A few strong to severe storms occurred as daytime heating destabilized the atmosphere. A weak surface low pressure system in the vicinity of the Kentucky/Missouri border helped to focus storm development.
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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 few strong to severe storms occurred as daytime heating destabilized the atmosphere. A weak surface low pressure system in the vicinity of the Kentucky/Missouri border helped to focus storm development.
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 26, 1:45 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 245 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010 .DISCUSSION... MAIN CONCERNS FOR THIS FORECAST ARE POPS AND HOW COOL/DRY TO GO OVER THE WEEKEND. DIURNAL CONVECTION IS FOCUSED OVER FAR WESTERN PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI THIS AFTERNOON...WITH MUCH LESSER COVERAGE EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI. STILL NO SHEAR TO ORGANIZE THE CONVECTION...SO INDIVIDUAL CORES ARE VERY SHORT-LIVED AND GENERALLY WELL BELOW SEVERE LEVELS. EXPECT THAT THE CONVECTION WILL HAVE EATEN UP MOST OF THE INSTABILITY BY 00Z...BUT WILL KEEP A SLIGHT CHANCE TONIGHT OVER MOST OF THE AREA JUST TO BE SAFE. 12Z GUIDANCE HINTING STRONGLY AT A GOOD COVERAGE OF STORMS THURSDAY. ALL OF THE MODELS BUILD SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE AREA...RESULTING IN A NORTH OR NORTHEAST WIND EVERYWHERE BY THURSDAY MORNING. THE GFS INDICATES SOME MINOR THETA-E CONVERGENCE AT 925MB OVER THE REGION BY MIDDAY...WITH A GRADUAL SAG SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. THE 09Z SREF ALSO INDICATES WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION DURING THE DAY THURSDAY. CONFIDENCE NOT GREAT ENOUGH TO GO WITH LIKELY OR BETTER POPS AT THIS TIME. WILL HAVE CHANCE POPS THROUGHOUT THE AREA WITH BEST CHANCES NORTH. THE GENERAL SIGNAL IS FOR LOW-LEVEL DRYING TO CUT OFF CONVECTION BY MIDNIGHT THURSDAY NIGHT. WILL LEAVE SLIGHT CHANCE POPS MAINLY IN THE SOUTHEAST THURSDAY NIGHT...BUT IT MAY NOT BE NEEDED AT ALL. THE GFS IS THE MOST AGRESSIVE WITH THE DRYING TREND...BUT THE 12Z ECMWF CONTINUES TO HOLD UP CONVECTION OVER OUR SOUTHEAST THROUGH SATURDAY. WILL KEEP A SLIGHT CHANCE IN THE FAR SOUTHEAST FRIDAY...BUT GO DRY THEREAFTER...AS THE ECMWF IS THE ONLY GUIDANCE CONTINUING TO DEVELOP QPF IN THE AREA AFTER THURSDAY EVENING. TEMPERATURES WILL BE HIGHLY DEPENDENT ON CONVECTION/CLOUD COVER THURSDAY...AND THE AMOUNT OF COLD/DRY ADVECTION HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND. TRIED TO STAY ON THE WARM SIDE OF GUIDANCE FOR HIGHS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY. DRIER AIR AT THE SURFACE WILL BEGIN TO WORK IN BY THURSDAY NIGHT...SO COULD BE WELL INTO THE 50S NEAR KMVN FRIDAY MORNING...AND THROUGHOUT THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT. THE MAIN IMPACT OF THE COLD FRONT WILL BE TO MAKE IT COOLER AT NIGHT...WITH A LARGER DIURNAL RANGE...AND LESS HUMIDITY. SATURDAY LOOKS LIKE THE CHOICE DAY OF THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND...WITH DRY AIR AND SLIGHTLY COOLER HIGHS. LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE WILL BEGIN TO INCREASE FROM THE SOUTHEAST SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT...SO HUMIDITY WILL BE GREATER SUNDAY...AND CANNOT COMPLETELY RULE OUT AN ISOLATED SHOWER OR STORM OVER THE LAKES AND PENNYRILE OF WEST KENTUCKY SUNDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING. NOT CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO MENTION IN THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME. THE MEDIUM RANGE GUIDANCE INDICATES THAT THE FLOW ALOFT WILL BECOME ZONAL EARLY NEXT WEEK...WITH THE QUAD STATE ON THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE WESTERLIES. A WEAK FRONT WILL LAY DOWN BETWEEN I-64 AND I-70...JUST NORTH OF THE AREA BY THE END OF THE DAY MONDAY. IT IS LIKELY TO LINGER IN THAT VICINITY THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST. WITH INCREASING MOISTURE...SOME WEAK FLOW ALOFT...AND A NEARBY BOUNDARY...WILL HAVE 20-30 POPS OVER THE AREA FROM MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. IN GENERAL...BEST POPS WILL BE NORTH NEAR THE BOUNDARY. WELL ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND MORE HUMID CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION... ISOLD/SCT CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE TO BE A CONCERN TODAY. KEPT CB/VCTS QUALIFIERS AT TAF SITES THROUGH 02Z. OTHERWISE DIURNAL CU AROUND 4K FT WILL DISSIPATE AT SUNSET...BEFORE REDEVELOPING TOMORROW BY MID MORNING. LIGHT AND VARIABLE WINDS TODAY WILL BECOME MAINLY CALM TONIGHT...BEFORE PICKING UP OUT OF THE NORTH/NORTHEAST ON THURSDAY. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...NONE. MO...NONE. IL...NONE. IN...NONE. && PUBLIC.....DRS AVIATION...CW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 320 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-271000- 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- 320 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. THE BEST COVERAGE WILL BE OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...WHERE A FEW STORMS MAY PULSE UP TO NEAR SEVERE LEVELS WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS THE MAIN CONCERN. FARTHER EAST...ANY STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LEVELS. MOST OF THE STORMS WILL DISSIPATE BY SUNSET...BUT A STRAY THUNDERSTORM CANNOT BE RULED OUT OVERNIGHT. SEVERE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TONIGHT. MINOR TO MODERATE FLOODING WILL CONTINUE FOR POINTS NEAR THE CONFLUENCE OF THE OHIO AND MISSISSIPPI RIVER. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGHOUT THE AREA THURSDAY. A STRAY STORM MAY BRIEFLY PULSE UP TO NEAR SEVERE LEVELS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY CONCERNS. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE A CONCERN WITH ANY THUNDERSTORM. A FEW STORMS MAY LINGER INTO THE EVENING...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA. A SMALL CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS FORECAST FRIDAY OVER AREAS EAST OF A LINE FROM MURRAY TO CALHOUN KENTUCKY. ANY THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LEVELS. A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS FORECAST THROUGHOUT THE AREA MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...AS A FRONT STALLS OUT JUST NORTH OF THE AREA. AT THIS TIME...SEVERE WEATHER CANNOT BE RULED OUT. MINOR TO MODERATE FLOODING WILL CONTINUE FOR POINTS NEAR THE CONFLUENCE OF THE OHIO AND MISSISSIPPI RIVER. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... DRS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 321 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010 MOZ110-262045- STODDARD MO- 321 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN STODDARD COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNTIL 345 PM CDT... AT 316 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY STRONG WINDS AROUND 50 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF PENERMON THIS STORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE ESSEX. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN AS WELL...WHICH MAY RESULT IN STANDING WATER ON AREA ROADS. WATER LEVELS IN SMALL CREEKS...STREAMS AND IN DITCHES MAY RISE QUICKLY...ESPECIALLY IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 326 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010 MOZ109-262100- BUTLER MO- 326 PM CDT WED MAY 26 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL BUTLER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNTIL 400 PM CDT... AT 321 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY STRONG WINDS AROUND 50 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED 4 MILES EAST OF POPLAR BLUFF...MOVING SOUTH AT 10 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF THE INDICATED COUNTY.. SMALL HAIL IS POSSIBLE. FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM AS WELL. THIS STORM WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...WHICH MAY RESULT IN STANDING WATER ON AREA ROADS. WATER LEVELS IN SMALL CREEKS...STREAMS AND IN DITCHES MAY RISE QUICKLY...ESPECIALLY IN POOR DRAINAGE AREAS.
The Paducah radar (KPAH), 69 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:48 UTC.
2 hail, 2 heavy rain, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency management personnel estimated a wind gust to 65 mph. A tree and power line was blown down. Portions of the community were without power.
A CoCoRahs observer measured 1.8 inches of rainfall within one hour.
Six to eight inches of water covered Highway 148 just north of city hall. Water was over the curb of a side street.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Illinois in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Illinois, May 2010
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: 227702, 227699, 229625, 227700, 229624.