A strong 500 mb shortwave moved rapidly northeast from the Plains during the day. The shortwave became a closed low over the Great Lakes region by the evening hours.
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 PAH wrote it up.
A strong 500 mb shortwave moved rapidly northeast from the Plains during the day. The shortwave became a closed low over the Great Lakes region by the evening hours. In the lower levels, a strong southwest 850 mb jet from 60 to 65 knots shifted east from the Ozarks across southern Illinois. These features provided sufficient shear and instability for a few severe weather events. A supercell that tracked east along the Western Kentucky Parkway was responsible for all of the severe weather events except the brief tornado in Webster County.
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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 8, 11:45 AM CST, 2 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1245 PM CDT SUN MAR 8 2009 .UPDATE... UPDATED FOR THE 18Z TAF ISSUANCE. && .DISCUSSION... BIGGEST CHALLENGES WITH THIS PACKAGE WILL BE WITH SEVERE STORM RISK TODAY...THEN WITH A RETURNING WARM FRONT / ASSOCIATED PRECIP AND TEMPS / LATER MONDAY INTO TUE. MODELS ARE STILL IN DECENT AGREEMENT WITH THE PLACEMENT AND TIMING OF THE NEXT FRONTAL PASSAGE TODAY. MODELS ARE STILL NOT VERY AGGRESSIVE WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS DURING THE DAY...BUT THINK THERE WILL BE ENOUGH OVERALL MOISTURE AND LARGE SCALE FORCING IN THE MID LEVELS TO PRODUCE A LEAST A BROKEN LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE SFC BOUNDARY...ESP AS WE GET INTO THE AFTERNOON. SPC CONTINUES TO OUTLOOK THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA WITH A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE STORMS TODAY...AND IS MAINLY CONCERNED WITH BOWING SEGMENTS/SUPERCELLS THAT COULD PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS ..HAIL...AND EVEN ISOLATED TORNADOES. CONTINUED WITH LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA IVOF STATIONARY FRONT...BUT REDUCED POPS TO HIGH CHC ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE CWA WITH MODELS CONSISTENTLY PLAYING DOWN POPS. A BRIEF LULL IN THE ACTION CAN BE EXPECTED SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. BOTH GFS/NAM/ECMWF SHOW ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS LIFTING A WARM FRONT NORTH ACROSS OUR AREA...SPREADING POPS ACROSS THE QUAD STATE MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY NIGHT. AFTER 12Z TUE...THE PAH FCST AREA WILL BE IN A WARM SECTOR AGAIN...WITH A WARM FRONT IN NRN PARTS OF THE REGION OR PERHAPS ALREADY NORTH OF THE REGION. IT SHOULD BE BREEZY ONCE AGAIN ON TUE AS THE PRESSURE GRADIENT TIGHTENS AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. AS A SIGNIFICANT MID LEVEL TROF APPROACHES AND BEGINS TO TAKE ON A NEGATIVE TILT... SHWRS/TSTMS SHOULD BE COMMON DURING THE DAY AND WELL INTO THE EVE...ESPECIALLY IN THE NE CLOSER TO THE DEEPENING SFC LOW. THE LOW IS EXPECTED TO ZIP ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST. SVR WX DOES SEEM POSSIBLE WITH THIS SYSTEM IN OUR AREA DUE TO THE MID LEVEL DYNAMICS AND SPEED OF THE COLD FRONT. HOWEVER...THERE ARE SOME UNCERTAINTIES AMONG THE MED RANGE MODELS AS TO THE EXACT EVOLUTION AND TIMING OF THE SYSTEM. MADE NO CHANGES BEYOND TUESDAY NIGHT. && .AVIATION... LINE OF SEVERE STORMS EXPECTED TO CROSS THE TAF AREAS THIS AFTERNOON. SOUTHWEST TO WEST WIND GUSTS 50 TO 55 KTS WILL BE POSSIBLE. STORMS SHOULD AFFECT KCGI TO KPAH FROM 18 TO 20Z AND FROM KEVV TO KOWB 20 THROUGH 22Z. SKIES WILL CLEAR RAPIDLY BEHIND THE CONVECTION. WEST WINDS WILL DIMINISH THIS EVENING. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...NONE. MO...NONE. IL...NONE. IN...NONE. && DRS/JAP
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1114 AM CDT SUN MAR 8 2009 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-091115- JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON- WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE- HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH- WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES- LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL- UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN- MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER- RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID- 1114 AM CDT SUN MAR 8 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THE CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL INCREASE FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE QUAD STATE REGION TODAY. THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS NORTH OF A LINE FROM MARBLE HILL AND CAPE GIRARDEAU MISSOURI...TO KARBERS RIDGE ILLINOIS...TO OWENSBORO KENTUCKY DURING THE LATE MORNING AND THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION...THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF THE FOUR STATE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS POSSIBLE. THUNDERSTORMS MAY LINGER ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PENNYRILE REGION THROUGH THE LATE EVENING HOURS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE FROM WEST TO EAST ON MONDAY. ANOTHER ROUND OF POSSIBLY SEVERE WEATHER WILL CROSS THE REGION TUESDAY OR TUESDAY NIGHT WITH THE PASSAGE OF A FRONTAL SYSTEM. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TODAY AND AGAIN TUESDAY NIGHT.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
130 PM CDT SUN MAR 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0126 PM TSTM WND GST 1 N MERMET 37.29N 88.85W
03/08/2009 E50.00 MPH MASSAC IL TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JAYSONWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
149 PM CDT SUN MAR 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0147 PM TSTM WND GST BARDWELL 36.87N 89.01W
03/08/2009 E51 MPH CARLISLE KY FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
BARDWELL IS EXPERIENCING SUSTAINED WINDS AT 30 MPH AND
GUSTS OVER 50 MPH.
&&
JAYSONWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
220 PM CDT SUN MAR 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0150 PM TSTM WND GST GRAND CHAIN 37.25N 89.02W
03/08/2009 E55 MPH PULASKI IL TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JAYSONWPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
222 PM CDT SUN MAR 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0150 PM TSTM WND GST MIDWAY 37.23N 88.62W
03/08/2009 E55.00 MPH MASSAC IL TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JAYSONWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 234 PM CDT SUN MAR 8 2009 INZ082-086>088-KYZ006-008>022-082145- PIKE-VANDERBURGH-WARRICK-SPENCER-GRAVES-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY- CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL-UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN- HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN-MUHLENBERG-TODD- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...PETERSBURG...EVANSVILLE...BOONVILLE... ROCKPORT...MAYFIELD...BENTON...MURRAY...MARION...EDDYVILLE... CADIZ...PRINCETON...MORGANFIELD...DIXON...MADISONVILLE... HOPKINSVILLE...HENDERSON...OWENSBORO...CALHOUN...GREENVILLE... ELKTON 234 PM CDT SUN MAR 8 2009 A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IS MOVING RAPIDLY ACROSS THE QUAD STATE REGION...SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE. THIS LINE IS MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 50 MPH. THESE STORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF STRONG GUSTY WINDS...TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS...CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND SOME PEA SIZED HAIL. AS THIS AREA MOVES EAST...CITIES IN WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHERN INDIANA INCLUDING REIDLAND...BENTON...MURRAY... CADIZ...MADISONVILLE...EVANSVILLE AND OWENSBORO COULD EXPERIENCE THESE PHENOMENA. WHEN THESE STORMS ARRIVE...WE ASK THAT YOU PLEASE STAY INDOORS. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
238 PM CDT SUN MAR 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 PM TORNADO 4 N SIMS 38.42N 88.54W
03/08/2009 WAYNE IL TRAINED SPOTTER
ROTATION SPOTTED IN MIDDLE OF FIELD. DAMAGE REPORTED JUST
NORTH OF ROTATION. CLOUD WAS BLACK AND ROTATING AT GROUND
LEVEL AND MOVING EAST.
&&
JAYSONWThe Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 87 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:47 UTC.
1 tornado, 1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Peak winds in this very brief tornado were estimated near 95 mph. Four outbuildings were destroyed. A garage and a camper were damaged.
Quarter-size hail fell on the south side of Earlington.
Tree limbs were down on a road.
A funnel cloud was photographed over Nortonville.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kentucky, 2009Warnings in Kentucky, March 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: 155085, 155082, 155083, 155089.