Scattered thunderstorms brought heavy rainfall to south central Kentucky on May 9th. This area was already rain soaked from recent heavy rains and many streams and low lying areas began to flood.
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.
Scattered thunderstorms brought heavy rainfall to south central Kentucky on May 9th. This area was already rain soaked from recent heavy rains and many streams and low lying areas began to flood. One fatality was reported with flooding in Simpson County when a man drove his pickup truck drove around a road block and into deep water.
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 May 9, 1:00 AM CST, 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 300 AM EDT SAT MAY 9 2009 .SHORT TERM (TODAY AND TONIGHT)... RADAR AND SATELLITE AT 0630Z INDICATED MOST OF THE HEAVIER PRECIPITATION WAS BEGINNING TO SAG SOUTH INTO NORTHERN TENNESSEE. STILL THE PRECIPITATION FALLING OVER KENTUCKY ALONG THE TENNESSEE BORDER WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE A PERIOD OF HEAVY RAIN... SMALL HAIL... AND GUSTY WINDS. AFTER DISCUSSIONS WITH SPC WE WILL DROP THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR THE NORTHERN TIER COUNTIES WITH THIS UPDATE. THIS WILL INCLUDE OHIO, GRAYSON, LARUE, MARION, BOYLE, GARRARD, AND MADISON. WE WILL REVISIT THE REST OF THE WATCH IN AN HOUR OR TWO. FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST PERIOD THE UPPER LEVEL ZONAL FLOW WILL GRADUALLY TRANSFORM INTO A DEEPENING TROUGH MOVING INTO THE GREAT LAKES AND UPPER OHIO VALLEY. THIS WILL PUSH THE QUASI-STATIONARY SURFACE FRONT SOUTH OF KENTUCKY. SO WE WILL GRADUALLY DROP POPS FROM THE NORTH TO SOUTH TODAY WITH A DRY FORECAST FOR TONIGHT. AS FAR AS TEMPERATURES GO... WE SHOULD SEE READINGS WAR INTO THE 70S THIS AFTERNOON AS THE PRECIPITATION SHIFTS SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA. LOWS TONIGHT WILL FALL INTO THE UPPER 40S AND LOWER 50S. .LONG TERM (SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)... SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT... STILL SOMEWHAT OF A COMPLICATED FCST FOR SUNDAY AS THERE CONTINUES TO BE SOME SPREAD IN THE SHORT-MED RANGE MODEL GUIDANCE. HAVE LEANED CLOSER TO THE NAM AND GFS RUNS HERE AND PLAN ON KEEPING MUCH OF SUNDAY DRY. THERE CONTINUES TO BE A SUGGESTION OF SOME PRECIPITATION WORKING UP ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SECTIONS LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND SUNDAY NIGHT. THE MODELS DO NOT SEEM TO HAVE A GOOD HANDLE ON THIS ATTM...BUT WILL NOT MAKE ANY MAJOR CHANGES TO THE FCST AT THIS TIME. FOR NOW WILL KEEP CHC POPS ACROSS SOUTHERN KY WITH DRY CONDITIONS ACROSS THE NORTH. EARLY IN THE DAY ON MONDAY...THE GFS AND NAM ALSO SHOW A WEAK DISTURBANCE COMING THROUGH. SREF AND GFS ENSEMBLES STILL SHOW VERY LOW POPS HERE...SO AM GOING TO CONTINUE A DRY FCST. HOWEVER...MAY NEED TO ADD SOME LOW POPS HERE IN THE NEXT FEW FCST CYCLES. DRY CONDITIONS CONTINUE TO LOOK GOOD FOR MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT WITH MODERATING TEMPS. HIGH TEMPS FOR SUNDAY LOOK TO RANGE FROM THE UPPER 60S TO THE LOWER 70S ACROSS THE REGION WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S. SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPS ARE EXPECTED FOR MON/TUE WITH AFTERNOON HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 70S. OVERNIGHT LOWS FOR MON/TUE ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE UPPER 40S TO AROUND 50 FOR TUE MORNING....WITH LOWER 50S ON WED MORNING. WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY... LONG TERM MODEL SOLUTIONS CONTINUE TO BE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE PD AND NO REAL CHANGES ARE NEEDED TO THE CURRENT FCST. MODEL SOLUTIONS SHOW THAT WARM FRONT WILL LIFT UP FROM THE SOUTHWEST INTO THE BY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON WITH SFC COLD FRONT TO PUSH IN FROM THE WEST WED NIGHT AND THURSDAY. THERE ARE STILL SOME TIMING ISSUES BETWEEN THE 09/00Z GFS AND THE 08/12Z EURO...SO BASICALLY WENT WITH A BLEND HERE WHICH IS VERY CLOSE TO THE ONGOING FCST. WILL KEEP CHC POPS IN THE FCST FOR NOW FROM WED AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT WITH DRY CONDITIONS ON TAP FOR FRIDAY. CURRENT TEMP FCST STILL LOOKS GOOD WITH MID TO UPPER 70S AND LOWS IN THE UPPER 50S TO THE LOWER 60S. && .AVIATION (06Z TAFS)... THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING ALONG A QUASI-STATIONARY FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL AFFECT THE COUNTIES NEAR THE TENNESSEE BORDER OVERNIGHT INCLUDING BWG. WE WILL MENTION THUNDERSTORMS THERE FOR SEVERAL HOURS THIS MORNING WITH IFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED. AS THE STORMS DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY IT WILL BECOME DIFFICULT SOUTH INTO TENNESSEE OVERNIGHT. SDF AND LEX SHOULD REMAIN NORTH OF THE CONVECTION WITH MID AND HIGH CLOUDS EXPECTED. THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL DROP SOUTH OF THE REGION BY 12Z && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY THROUGH 12Z. IN...NONE. && SHORT TERM...JA LONG TERM....MJ AVIATION.....JA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 932 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009 KYZ023-024-026>029-039>041-045>049-053>057-061>067-070>078-081- 082-100145- HANCOCK KY-BRECKINRIDGE KY-OHIO KY-GRAYSON KY-HARDIN KY- BULLITT KY-ANDERSON KY-WOODFORD KY-FAYETTE 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- 932 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009 /832 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. THE MAIN THREATS WITH THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. DUE TO RECENT HEAVY RAINS IN THIS AREA OVER THE PAST 48 HOURS...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY UNTIL EARLY SATURDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE REGION ON SATURDAY BRINGING A GOOD CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA EARLY IN THE DAY. ANY THUNDERSTORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS AND LIGHTNING. ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO AFFECT THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THIS SYSTEM LOOKS TO BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE OUTLOOK AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO CALL IN ANY INSTANCES OF FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
915 PM EDT FRI MAY 08 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0504 PM TORNADO 3 ENE KIRKSVILLE 37.68N 84.37W
05/08/2009 MADISON KY EMERGENCY MNGR
*** 1 FATAL *** AN ELDERLY MALE WAS KILLED WHEN HIS
PICKUP WAS FLIPPED OVER INTO A POND. THE FATALITY
OCCURRED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAYS 52 AND 1295.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LMK0900437
MRCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
939 PM EDT FRI MAY 08 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0516 PM TORNADO WACO 37.73N 84.15W
05/08/2009 MADISON KY FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
*** 4 INJ *** SEVERAL MOBILE HOMES WERE DAMAGED.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LMK0900438
MRCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
1013 PM EDT FRI MAY 08 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0505 PM HEAVY RAIN CLARKSON 37.49N 86.22W
05/08/2009 M3.15 INCH GRAYSON KY COCORAHS
&&
EVENT NUMBER LMK0900439
MRCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
1156 PM EDT FRI MAY 08 2009
..TIME.. ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE.. ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0200 PM HAIL MORGANTOWN 37.22N 86.70W
05/08/2009 E0.70 INCH BUTLER KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
0309 PM HAIL HOWE VALLEY 37.68N 86.08W
05/08/2009 E0.70 INCH HARDIN KY TRAINED SPOTTER
0317 PM HAIL VALLEY STATION 38.10N 85.86W
05/08/2009 E0.70 INCH JEFFERSON KY TRAINED SPOTTER
0338 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 W FORDSVILLE 37.64N 86.75W
05/08/2009 E4.50 INCH OHIO KY TRAINED SPOTTER
4.5 INCHES OF RAIN SINCE MIDNIGHT LAST NIGHT.
0358 PM HEAVY RAIN LEAVENWORTH 38.20N 86.35W
05/08/2009 E1.32 INCH CRAWFORD IN CO-OP OBSERVER
RAINFALL MEASURED OVER A 45 MINUTE PERIOD THIS
AFTERNOON.
0400 PM TSTM WND DMG CAMPBELLSVILLE 37.35N 85.35W
05/08/2009 TAYLOR KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
0402 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 ESE MUNFORDVILLE 37.25N 85.82W
05/08/2009 HART KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
A COUPLE TREES AND POWER LINES WERE DOWNED ALONG
HIGHWAY 88 NEAR HARDYVILLE.
0410 PM TSTM WND DMG CENTER 37.13N 85.68W
05/08/2009 METCALFE KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
VERY LARGE TREES DOWNED ALONG HIGHWAY 1243.
0410 PM TSTM WND DMG KNOB LICK 37.08N 85.68W
05/08/2009 METCALFE KY PUBLIC
TREES WERE DOWNED ALONG HIGHWAY 70 AT 8202 SULPHUR WELL
KNOB LICK ROAD. A BUILDING WAS ALSO IN THE ROADWAY.
0422 PM FLASH FLOOD MORGANTOWN 37.22N 86.70W
05/08/2009 BUTLER KY CO-OP OBSERVER
WATER WAS RUNNING THROUGH THE TUCKS APARTMENTS ON SAW
MILL ROAD.
0450 PM FLASH FLOOD LOUISVILLE 38.22N 85.74W
05/08/2009 JEFFERSON KY BROADCAST MEDIA
7TH AND BERRY CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER. OTHER
INTERSECTIONS WERE CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER. MANHOLE
COVERS WERE BLOWN OFF IN SPOTS.
0500 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 S RICHMOND 37.71N 84.29W
05/08/2009 MADISON KY TRAINED SPOTTER
STRONG WIND GUST ON I 75 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 75 AND
85...PICKUP TRUCK BLOWN OVER MEDIAN
0502 PM FLASH FLOOD LEBANON 37.57N 85.25W
05/08/2009 MARION KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS ROADS CLOSED INCLUDING STATE HWY 49 AND 84 IN
LEBANON
0504 PM TORNADO 3 ENE KIRKSVILLE 37.68N 84.37W
05/08/2009 MADISON KY EMERGENCY MNGR
*** 1 FATAL *** AN ELDERLY MALE WAS KILLED WHEN HIS
PICKUP WAS FLIPPED OVER INTO A POND. THE FATALITY
OCCURRED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF HIGHWAYS 52 AND 1295.
0505 PM HEAVY RAIN CLARKSON 37.49N 86.22W
05/08/2009 M3.15 INCH GRAYSON KY COCORAHS
0508 PM TSTM WND DMG RICHMOND 37.74N 84.29W
05/08/2009 MADISON KY EMERGENCY MNGR
VEHICLES BLOWN OFF THE ROAD AT THE INTERSECTION OF
MORIN MILL ROAD AND KY 52W. ESTIMATED 80 MPH WINDS IN
RICHMOND.
0508 PM TSTM WND DMG 8 SSW RICHMOND 37.64N 84.35W
05/08/2009 MADISON KY EMERGENCY MNGR
A MOBILE HOME WAS BLOWN ACROSS MORAN MILL ROAD NEAR KY
52W. INJURIES WERE REPORTED BUT THE NUMBER IS UNKNOWN.
0510 PM TSTM WND DMG RICHMOND 37.74N 84.29W
05/08/2009 MADISON KY BROADCAST MEDIA
A RAIL CAR WAS BLOWN OVER.
0512 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 ENE LANCASTER 37.65N 84.49W
05/08/2009 GARRARD KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
BARNS AND HOUSES WERE DAMAGED. TREES AND POWER LINES
WERE DOWNED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF KY 1131 AND 1295.
0515 PM FLASH FLOOD WINCHESTER 38.00N 84.19W
05/08/2009 CLARK KY TRAINED SPOTTER
FOUR INCHES OF WATER ACROSS A ROAD IN HIGHVIEW.
0516 PM TORNADO WACO 37.73N 84.15W
05/08/2009 MADISON KY FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
*** 4 INJ *** SEVERAL MOBILE HOMES WERE DAMAGED.
0520 PM FLASH FLOOD 7 N UPTON 37.57N 85.89W
05/08/2009 HARDIN KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
WATER COVERED DIXIE HIGHWAY BETWEEN UPTON AND SONORA.
0529 PM FLASH FLOOD LEBANON 37.57N 85.25W
05/08/2009 MARION KY EMERGENCY MNGR
NUMEROUS COUNTY ROADS WERE COVERED BY WATER AND DEBRIS.
UP TO TWO FEET OF WATER COVERED A ROAD IN LEBANON.
0531 PM FLASH FLOOD HODGENVILLE 37.57N 85.74W
05/08/2009 LARUE KY NWS EMPLOYEE
SECTION OF HWY 222 CLOSED DUE TO HIGH WATER BETWEEN
HODGENVILLE AND GLENDALE.
0531 PM FLASH FLOOD CAMPBELLSVILLE 37.35N 85.35W
05/08/2009 TAYLOR KY EMERGENCY MNGR
TWO ROADS WERE COVERED AND OVERFLOWING WITH WATER IN
THE CITY. OUT IN THE COUNTY PALASTINE ROAD...MILLER PARK
DRIVE...AND BEAR TRACK ROAD WERE COVERED WITH WATER.
0619 PM FLASH FLOOD PERRYVILLE 37.65N 84.95W
05/08/2009 BOYLE KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
MANY ROADS IN THE CITY ARE IMPASSABLE.
0650 PM FLASH FLOOD CAMPBELLSVILLE 37.35N 85.35W
05/08/2009 TAYLOR KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
THREE PEOPLE WERE RESCUED AFTER A WALKING BRIDGE WAS
WASHED AWAY. THE EVENT OCCURRED NEAR KY 210 AT THE
SOCCER FIELD.
&&
EVENT NUMBER LMK0900413 LMK0900414 LMK0900415 LMK0900416 LMK0900417
LMK0900423 LMK0900432 LMK0900418 LMK0900419 LMK0900420 LMK0900421
LMK0900430 LMK0900422 LMK0900437 LMK0900439 LMK0900424 LMK0900425
LMK0900435 LMK0900434 LMK0900426 LMK0900438 LMK0900431 LMK0900427
LMK0900428 LMK0900429 LMK0900433 LMK0900436
MRCSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 1246 AM EDT SAT MAY 9 2009 KYZ061-070>072-090700- BUTLER KY-LOGAN KY-WARREN KY-SIMPSON KY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MORGANTOWN...RUSSELLVILLE... BOWLING GREEN...FRANKLIN 1146 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009 ...HEAVY RAINFALL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING EXPECTED... AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE FROM CHRISTIAN AND TODD COUNTIES INTO LOGAN... BUTLER... SIMPSON... AND WARREN COUNTIES THROUGH 1 AM CDT. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE A PERIOD OF VERY HEAVY RAIN... DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING... AND WIND GUST TO 40 MPH. IF DRIVING WATCH FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AND PONDING OF WATER ON ROADS. REMEMBER DO NOT DRIVE OVER ROADS COVERED WITH WATER. JA
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 flash flood, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Bethel Street in Russelville has high water flowing over it.
Flash flooding reported in Franklin. High Street was covered with one foot of water.
Several roads in and around Franklin were flooded. Kummer Road was impassable due to flowing water over it. Lake Springs Road south of Franklin is Flooded. Highway 383 southwest of Franklin is impassable due to high water. The following roads also had flowing water over them: Ford Road, Kenny Perry Road, Patton Road, Harris School Road, Hatter Road, Allen Road and Highway 100 West.
Water was reported over numerous roads with some roads closed.
Several side roads in the County were flooded with high water.
A 49-year old male drove a pickup truck around barriers and attempted to cross Dittmore Ford over Drakes Creek, which was covered by four to five feet of water. He called 911 from his cell phone, but drowned in his vehicle.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flood, Simpson | 2009-05-09 | 49 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
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: 174893, 174894, 174899, 174907, 174905, 174910.