1038 AM FREEZING RAIN LANCASTER 37.62N 84.58W
01/28/2009 E0.50 INCH GARRARD KY EMERGENCY MNGR
3000 RESIDENTS WITHOUT POWER. WATER PLANT SHUT DOWN DUE
TO NO ELECTRIC.
&&
CORRECTED EVENT
EVENT NUMBER 00215
SULLIVANPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
145 PM EST WED JAN 28 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0143 PM SNOW PORTERSVILLE 38.50N 86.98W
01/28/2009 M9.0 INCH DUBOIS IN ESPOTTER
3 INCHES SNOW MONDAY FOLLOWED BY 0.25 INCH ICE...THEN 1
INCH ICE TUESDAY FOLLOWED BY 6 INCHES SNOW THROUGH THIS
MORNING.
&&
EVENT NUMBER 00230
SULLIVANPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
148 PM EST WED JAN 28 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0145 PM SNOW HUNTINGBURG 38.30N 86.96W
01/28/2009 M8.5 INCH DUBOIS IN ESPOTTER
STORM TOTAL FROM SNOW THEN ICE...FOLLOWED BY ICE THEN
SNOW OVERNIGTH AND THIS MORNING. 1.2 INCHES TOTAL ICE.
&&
EVENT NUMBER 00231
SULLIVANPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
302 PM EST WED JAN 28 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM SNOW OWEN 38.47N 85.53W
01/28/2009 M7.5 INCH CLARK IN ESPOTTER
4 INCHES NEW SNOW SINCE LAST EVENING. 0.5 INCH ICE.
NUMEROUS LIMBS AND POWER LINES DOWN.
&&
EVENT NUMBER 00232
SULLIVANPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
305 PM EST WED JAN 28 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM SNOW 1 NW MARTINSBURG 38.46N 86.05W
01/28/2009 M7.5 INCH WASHINGTON IN ESPOTTER
4 INCHES NEW SNOW SINCE LAST EVENING. 8 INCHES NOW ON
GROUND. 0.5 INCH ICE. NUMEROUS LIMBS AND POWER LINES
DOWN.
&&
CORRECTED COUNTY/STATE...LOCATION...REMARKS
EVENT NUMBER 00232
SULLIVANThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Snow and ice melt from a recent winter storm, coupled with heavy rainfall caused minor flooding on Stoner Creek near Paris. The creek crested at 18.5 feet, 0.5 feet above flood stage, at 0400 local time on January 29th.
Melting ice from a recent ice storm and heavy rain created minor flooding along the Barren River near Bowling Green. The river crested at 30.44 feet, which is 2.44 feet above flood stage, at 0900 CST on January 29th.
Ice and snow melt from a recent winter storm coupled with heavy rain caused minor flooding near Woodbury. The river crested at 39 feet, 6 feet above flood stage, on January 30th at 0600 local time.
Ice melt from a recent ice storm coupled with heavy rain created minor flooding along the Green River near Munfordville. The river crested at 32.73 feet, 4.73 feet above flood stage, on January 30th at 1945 local time.
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, January 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: 151419, 151426, 151429, 151428.