An area of strong to severe thunderstorms brought widespread tree damage and flooding to eastern Kentucky on June 11th.
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 JKL wrote it up.
An area of strong to severe thunderstorms brought widespread tree damage and flooding to eastern Kentucky on June 11th.
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 Jun 11, 5:32 AM EST, 28 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 632 AM EDT THU JUN 11 2009 .SHORT TERM...UPDATED MESOSCALE UPDATE... COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS HAS BEEN WEAKENING WITH TIME WITH WARMING CLOUD TOPS...AND INDIVIDUAL UPDRAFTS BECOMING LESS INTENSE IN GENERAL. WINDS OF 30 TO 40 KTS ARE STILL POSSIBLE WITH THE LEADING EDGE. RAINFALL RATES HAVE BEEN UPWARDS OF 2 INCHES...HOWEVER THIS SYSTEM HAS BEEN PROGRESSIVE ENOUGH TO NOT CAUSE MORE THAN ISOLATED URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING PROBLEMS. MOST OF THE STRATIFORM PRECIPITATION FOLLOWING THE LEADING EDGE HAS BEEN BETWEEN A TENTH AND A QUARTER OF AN INCH PER HOUR ACCORDING TO LOCAL OBSERVATIONS...WITH MOST LOCATIONS RECEIVING AROUND A QUICK HALF INCH AS THE LEADING EDGE PASSES OVER A GIVEN LOCATION. THERE IS ANOTHER AREA OF STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO THE PULASKI/WAYNE COUNTY BORDER THAT WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED FOR TRAINING. IT LOOKS PRETTY APPARENT THAT CATEGORICAL POPS WILL BE NEEDED INITIALLY AT 12Z FOR MOST LOCATIONS...AS THE BACK EDGE WILL LIKELY HOLD ON...SO WILL BE UPDATING THE ZONES. STILL EXPECT A RESURGENCE LATER IN THE DAY...BUT THERE WILL MOST LIKELY BE A LULL FOR A FEW HOURS FOLLOWING THIS COMPLEX. THE PREVIOUS SHORT TERM FORECAST DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... /TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/ THIS COMPLEX WILL LEAVE PLENTY OF SETUP FOR CONVECTION TO RE-FIRE LATER TODAY. THIS COMBINED WITH HEATING AS WELL AS AN APPROACHING SHORT WAVE TROUGH CURRENTLY TRAVERSING THE PLAINS WILL RESULT IN NUMEROUS TO WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SOME OF THESE MAY APPROACH SEVERE LIMITS...AS WIND PROFILE INCREASES SOMEWHAT DURING THE DAY AND INSTABILITY REMAINS AMPLE. ADDITIONALLY...HEAVY RAINERS WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CONCERN. BY TONIGHT...THE SHORT WAVE TROUGH WILL BE EXITING...HOWEVER THE COLD FRONT WILL BE SLOW TO MOVE THROUGH...SO WILL MAINTAIN LIKELY POPS EARLY ON...AND THEN GRADUALLY TREND DOWN TO CHANCE POPS THROUGH THE NIGHT. FOR TEMPERATURES...GENERALLY STUCK WITH A PERSISTENCE FORECAST. CLOUDS WILL CERTAINLY BE PLENTIFUL THIS MORNING...HOWEVER EVEN AN HOUR OF HEATING WILL SPIKE READINGS QUICKLY...SO STILL THINK LOW 80S ARE POSSIBLE FOR MOST SPOTS. ANOTHER BALMY NIGHT IS EXPECTED WITH LOWS GENERALLY IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 60S. .LONG TERM.../FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/ FOR THE LATTER PORTION OF THE FORECAST...THE MODELS ARE IN WORSE THAN AVERAGE AGREEMENT AS THEY HAVE TROUBLE HANDLING THE FINE DETAILS OF ZONAL FLOW RIPPLING ABOVE THE OHIO VALLEY. THIS FAST...FOR SUMMER... FLOW IS OCCURRING BETWEEN A BUILDING RIDGE OVER OLD MEXICO AND THE SEASONALLY MODIFIED POLAR LOW OVER THE HUDSON BAY. THE DETAILS OF EACH WAVE PASSING THROUGH THE REGION IN THIS FLOW PATTERN ARE QUITE MUDDLED AND VARIED FROM EACH MODEL...BUT BROADER AND MORE GENERAL FEATURES ARE APPARENT. EARLY FRIDAY...ONE WAVE OF ENERGY SHOULD BE PULLING AWAY TO THE EAST WITH THE NEXT FORMING OVER THE HIGH PLAINS. THIS LATTER ONE THEN SLIDES PAST TO OUR NORTH FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. OVER THE WEEKEND...THE RIDGE TO THE SOUTHWEST SHARPENS AS THE NORTHERN TROUGH SLIDES DEEPER INTO EASTERN CANADA. THIS DISPLACEMENT WILL CHANGE THE PATTERN OVER THE OHIO VALLEY INTO MORE OF A NORTHWEST FLOW ONE. THIS WILL LIKELY SERVE AS A GLIDE PATH FOR ADDITIONAL PACKETS OF ENERGY TO SLIP INTO THE REGION LATER IN THE WEEKEND AND FOR THE START OF THE NEW WEEK. COMPARED TO THE 12Z ECMWF FROM WEDNESDAY...THE GFS WOULD HAVE THE RIDGING BUILD FURTHER INTO THE DEEP SOUTH AND TENNESSEE VALLEY EARLIER THAN THE ECMWF AND THEN KEEP THE RIDGE A BIT FLATTER TO OUR WEST...AND THUS IT PAINTS A MORE ACTIVE WX PICTURE INTO MID WEEK. WITH BETTER CONTINUITY...AND SUPPORT OF THE OTHER GLOBAL MODELS...THE ECMWF SOLUTION WAS PREFERRED FOR MOST OF THE EXTENDED AND ITS SCENARIO WOULD DO A BETTER JOB OF SUPPRESSING CONVECTION AND KEEPING OUR WEATHER MORE ON THE DRY SIDE. ACCORDINGLY...THE FORECAST WAS NUDGED IN THIS DIRECTION FOR THE WEEKEND AND INTO MIDWEEK. SENSIBLE WEATHER FOR THE EXTENDED WILL FEATURE THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF WAVES PULLING OUT OF THE AREA ON FRIDAY...BUT ANY HIGH PRESSURE WOULD LIKELY BE TOO WEAK TO COMPLETELY SUPPRESS THE DIURNALLY DRIVEN THREAT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...AT LEAST THROUGH THE WEEKEND. DO SEE A BIT DRIER AIR MOVING INTO THE REGION FOR SUNDAY...ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTHEAST PORTION OF THE AREA...THAT MAY BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IN KEEPING THE CONVECTION AT BAY. LATER ON...THE ECMWF BUILDS THAT HIGH THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY INTO TUESDAY...IDEALLY KEEPING THE STORM/MCS TRACK TO OUR SOUTHWEST...BUT STILL TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT...SO POPS HAVE NOT BEEN COMPLETELY REMOVED. THIS HIGH THEN WOULD MOVE EAST ON WEDNESDAY ALLOWING THE BETTER CHANCES OF CONVECTION TO RETURN TO OUR AREA FOR MIDWEEK. THE INHERITED FORECAST HAD MOST OF THIS THEME WELL IN HAND...SO THE GRIDS WERE GENERALLY JUST NUDGED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ABOVE THOUGHTS. && .AVIATION.../06Z TO 06Z/ A LARGE COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY WILL WORK EAST TOWARD THE AREA OVERNIGHT. IN THE WAKE OF THIS...SOME LIFR FOG HAS BEEN PRESENT IN SOME OF THE DEEPER RIVER VALLEYS...AND EVEN FOR A PERIOD OF TIME AT JKL. GIVEN THE LIGHT SSW FLOW...TEMPORARY LIFR FOG WILL REMAIN AT JKL FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS AT LEAST...AS THIS FLOW TENDS TO HELP ESCORT VALLEY FOG UP THE TERRAIN. THICKER CLOUD COVER WILL ARRIVE OVERHEAD BY 08Z...WHICH SHOULD HELP MITIGATE THIS LOCAL EFFECT. DO NOT ANTICIPATE MORE THAN MVFR VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS AT SME AND LOZ THROUGH 12Z. THE FIRST CLUSTER OF STORMS WILL LIKELY SKIRT JUST TO THE NORTHWEST OF SME BETWEEN 07 AND 08Z...SO HAVE ONLY MENTIONED A VCTS. THE NEXT LINE OF CONVECTION WILL LIKELY THREATEN TOWARDS DAWN...BUT WILL LIKELY WEAKEN SOMEWHAT BY THE TIME IT ARRIVES. HAVE MAINTAINED PREVAILING THUNDERSTORMS BY 15Z AT ALL SITES AS CONVECTION WILL FIRE UP QUICKLY AS A SHORT WAVE TROUGH APPROACHES AND HEATING OCCURS. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SHORT TERM...GEOGERIAN LONG TERM....GREIF AVIATION...GEOGERIAN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 426 AM EDT THU JUN 11 2009 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-121100- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE- JACKSON-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX-BELL-HARLAN- ELLIOTT-MORGAN-JOHNSON-WOLFE-MAGOFFIN-FLOYD-LEE-BREATHITT-KNOTT- OWSLEY-PERRY-CLAY-LESLIE-LETCHER-MARTIN-PIKE- 426 AM EDT THU JUN 11 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AND TONIGHT. SOME OF THE STORMS DURING THE DAY MAY APPROACH SEVERE LIMITS...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL BEING THE MAIN THREATS. IN ADDITION...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY. THIS MAY RESULT IN SOME MINOR FLOODING OF CREEKS AND STREAMS...WITH ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING POSSIBLE AT LOCATIONS THAT HAVE SEEN HEAVY RAINFALL IN THE PAST DAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM TIME TO TIME FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...OR HEAVY RAINFALL AND FLOODING TODAY. GEOGERIAN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 511 AM EDT THU JUN 11 2009 KYZ068-079-083-084-111015- ROCKCASTLE-PULASKI-WAYNE-MCCREARY- 511 AM EDT THU JUN 11 2009 ...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT ROCKCASTLE AND PULASKI AND WAYNE AND WESTERN MCCREARY COUNTIES THROUGH 615 AM EDT THURSDAY MORNING... AT 511 AM EDT...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 19 MILES NORTHWEST OF EUBANK TO 13 MILES NORTHWEST OF PARNELL TO 19 MILES WEST OF SUNNYBROOK...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. THE STORMS WILL BE NEAR MAGNUM AROUND 530 AM EDT...ZULA AROUND 535 AM EDT...SUNNYBROOK AROUND 540 AM EDT...TRIMBLE AROUND 545 AM EDT...AND PULASKI AROUND 550 AM EDT. RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. NUMEROUS DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES CAN BE EXPECTED FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER THEN LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD. GREIF
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 547 AM EDT THU JUN 11 2009 KYZ050-058>060-111030- MONTGOMERY-MENIFEE-POWELL-ESTILL- 547 AM EDT THU JUN 11 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT SOUTHERN MONTGOMERY AND WESTERN MENIFEE AND POWELL AND NORTHWESTERN ESTILL COUNTIES THROUGH 630 AM EDT THURSDAY MORNING... AT 547 AM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 13 MILES WEST OF HARRIS FERRY...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR HARRIS FERRY AROUND 605 AM EDT...CRESSY AROUND 610 AM EDT...SPOUT SPRINGS AROUND 615 AM EDT...VIRDEN AROUND 620 AM EDT...AND STANTON AROUND 625 AM EDT. RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER THEN LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD. GREIF
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 605 AM EDT THU JUN 11 2009 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>087-104-106-108-109-111- 112-114>117-111100- FLEMING-ROWAN-BATH-ELLIOTT-MONTGOMERY-MENIFEE-POWELL-ESTILL- ROCKCASTLE-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-WHITLEY-MCCREARY-MORGAN-MAGOFFIN- WOLFE-LEE-BREATHITT-JACKSON-OWSLEY-PERRY-CLAY-LESLIE-KNOX-BELL- 605 AM EDT THU JUN 11 2009 ...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT MUCH OF EAST KENTUCKY THROUGH 700 AM EDT THURSDAY MORNING... AT 600 AM EDT...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 14 MILES WEST OF FAIRVIEW TO LOCUST BRANCH TO MOUNT PISGAH...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. THE STORMS WILL BE NEAR MOUNT STERLING AND CLAY CITY AROUND 615 AM EDT...OWINGSVILLE...STANTON AND LONDON AROUND 630 AM EDT AND FRENCHBURG...CAMPTON AND WILLIAMSBURG 645 AM EDT...AND MOREHEAD...JACKSON...AND BARBOURVILLE AROUND 7 AM EDT. RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER THEN LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD. GREIF
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 102 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:02 UTC.
16 flash flood, 12 thunderstorm wind, 5 flood, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Standing water covered a gas station parking lot near exit 15 on Interstate 75.
Streams were at bankful near Strunk.
Roads were covered by flood waters in Williamsburg.
Three to four inches of water was flowing across Highway 15 near the Knott and Letcher county line.
Tenth street was closed due to high water.
A creek flooded the back yard of a house with water entering the house.
A mudslide occurred on the Highway 15 bypass filling up a culvert causing water to run across the highway.
Streams had left their banks and were flowing into buildings.
A tree was blown down and across Strunk Ridge Road.
A was blown down and onto a power line on Beulah Heights Road.
Multiple trees were blown down in Woodbine.
Dix Fork Road was blocked by high water.
Streams were flowing over roads and bridges.
One foot of water was flowing over Highway 2392 and Horse Creek Road near Hopewell.
Trees were down on Highway 11 near Goose Rock.
Highways 638 near Manchester, School House Branch off Highway 11 near Bluehole and Redbird Branch of Highway 66 were all closed due to flash flooding.
Several trees were down across the county including in Hyden, Middlefork and Bull Creek.
Trees were down on Highway 28.
Several trees were down along Highways 7 and 699.
Severals trees were blown down on Highways 550, 1393, and 160.
Higgins Road was closed due to flash flooding.
Trees were blown down in the Neon and Haymond areas.
A tree was blown down in Shelby Gap.
Trees were blown down on Highway 979 along Mud Creek.
Trees were blown down in several locations across the county. Locations include Elkhorn City, Sidney, and Dicks Fork.
A vehicle was reported to have been surrounded by flood water on Upper Chloe Creek Road.
A mobile home was reported to have been shifted off its foundation at the mouth of Ivy Fork along Upper Chloe road.
Hurricane Creek was reported to be out of its banks and flowing onto Roadways near Kimper.
A vehicle was stuck in high water at the mouth of Grassy Creek on Raccoon Creek.
Flash flooding was reported on the Frozen Creek branch of Raccoon Creek.
Four feet of water was flowing over the road on Upper Chloe Creek Road. Local fire and rescue was attempting to launch a boat to rescue a person who was trapped in a vehicle.
Flood water was reported to be entering homes and some nearby roads were impassable due to flooding. Homes were also flooded in Raccoon along with multiple washouts along Dry Branch Road.
Flash flooding was reported along Dix Fork.
Water was standing on roadways and in poor drainage areas.
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, June 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: 180326, 180328, 180334, 180336, 180335, 180344, 180373, 180401, 180347, 180349, 180353, 180397, 180403, 180356, 180358, 180399, 180369, 180370, 180371, 180375, 180377, 180379, 180380, 180381, 180384, 180385, 180383, 180386, 180394, 180390, 180391, 180395, 180392, 180405.