An approaching cold front triggered strong and severe thunderstorms across central Kentucky. Most of these storms produced damaging winds.
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 approaching cold front triggered strong and severe thunderstorms across central Kentucky. Most of these storms produced damaging winds. Some of the storms had excessive lightning and some damage was caused by lightning strikes.
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 Jul 25, 12:45 PM EST, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 145 PM EDT SAT JUL 25 2009 .AVIATION UPDATE (18Z TAFS)... .NEAR TERM UPDATE (THIS AFTN)... UPDATED TO INCREASE POPS TO LIKELY...ADD WIND GUSTS AND LOWER TEMPS SLIGHTLY. TSTMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP UPSTREAM IN UNCAPPED ENVIRONMENT WITH OUR VAD WIND PROFILE INDICATING RELATIVELY SIGNIFICANT SHEAR... ESPECIALLY IN THE 0-1 KM LAYER AND DESTABILIZATION OCCURRING MAINLY IN DOWNSTATE KY WHERE HEATING HAS BEEN LARGELY UNINTERRUPTED THIS MORNING. NOT EXPECTING SVR STORMS...THOUGH SOME MAY PRODUCE WIND GUSTS AROUND 40 MPH. COVERAGE SHUD CONTINUE TO INCREASE...ESPECIALLY ACRS CENTRAL KY DURG THE AFTN. && .SHORT TERM (TODAY AND TONIGHT)... SOMEWHAT CHALLENGING FORECAST FOR TODAY. CURRENTLY...A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WAS ORIENTED ROUGHLY FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS CENTRAL IL INTO CENTRAL IN AND MOVING TO THE SOUTH/SOUTHEAST AT AROUND 50 MPH. THIS WOULD MOVE THE LINE OF STORMS INTO PARTS OF SOUTHERN IN BETWEEN 09Z AND 11Z. THEREFORE...WILL INCLUDE EARLY MORNING WORDING IN THE FORECAST PACKAGE THIS MORNING TO REFLECT ADDING POPS TO THE FORECAST FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN IN AND NORTH CENTRAL KY BEFORE 12Z. TENDED TO SIDE WITH THE NAM 00Z FORECAST RUN BUT SPED UP THE TIMING A BIT BASED ON CURRENT RADAR TRENDS. EXPECT THAT THIS SYSTEM WILL EVENTUALLY BEGIN TO MOVE MORE EAST/SOUTHEAST AS STEERING FLOW BECOMES MORE WESTERLY AS IT BEGINS TO ROUND THE TROUGH DIGGING INTO THE OHIO VALLEY FROM THE GREAT LAKES. THEREFORE...HAVE HIGHER POPS ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA FOR TODAY. FORECAST SOUNDINGS SHOW SOMEONE ELEVATED CAPE VALUES OF AROUND 1500-2000 J/KG ACROSS THE AREA WITH LIFTED INDEX VALUES MAXING OUT AROUND -3 C AND SOUTHWEST TO WESTERLY SHEAR INCREASING TO AROUND 30 KTS. THEREFORE...ATMOSPHERE IS SUFFICIENTLY UNSTABLE AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO SUPPORT LINE OF STORMS HEADED THIS WAY. THE QUESTION IS HOW FAR SOUTH THE LINE WILL MOVE AND WHAT DEVELOPMENT THERE MAY BE FURTHER SOUTH AHEAD OF THE LINE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY. DECIDED TO LEAVE CHANCE POPS ACROSS THIS AREA TODAY BUT MAY NEED TO INCREASE THESE LATER. A WIDESPREAD SEVERE EVENT IS NOT ANTICIPATED BUT AT LEAST SOME ISOLATED SEVERE GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE BUT EXPECT MOST THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO BE STRONG RATHER THAN SEVERE. AS SURFACE BOUNDARY SAGS SOUTHWARD TOWARD 00Z EXPECT MOST THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO BEGIN TO DWINDLE ACROSS THE NORTH. HOWEVER...A SHORTWAVE IMPULSE WILL ROTATE AROUND THE TROUGH AND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SPARK MORE CONVECTION ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KY TONIGHT AS BOUNDARY SLOWLY BECOMES MORE NORTH/SOUTH ORIENTED FROM WESTERN KY/TN AND SLOWLY MOVES EASTWARD THROUGH THE END OF THE SHORT TERM PERIOD. THEREFORE...HIGHER POPS HAVE BEEN ADDED ACROSS SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA OVERNIGHT. LOWERED HIGH TEMPERATURES A LITTLE TODAY AS CLOUD COVER WILL REALLY START TO INCREASE AROUND SUNRISE. HOWEVER...WITH TEMPS CURRENTLY IN THE UPPER 60S TO MID 70S ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA THERE SHOULD BE A QUICK REBOUND IN THE MORNING BEFORE CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION INHIBIT WARMING TOO MUCH. HIGH WILL RANGER FROM THE LOW TO MID 80S NORTH WITH NEAR 90 DEGREES SOUTH. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL FALL INTO THE MID AND UPPER 60S. .LONG TERM (SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY).. SUNDAY... RESIDUAL BAND OF SCATTERED SHOWERS EXPECTED WITH THE DISSIPATING FRONT LYING ACROSS THE REGION. DEPTH OF MOISTURE LOOKS LIMITED ENOUGH TO DROP STORM COVERAGE DOWN TO ISOLATED. BEST CHANCES FOR PRECIP WILL BE OVER THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CWA. OVERALL NOT EXPECTING MUCH IN THE WAY OF RAINFALL TOTALS. SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT... PREVIOUS MODEL RUNS HAD SUGGESTED THAT RAIN CHANCES WOULD BE LIMITED DURING THIS TIME FRAME...BUT THE LATEST GFS AND NAM12. LATEST ENSEMBLE PLUME FORECASTS INDICATE LITTLE IN THE WAY OF RAIN...IN LINE WITH PREVIOUS FORECASTS. WILL KEEP MENTION OF RAIN OUT FOR NOW...EXCEPT FOR THE EXTREME SOUTHERN CWA...IN AREA OF BEST PRECIPITABLE WATER. TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION FOR THE REST OF THE WORK WEEK. PRECIPITABLE WATERS COME UP WELL ABOVE NORMAL DURING THIS PERIOD...WHICH WILL TRANSLATE TO SEVERAL DAYS OF GOOD SHOWER AND STORM CHANCES. WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR RISK OF FLASH FLOODING THROUGH THE PERIOD. AS FOR OTHER THREATS...LATEST GFS INDICATES A RISK FOR GUSTY WINDS WITH STRONGER STORMS WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY...AS REGION WILL BE IN RIGHT REAR QUADRANT OF A JET STREAKS MOVING THROUGH THE UPPER FLOW. LATEST DGEX MORE BULLISH WITH THE WEDNESDAY SYSTEM...CARRYING THE THREAT OVER THE THURSDAY AND DRYING US OUT BY FRIDAY. WILL LEAN TOWARD THE GFS FOR NOW AND KEEP THREAT FOR STORMS EACH DAY THIS PERIOD...GIVEN REASONABLE FORECAST FOR THE STALLED BOUNDARY IN THE AREA. ENSEMBLE LEANING TOWARD THIS SCENARIO AS WELL BUT NOT QUITE AT A HIGH LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE JUST YET. && .AVIATION (18Z TAFS)... WEAK CDFNT EXTENDING FROM CENTRAL PARTS OF IN/IL/MO WILL DROP SLOWLY SEWD TO NEAR THE OH RIVER EARLY SUN MORNING. SCATTERED TSTMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN MOIST AMS AHEAD OF BNDRY EARLY IN THIS PERIOD...BEFORE DIMINISHING BY 02Z TNGT FOR SDF AND LEX AND AROUND 05Z AT BWG. CIGS AND VSBYS SHUD REMAIN MVFR TO VFR THRU MUCH OF THE PERIOD...HOWEVER A TAF SITE UNDER THE CORE OF A STORM COULD BRIEFLY FALL TO IFR VSBY IN HEAVY RAIN. AT THIS TIME...TSTM COVERAGE TOO LIMITED AND TIMING TOO UNCERTAIN TO INSERT. WINDS SHUD DIMINISH THIS EVE...BUT REMAIN SW...AS FRONT SLOWS ITS SEWD MOVEMENT. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && NEAR TERM....DK SHORT TERM...LS LONG TERM....RJS AVIATION.....11
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 1140 AM EDT SAT JUL 25 2009 INZ076>079-083-084-089>092-KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067- 070>078-081-082-260830- 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- 1140 AM EDT SAT JUL 25 2009 /1040 AM CDT SAT JUL 25 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AS A WEAK SURFACE COOL FRONT APPROACHES OUR REGION. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DIMINISH ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA THIS EVENING BUT CONTINUE ACROSS CENTRAL KENTUCKY AS THE WEAK SURFACE BOUNDARY STALLS. THE MAIN THREATS WITH ANY STORM WILL BE HEAVY RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ALONG WITH CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE DAY SUNDAY AS A DISSIPATING FRONTAL BOUNDARY LINGERS ACROSS THE REGION. LITTLE SHOWER ACTIVITY IS FORECAST FOR SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT. THEN ON TUESDAY A PLUME OF TROPICAL MOISTURE WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION AND REMAIN THROUGH FRIDAY. SEVERAL WAVES OF ENERGY WILL COME ACROSS THIS MOISTURE...COMBINING TO PRODUCE ABOVE NORMAL RAIN CHANCES THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK. STRONG STORMS COULD DEVELOP ANY AFTERNOON BUT LARGE SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAKS ARE NOT EXPECTED. STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING WILL BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THREATS WITH THE STORMS. ALSO...ATMOSPHERIC MOISTURE WILL BE PLENTIFUL SO LOCALLY INTENSE DOWNPOURS WILL BE A GOOD BET...ESPECIALLY ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT GUSTY WINDS OR DAMAGE ALONG WITH HEAVY RAINFALL OR FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE OR TO LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS. DK
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 236 PM EDT SAT JUL 25 2009 INZ076-077-084-089>092-251915- CLARK-CRAWFORD-FLOYD-HARRISON-ORANGE-PERRY-WASHINGTON- 236 PM EDT SAT JUL 25 2009 ...STRONG STORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS CROSSING SOUTHERN INDIANA... AT 234 PM EDT /134 PM CDT/...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF ENGLISH TO 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ENGLISH TO 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF SANTA CLAUS...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AROUND ONE INCH PER HOUR...AND GUSTY WINDS TO 45 MPH...ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS WILL BE... NEAR CORYDON AROUND 305 PM EDT. NEAR NEW ALBANY AROUND 310 PM EDT. THESE STORMS WILL ALSO BE... NEAR FREDERICKSBURG AROUND 240 PM EDT. NEAR PALMYRA AROUND 245 PM EDT. NEAR MARTINSBURG AROUND 250 PM EDT. NEAR BORDEN AROUND 255 PM EDT. NEAR STARLIGHT AROUND 300 PM EDT. NEAR BENNETTSVILLE AROUND 305 PM EDT. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT INTERSTATE 64 IN INDIANA BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 105 AND 92. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS...SEEK SHELTER INDOORS AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA ALL HAZARDS RADIO... WEATHER.GOV/LOUISVILLE ON THE INTERNET...OR LOCAL MEDIA FOR LATER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. && 13
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 257 PM EDT SAT JUL 25 2009 INZ077-090>092-KYZ030-031-251945- CLARK-FLOYD-HARRISON-JEFFERSON-OLDHAM-WASHINGTON- 257 PM EDT SAT JUL 25 2009 ...STRONG STORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN HEADING FOR THE LOUISVILLE METROPOLITAN AREA... AT 253 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 13 MILES SOUTHEAST OF SALEM TO 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF CORYDON TO 13 MILES SOUTH OF ENGLISH...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AROUND ONE INCH PER HOUR...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS TO 55 MPH...ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS WILL BE... NEAR CORYDON AROUND 300 PM EDT. NEAR NEW ALBANY AROUND 310 PM EDT. NEAR DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE AROUND 315 PM EDT. NEAR SHIVELY AROUND 320 PM EDT. NEAR ST. MATTHEWS AROUND 325 PM EDT. NEAR VALLEY STATION AROUND 330 PM EDT. THESE STORMS WILL ALSO BE... NEAR CHARLESTOWN AROUND 315 PM EDT. NEAR GOSHEN AROUND 320 PM EDT. 52 MPH WINDS WERE REPORTED WITH THESE STORMS. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9PM EDT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... STRONG WINDS CAN TOPPLE WEAKLY ROOTED TREES AND DOWN POWER LINES. TAKE PRECAUTIONS NOW TO SECURE TRASH CANS...LAWN FURNITURE AND OTHER LOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS. MOTORISTS IN HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES SHOULD USE CAUTION. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS...SEEK SHELTER INDOORS AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA ALL HAZARDS RADIO... WEATHER.GOV/LOUISVILLE ON THE INTERNET...OR LOCAL MEDIA FOR LATER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. && 13
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
312 PM EDT SAT JUL 25 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0305 PM TSTM WND DMG NEW ALBANY 38.30N 85.83W
07/25/2009 FLOYD IN TRAINED SPOTTER
LARGE TREE LIMBS DOWN IN THE NORTHERN PART OF NEW
ALBANY.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LMK0900171
MRCThe Louisville radar (KLVX), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:24 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were downed along the length of Highway 42 in Oldham County. Trees were also downed in the La Grange area.
Trees were downed.
Trees downed in New Castle.
Trees downed along Highway 42 on the Oldham County Line.
Lightning caused damage to electrical system in two homes but did not start fires.
Trees were downed and pea to dime size hail was falling.
Trees were downed in Burkesville.
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, 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: 185087, 185090, 185080, 185083, 185085, 185089, 185077.