Isolated high winds occurred in Harlan County on January 28th. These occurred as a major winter storm system was moving across Eastern Kentucky.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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 JKL wrote it up.
Isolated high winds occurred in Harlan County on January 28th. These occurred as a major winter storm system was moving across Eastern Kentucky. The high winds caused a roof to be torn off a mobile home.
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 Jan 27, 10:52 PM EST, 1 hour 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 1052 PM EST TUE JAN 27 2009 .SHORT TERM.../THE REST OF TONIGHT/...UPDATED THE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT CONTINUES TO INCREASE AS WARMER AIR MOVES INTO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA. A SPOTTER IN WHITESBURG REPORTED THE TEMPERATURE RISING 9 DEGREES TO 47 IN ONE HOUR AT ABOUT 10 AM. THE FRONT IS MOVING VERY SLOWLY TO THE NORTH. THE BAND OF SHOWERS NOW EXTENDS FROM WAYNE TO JOHNSON COUNTIES. WE GOT ONE REPORT OF SOME LOCAL FLOODING IN BREATHITT COUNTY WITH THE SMITH BRANCH POURING WATER 2 TO 3 INCHES OVER THE ROAD. AS SUCH...WE ISSUED AN AREAL FLOOD WARNING AS THE ICE BEGINS TO MELT AND SOME OF THE RAIN CONTINUES. AS THE WARM AIR PUSHES TO THE NORTH AND WARMS...THE FREEZING RAIN WILL ALSO START TO RETREAT TO THE NORTH. WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SEEING IS THE THE VALLEYS WILL TURN TO RAIN FIRST AND THEN THE RIDGES. THE BIGGEST CONCERN I HAVE IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE WIND PICKS UP AS THE LOW MOVES OFF TO THE NORTHEAST AND THE COLD FRONT SWINGS ACROSS THE AREA. AREAS WITH ICE LADED TREES COULD EXPERIENCE MANY TREES FALLING AT ONCE AND COULD CREATE A PRETTY CHAOTIC SITUATION. DUE TO THE LATEST TEMPERATURE FORECASTS AND MODEL TRENDS...I BACK OFF A LITTLE FOR THE SNOW TOMORROW. THE PREVIOUS SHORT TERM FORECAST DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... /THE REST OF TODAY/ UPDATED THE FORECAST TO TAKE PIKE COUNTY OUT OF THE WINTER STORM WARNING AS TEMPERATURES HAVE FINALLY RAISED ABOVE FREEZING AT THE UPPER ELEVATIONS. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE HAL ROGERS PARKWAY IS SLOWLY MOVING TO THE NORTH. THE AIR BEHIND THE FRONT IS QUITE A BIT WARMER AND WILL BE TRYING TO MOVE TO THE NORTH. THE BOUNDARY IS RELUCTANT TO MOVE...AND AS SUCH THE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE FRONT IS BEGINNING TO INCREASE. THE VERY SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE WINTER STORM WARNING HAS SEEN SOME WARM AIR MOVE INTO THE LOWER LAYERS. THE TEMPERATURES IN THE CITY OF JACKSON HAVE BEEN RUNNING AT 33 DEGREES...WHILE UP AT THE AIRPORT THEY HAVE BEEN 32. JUST THAT LITTLE BIT OF DIFFERENCE HAS ALLOWED THE FREEZING RAIN TO CONTINUE HERE AT THE OFFICE..WHEREAS IT HAS BEEN ALL RAIN DOWN THE VALLEY IN THE CITY OF JACKSON. THESE TYPES OF DIFFERENCES ARE MOST LIKELY SIMILAR IN THAT SOUTHERN TIER OF COUNTIES. AS SUCH...WILL KEEP THE WSW GOING FOR THESE COUNTIES. FROM THE RADAR...IT WOULD APPEAR THAT FLEMING COUNTY IS GETTING HAMMERED FROM THE FREEZING RAIN. THE HEAVIER BAND OF FREEZING RAIN IS MOVING TO THE NORTH AND THE INTENSITY OF THE FREEZING RAIN WILL BE TAPERING OFF DURING THE NEXT FEW HOURS. THE PREVIOUS SHORT TERM FORECAST DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... /TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/ SURFACE LOW OVER NORTHWEST ALABAMA WILL DEEPEN AND RIDE NORTHEAST ALONG INVERTED TROUGH INTO WEST VIRGINIA TONIGHT. WAVES OF PRECIPITATION... HEAVY AT TIMES... WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE AREA TONIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY BUT THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION APPEARS TO BE AIMED A LITTLE MORE TO THE NORTH THAN EARLIER THOUGHT. THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY WHERE THE THREAT FOR FLOODING SEEMS TO BE DECREASING. THIS IS VERY BAD NEWS FOR LOCATIONS NORTH OF AN IRVINE TO WEST LIBERTY TO SANDY HOOK LINE THOUGH WHERE TEMPERATURES WILL LIKELY REMAIN AT OR BELOW FREEZING THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE NIGHT TONIGHT AND THE ICE WILL CONTINUE TO MOUNT UP. WILL PLAN TO KEEP CURRENT WINTER STORM WARNING GOING. WHILE VALLEY TEMPS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TIER OF THE WARNING ARE NOW ABOVE FREEZING... RIDGES STILL REMAIN AT OR BELOW FREEZING AND THE GLAZING CONTINUES. WE DO EXPECT TEMPS TO CONTINUE TO RISE THROUGH THE NIGHT FOR MOST AREAS BUT EVEN IF TEMPS DO GO ABOVE FREEZING BY A FEW DEGREES... ACCUMULATED ICE ON TREES (UP TO THREE-QUARTERS OF AN INCH THICK IN SOME CASES) WILL CONTINUE TO BE A HAZARD JUSTIFYING THE WARNING. LOCATIONS NORTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY... PARTICULARLY NORTH OF AN IRVINE TO WEST LIBERTY TO SANDY HOOK LINE WILL RECEIVE MUCH MORE ICE ACCUMULATION AND WE SHOULD SEE STORM TOTAL ICE ACCUMULATION OF OVER AN INCH IN THESE AREAS BY MORNING. OVER SOUTHEAST KENTUCKY... TEMPS SHOULD CONTINUE TO RISE TONIGHT AND LOCATIONS ALONG THE VIRGINIA BORDER MAY EVEN MAKE IT INTO THE WARM SECTOR OF THE SYSTEM... WITH TEMPS CLIMBING TOWARD 50 AND SOME GUSTY WINDS LATE IN THE NIGHT. NEXT CHALLENGE ARRIVES FOR WEDNESDAY AS COLDER AIR GETS WRAPPED BACK INTO THE AREA BEHIND DEPARTING SURFACE LOW. PROGS INDICATE POTENT UPPER SHORTWAVE WILL PIVOT ACROSS EAST KENTUCKY DURING THE DAY SPONSORING AN INCREASE IN PRECIP AGAIN AS THE COLDER AIR ARRIVES. WE SHOULD THUS SEE A QUICK TRANSITION BACK TO SLEET AND SNOW FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE DAY WITH A QUICK INCH OR TWO OF SNOW LIKELY. HAVE DECIDED TO EXTEND THE TIME OF OUR REMAINING WARNING THROUGH NOON FOR ALL BUT PIKE COUNTY DUE TO THIS ADDITIONAL SNOW ON TOP OF ALL THE ICE. WE MAY NEED AN ADVISORY FOR THE REMAINDER OF OUR COUNTIES BUT WILL LEAVE THAT DECISION FOR LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT. FLOOD THREAT CONTINUES WITH 1 TO 2 INCHES OF QPF EXPECTED... IN ADDITION TO WHAT HAS ALREADY FALLEN. PLEASE SEE FLOOD WATCH PRODUCT FOR MORE INFORMATION. .LONG TERM.../WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/ GOOD AGREEMENT IN THE MODELS LENDS ITSELF TO A FAIR AMOUNT OF CONFIDENCE EARLY ON IN THE PERIOD...FOLLOWED BY A LOWERING OF CONFIDENCE AS MODEL SOLUTIONS SHOW MORE VARIATION WITH TIME. A SURFACE RIDGE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST WITH DECREASING CLOUDS AS THE STORM SYSTEM DEPARTS TO THE NORTHEAST ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. FAIR WEATHER THEN LASTS THROUGH THURSDAY. THERE IS SOME QUESTION ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF LOW CLOUDS LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...SINCE MOISTURE IN FORECAST SOUNDINGS IS VERY SHALLOW. A POORLY DEFINED COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THURSDAY NIGHT AND MOVE THROUGH ON FRIDAY. IT MAY BRING SOME LIGHT SNOW OR SNOW SHOWERS. BEHIND THIS THERE IS ANOTHER RETURN TO FAIR WEATHER THROUGH MOST OF THE WEEKEND...WITH A BRIEF WARM-UP AS SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE PASSES TO OUR EAST AND ALLOWS WARM AIR ADVECTION ON SUNDAY. YET ANOTHER COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED ABOUT MONDAY. TIMING OF THIS FRONT IS QUESTIONABLE. THE GFS HAS SLOWED ITS MOVEMENT OF THIS FRONT SINCE YESTERDAY...TRENDING TOWARD THE SLOWER ECMWF. IN LIGHT OF THIS...OPTED TO HOLD OFF ON THE CHANCE OF PRECIP WITH THE FRONT UNTIL SUNDAY NIGHT...WITH THE POTENTIAL LINGERING INTO MONDAY NIGHT. PRECIP COULD BE RAIN AND/OR SNOW...BUT THE POP IS RELATIVELY LOW. LATE MONDAY... THE 12Z OPERATIONAL RUN OF THE GFS SHOWS A SIGNIFICANT STORM SYSTEM DEEPENING ALONG THIS FRONT AND LIFTING NORTHEAST OUT OF THE GULF OF MEXICO...CROSSING THE SOUTHEAST CONUS. IT WOULD ENHANCE OUR PRECIP PROBABILITY. HOWEVER...THIS IS NOT WELL SUPPORTED BY GFS ENSEMBLE MEMBERS OR THE ECMWF...AND WILL NOT BUY INTO IT AT THIS TIME. THERE MAY VERY WELL BE SYSTEM THAT DEVELOPS...BUT THE TIMING...PLACEMENT AND STRENGTH ARE VERY UNCERTAIN. && .AVIATION.../00Z TO 24Z/ THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE HAL ROGERS PARKWAY IS SLOWLY MOVING TO THE NORTH. THE AIR BEHIND THE FRONT IS QUITE A BIT WARMER AND WILL BE TRYING TO MOVE TO THE NORTH. THE BOUNDARY IS RELUCTANT TO MOVE...AND AS SUCH THE TEMPERATURE GRADIENT ACROSS THE FRONT IS BEGINNING TO INCREASE. THE CIGS AND VIS SOUTH OF THE BOUNDARY ARE MUCH BETTER AND THE FORECASTS FOR SME AND LOZ WILL REFLECT THE IMPROVING CONDITIONS. EXPECT THE CONDITIONS AT JKL TO STAY LIFR. CONDITION WILL AGAIN DETERIORATE AT LOZ AND SME AS THE MAJOR LOW PASSES TO THE NE AND THE COLD AIR AND SNOW MOVE INTO THE AREA TOMORROW. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 12 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR KYZ044- 050>052-058>060-068-069-104-106>112-114-119. FLOOD WATCH THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING FOR KYZ058>060-068-069-079- 080-083>088-104-106>120. && SHORT TERM...ABE/JJ LONG TERM....HAL AVIATION...JJ
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 545 PM EST TUE JAN 27 2009 KYZ044-050>052-281200- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLEMINGSBURG...MOUNT STERLING... OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD 545 PM EST TUE JAN 27 2009 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE AREA TONIGHT. AS A RESULT...A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE OUTLOOK AREA. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCT FOR DETAILS AND EXPECTED SNOW AND ICE AMOUNTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCT FOR DETAILS AND EXPECTED SNOW AND ICE AMOUNTS. SNOW IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...THEN AGAIN LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW...SLEET...AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON THIS WEEK. KYZ058>060-068-069-104-106>112-114-119-281200- ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE-JACKSON-ELLIOTT-MORGAN-JOHNSON- WOLFE-MAGOFFIN-FLOYD-LEE-BREATHITT-OWSLEY-MARTIN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...IRVINE...STANTON...FRENCHBURG... MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE...SANDY HOOK...WEST LIBERTY...PAINTSVILLE... CAMPTON...SALYERSVILLE...PRESTONSBURG...BEATTYVILLE...JACKSON... BOONEVILLE...INEZ 545 PM EST TUE JAN 27 2009 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM EST WEDNESDAY... ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT THE AREA TONIGHT. AS A RESULT...A WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE OUTLOOK AREA. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCT FOR DETAILS AND EXPECTED SNOW AND ICE AMOUNTS. THERE IS ALSO A THREAT FOR AREAL FLOODING AND SOME FLASH FLOODING DUE TO EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AND RUNOFF FROM MELTED FROZEN PRECIPITATION WITH THIS SYSTEM. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE OUTLOOK AREA THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLOOD WATCH PRODUCT FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THE WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST WINTER STORM WARNING PRODUCT FOR DETAILS AND EXPECTED SNOW AND ICE AMOUNTS. SNOW IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...THEN AGAIN LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW...SLEET...AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON THIS WEEK AS WELL AS ANY INSTANCES OF FLOODING. KYZ079-080-083>088-113-115>118-120-281200- PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX-BELL-HARLAN-KNOTT-PERRY- CLAY-LESLIE-LETCHER-PIKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SOMERSET...LONDON...MONTICELLO... WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG...BARBOURVILLE...MIDDLESBORO... PINEVILLE...HARLAN...HINDMAN...HAZARD...MANCHESTER...HYDEN... WHITESBURG...PIKEVILLE 545 PM EST TUE JAN 27 2009 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THERE IS A THREAT FOR AREAL FLOODING AND SOME FLASH FLOODING DUE TO EXCESSIVE RAINFALL AND RUNOFF FROM MELTED FROZEN PRECIPITATION. A FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE OUTLOOK AREA THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLOOD WATCH PRODUCT FOR MORE DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. RAIN WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW AND SLEET DURING THE DAY ON WEDNESDAY WITH UP TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET POSSIBLE. SNOW IS POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...THEN AGAIN LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSON THIS WEEK AS WELL AS ANY INSTANCES OF FLOODING TODAY AND TONIGHT. RAY/JJ
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
621 PM EST TUE JAN 27 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0620 PM FREEZING RAIN BEATTYVILLE 37.58N 83.71W
01/27/2009 M0.50 INCH LEE KY NWS EMPLOYEE
ONE HALF INCH OF ICE ACCRETION WAS REPORTED FROM FREEZING
RAIN. NUMEROUS TREE LIMBS WERE BROUGHT DOWN DUE TO THE
WEIGHT OF THE ICE AS WELL.
&&
WJMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
658 PM EST TUE JAN 27 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0654 PM FREEZING RAIN JACKSON 37.56N 83.38W
01/27/2009 M0.30 INCH BREATHITT KY NWS EMPLOYEE
THREE TENTHS OF AN INCH OF ICE ACCRETION ON EXPOSED
SURFACES AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.
&&
WJMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
710 PM EST TUE JAN 27 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0708 PM ICE STORM BRODHEAD 37.40N 84.42W
01/27/2009 ROCKCASTLE KY TRAINED SPOTTER
ONE QUARTER INCH OF ICE IN THE VALLEYS AND THREE EIGHTS
TO ONE QUARTER OF AN INCH OF ICE ON THE RIDGES. AT 7 PM
TEMP 34 DEGREES. STORM TOTAL PRECIPITATION 1.5 INCHES.
&&
JJPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
856 PM EST TUE JAN 27 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0854 PM ICE STORM AUXIER 37.74N 82.76W
01/27/2009 FLOYD KY PUBLIC
NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES WERE REPORTED DOWN DUE TO
THE WEIGHT OF ICE ACCRETION FROM FREEZING RAIN.
&&
WJMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
927 PM EST TUE JAN 27 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0910 PM FREEZING RAIN IRVINE 37.70N 83.97W
01/27/2009 E0.50 INCH ESTILL KY EMERGENCY MNGR
ONE QUARTER TO ONE HALF INCH OF ICE ACCRETION FROM
FREEZING RAIN WAS REPORTED IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE
COUNTY...AND IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS.
&&
WJMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
932 PM EST TUE JAN 27 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0930 PM FREEZING RAIN 3 S BEATTYVILLE 37.54N 83.71W
01/27/2009 E0.75 INCH LEE KY TRAINED SPOTTER
THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH OF ICE ACCRETION FROM FREEZING
RAIN WAS REPORTED. SEVERAL LARGE TREES WERE BROUGHT DOWN
DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE ICE.
&&
WJMThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A non-thunderstorm wind gust tore the roof off a trailer in the community of Dayhoit.
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: 145994.