Several rounds of heavy rain over much of the Ohio River Valley caused many rivers to rise above flood stage. May continued the active pattern begun in April.
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.
Several rounds of heavy rain over much of the Ohio River Valley caused many rivers to rise above flood stage. May continued the active pattern begun in April. Several of these events produced very heavy rainfall. Rainfall was one to two inches above normal in most spots for the month.
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 May 5, 6:04 PM CST, 56 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 704 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2009 .UPDATE... DISCUSSION FOR 0Z WEDNESDAY ROUTINE TAF ISSUANCE. && .AVIATION... MAIN IMPACT WITH THIS ISSUANCE WILL BE THE REDUCTION OF CEILING AND VISIBILITY FROM VFR CATEGORY TO IFR CATEGORY BETWEEN 06Z AND 18Z WEDNESDAY FOR EACH OF THE TAF SITES...AS THE SURFACE LOW AND ASSOCIATED FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVE FROM SOUTHEAST MISSOURI BETWEEN 09-12Z WEDNESDAY TO NORTHWEST KENTUCKY BETWEEN 15-18Z WEDNESDAY. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT CEILINGS MAY DROP DOWN TO 1KFT AGL AND VISIBILITIES CLOSER TO ONE MILE...AS THE SHORT RANGE ENSEMBLES GIVE A 35 TO 55 PERCENT PROBABILITY OF OCCURRENCE...ESPECIALLY FOR THE KCGI/KEVV TAF SITES BETWEEN 12-18Z WEDNESDAY. THE 40 KM RUC ALSO INDICATES THAT VISIBILITIES MAY DROP NEAR A MILE BETWEEN 9-12Z WEDNESDAY OVER THE KCGI/KPAH TAF SITES. WILL HAVE TO SEE IF THE TREND CONTINUES FOR SUCCESSIVE MODEL RUNS BEFORE THE NEXT TAF ISSUANCE. && .PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 244 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2009/ DISCUSSION... INCOMING CLOUD COVER TO INVADE PAH FA SKY...THICKENING/LOWERING OVERNIGHT. PCPN CHANCES SET IN BY MID EVENING AND PEAK IN THE LIKELY (SOUTH) TO MID CHC (NORTH) CATEGORY OVERNIGHT. MODEL STABILITY PARAMETERS SUPPORT CONTINUED MENTION OF THUNDER...BUT ALSO CONCUR WITH LATEST SWODY2 FINE TUNE IN SHIFTING SLGT RISK SOUTH OF PAH FA/FROM TN VALLEY SOUTHWARD. BY MIDDAY WED...THE SURFACE LOW IS INTO ERN KY WITH THE TRAILING FRONT HAVING PUNCHED ACROSS THE TN VALLEY. STILL ZONAL FLOW AND AN ASSOCIATED UPPER TROF WILL KEEP AT LEAST A MENTIONABLE POP IN THE FORECAST. WED NIGHT-THU COULD BE THE RELATIVE LULL IN THE FORECAST IN COMPARISON TO THE TIME PERIOD IMMEDIATELY BEFORE AND AFTER. ANOTHER FAST MOVING SYSTEM EMBEDDED IN THE ZONAL FLOW WILL REACTIVATE THE NEARBY BOUNDARY WITH A CHC SHOWERS/TSMS INTO FRI NIGHT. MODELS FAILURE TO GRASP AREAL EXTENT/SYNOPTIC PLACEMENT OF BOUNDARY AND MAX QPF IS WHAT IS KEEPING US IN THE CHC CAT...BUT FOR NOW LOOKS LIKE HEAVIEST PCPN LOOKS TO STAY ALONG/SOUTH OF PAH FA. ANOTHER LUL RELATIVELY SPEAKING COULD OCCUR THIS WEEKEND...WITH THE NEXT BEST/BETTER CHANCE POPS RETURNING AGAIN EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE PROBLEM IS MODEL DISAGREEMENT FROM THE MEDIUM RANGE ONWARD...SO IT IS A BIT PREMATURE TO ELIMINATE WHOLE BLOCKS OF POPS GIVEN THE NEAR DAILY MENTION OF 1 MODEL OR THE OTHER ON ITS POSSIBILITY. BETTER TO STRIDE A MIDDLE GROUND FOR NOW...KEEPING IN SYNC WITH THE COLLAB PIC/INHERITED PERSISTENCE FORECAST. IN THIS MANNER OF SPEAKING WE LIKED THE GFS PERHAPS A LITTLE MORE AND SO ANY DETECTABLE LEAN IS PROBABLY IN ITS DIRECTION. AVIATION... PM CU DEVELOPMENT SHOULD WANE EARLY THIS EVENING...BUT CLOSE BY SHIELD OF MID/UPR LEVEL CLOUDINESS POISED TO SPREAD OVER REGION TOO. RAIN CHANCES START BY MID EVENING AND SPIKE LATE TONIGHT-EARLY TOMORROW AS SYSTEM RACES ACROSS TN VALLEY. COULD SEE TEMPORARY CIGS/VSBYS DIP TO MVFR RANGE IN MAINLY -SHRA...WITH MVFR CIGS HOLDING THRU THE AM HOURS TOMORROW EVEN AS PCPN CHANCES WANE ON SYSTEM DEPARTURE. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...NONE. MO...NONE. IL...NONE. IN...NONE. && SMITH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 302 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2009 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-061000- 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- 302 PM CDT TUE MAY 5 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY...AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS RETURN TO THE FORECAST LATE TONIGHT. THE BETTER CHANCE FOR STRONGER STORMS WILL BE TO OUR SOUTH. THEREFORE THE PRIMARY THREAT ASSOCIATED WITH ANY STORMS TONIGHT WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY RAINS. SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED. THE BETTER CHANCE OF RAIN INCLUDING HEAVIER RAINS IS ALONG AND SOUTH OF A CAPE GIRARDEAU TO PADUCAH TO MADISONVILLE LINE...ACROSS SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND WESTERN KENTUCKY. MINOR TO MODERATE FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ON SEVERAL RIVERS...INCLUDING PORTIONS OF THE MISSISSIPPI AND OHIO RIVERS. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST RIVER FLOOD STATEMENTS FOR DETAILS ON RIVER FLOODING ACROSS THE REGION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS...THERE IS A NEAR DAILY CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IN THE EXTENDED FORECAST. HOWEVER THE BEST TIME PERIODS FOR STORMS WILL BE DURING THE THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT TIME FRAME...AND THEN AGAIN PERHAPS EARLY NEXT WEEK. THE MAIN THREAT MAY BE CONTINUED HEAVY RAINS ACROSS PARTICULARLY OUR SOUTHERN AREAS OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND SOUTHWEST KENTUCKY. THIS COULD HEIGHTEN CONCERNS FOR FLOODING OR AT THE LEAST STALL THE RECESSION OF WATERS AND KEEP LOCAL CREEKS AND STREAMS HIGH. AS A RESULT MINOR TO MODERATE RIVER FLOODING REMAINS FORECAST ON SOME AREA RIVERS...REFER TO THE FLOOD STATEMENTS FOR MORE DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Moderate flooding of the Ohio River occurred. At the Grand Chain, Illinois gage, where flood stage is 42 feet, the river crested at 51.60 feet on the 12th. Agricultural bottomland and low-lying areas were flooded.
Minor flooding of the Ohio River occurred. At the Paducah gage, where flood stage is 39 feet, the river crested at 42.83 feet on the 12th. Agricultural bottomland and low-lying areas were flooded. Portions of the riverfront park near downtown Paducah were flooded.
Minor flooding of the Ohio River occurred. At the Newburgh, IN gage, where flood stage is 38 feet, the river crested at 41.90 feet on the 13th. Agricultural bottomland and low-lying areas were flooded.
Minor flooding of the Ohio River occurred. At the Smithland gage, where flood stage is 40 feet, the river crested at 41.33 feet on the 12th. Agricultural bottomland and low-lying areas were flooded. A private campground at Birdsville was flooded.
Minor flooding of the Ohio River occurred. At J.T. Myers Lock and Dam near Uniontown, where flood stage is 37 feet, the river crested at 40.80 feet on the 15th. Agricultural bottomland and low-lying areas were flooded.
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, May 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: 166063, 166057, 166067, 166059, 166060.