The same ridge of high pressure that brought oppressive heat and humidity to eastern Kentucky most of the week, again brought scorching heat to the coalfields on August 13th. High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
Every event with a place to put it; 18 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
The same ridge of high pressure that brought oppressive heat and humidity to eastern Kentucky most of the week, again brought scorching heat to the coalfields on August 13th. High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
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 Aug 13, 10:00 AM EST, 1 hour earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 1100 AM EDT FRI AUG 13 2010 .SHORT TERM.../THE REST OF TODAY/...UPDATED UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL KEEP CONVECTION ISOLATED ONCE AGAIN TODAY. TEMPERATURES ARE RUNNING A COUPLE OF DEGREES WARMER THAN THEY WERE YESTERDAY AT THIS TIME...WITH DEWPOINTS RUNNING NEAR OR SLIGHTLY DRIER THAN YESTERDAY. WILL INCREASE THE HIGHS A BIT...WITH READINGS SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY...GENERALLY MID TO UPPER 90S FOR MOST LOCATIONS. THE PREVIOUS SHORT TERM FORECAST DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... /TODAY THROUGH SUNDAY/ A NEARLY STAGNANT WARM FRONT IN THE VICINITY WILL DOMINATE THE WEATHER THRU THE WEEKEND. EXPECT FLOW FROM THE SOUTH TO MAINTAIN THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY THRU SATURDAY WITH HEAT INDEX NUMBERS CONTINUING TO CLIMB PAST THE CENTURY MARK. THEREFORE THE EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING WILL BE THE MAJOR WEATHER FACTOR THRU SATURDAY. BY SUNDAY WE WILL SEE THE BEGINNING OF A WX PATTERN CHANGE AS LOW PRESSURE WILL SWEEP ACROSS THE GT LKS AND DRAG A COOL FRONT THRU THE COMMONWEALTH. THE SHRA/TSRA THAT REMAIN ISOLATED TO SCATTERED TODAY AND SATURDAY WILL INCREASE IN COVERAGE AS THE FRONT PROVIDES THE TRIGGER. THE INCREASED COVERAGE OF PCPN WILL HELP TO COOL THE AIR AS THE FRONT BRINGS SLIGHTLY COOLER AND DRIER AIR TO THE REGION TO FINALLY EASE THE HEAT. HIGHS ON SUNDAY WILL ONLY REACH THE UPPER 80S TO AROUND 90 AS HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL ONLY CLIMB INTO THE 90S. .LONG TERM.../SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/ THE MODELS BEGIN THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST IN DECENT AGREEMENT WITH A PATTERN CHANGE UNDER WAY...AT LEAST FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CONTINENT. THEY AGREE WITH A BROAD AREA OF TROUGH CROSSING SOUTHERN CANADA AND MOVING INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST FLATTENING THE RIDGE TO ITS SOUTH. WITH TIME THIS TROUGH EXPANDS TO ENCOMPASS THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY FURTHER SHUNTING THE RIDGE TO THE SOUTH AND WEST. ACCORDINGLY...BY EARLY NEXT WEEK THE TROUGH DOMINATED LONGWAVE PATTERN OVER THE OHIO VALLEY WILL KEEP THE WX ACTIVE. THE LARGEST DIFFERENCE AMONGST THE MODELS IS JUST HOW FAR THIS TROUGH EXTENDS INTO THE SOUTH WITH THE OLD ECMWF HOLDING IT BACK FURTHER THAN THE GFS AND GEM. HAVE GONE WITH MORE OF A CONSENSUS SCENARIO...MOST SIMILAR TO THE GFS...THAT KEEPS THE TROUGH IN CONTROL AND THE WORST OF THE HEAT AT BAY. AMIDST THE TROUGH... VARIOUS WEAK SHORTWAVES WILL PASS THROUGH BUT NOTHING OVERLY STRONG TO REALLY PUSH THE COOLER AIR MASS INTO EAST KENTUCKY. SENSIBLE WEATHER WILL FEATURE AN IMPROVING TREND MONDAY AND TUESDAY AS THE TROUGH AND ITS HEIGHT FALLS COMBINE TO SEND A FRONT INTO THE REGION. THIS FRONT MOVES INTO THE AREA ON SUNDAY AND INCREASES THE CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS LATER IN THE DAY CONTINUING INTO THE NIGHT AND FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE AREA ON MONDAY AS THE FRONT STALLS AND SETTLES OVER EAST KENTUCKY. THE RISK OF CONVECTION WILL STAY WITH US THROUGH MUCH OF THE WEEK WITH A STRONG DIURNAL TREND APPARENT AS THE INITIAL FRONT DISSIPATES OVERHEAD. WITH TIME THE DRIER AIR MOVING INTO THE CWA WILL WORK TO LOWER THE POTENTIAL FOR STORMS FOR WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. HOWEVER CONVECTION CANNOT BE RULED OUT AS WE WILL REMAIN ON THE SOUTHERN FRINGE OF THE DEVELOPING GREAT LAKES SFC HIGH WITH THE REMAINS OF THE FRONT NEARBY TO THE SOUTHEAST. THE GOOD NEWS WILL BE THE COOLEST AIR OF THE MONTH WILL FILTER INTO THE CWA NEXT WEEK AND PROVIDE A MUCH NEEDED RESPITE FROM THIS HEAT. AS FOR TEMPERATURES...HAVE FOLLOWED A BLEND OF THE INHERITED GRIDS AND HPC GUIDANCE THROUGH THE PERIOD WITH JUST MINOR TERRAIN BASED ADJUSTMENTS. AS FOR POPS...ENDED UP CLOSER TO THE MEX NUMBERS RATHER THAN THE WETTER HPC ONES. && .AVIATION.../12Z TO 12Z/ MORNING FOG WILL LIFT/BURN OFF SHORTLY... LEAVING US WITH VFR WEATHER UNTIL THE LATE NIGHT/EARLY MORNING HOURS ON SATURDAY. TODAY WILL FEATURE MORE POP UP THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. COVERAGE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN ISOLATED SO WILL ONLY CARRY A CB MENTION IN THE TAFS AT THIS TIME. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AND VARIABLE. EXPECT A REPEAT OF THIS MORNINGS MVFR/IFR VSBYS AS THE AIR MASS AND HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL NOT CHANGE MUCH UNLESS ONE OF OUR TAF SITES PICKS UP ONE OF THE RANDOM SHOWERS THIS AFTERNOON. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING UNTIL 8 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR KYZ044- 050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120. && SHORT TERM...DUSTY/GEOGERIAN LONG TERM....GREIF AVIATION...DUSTY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 413 AM EDT FRI AUG 13 2010 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-141115- 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- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLEMINGSBURG...MOUNT STERLING... OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD...IRVINE...STANTON...FRENCHBURG... MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE...SOMERSET...LONDON...MONTICELLO... WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG...BARBOURVILLE...MIDDLESBORO... PINEVILLE...HARLAN...SANDY HOOK...WEST LIBERTY...PAINTSVILLE... CAMPTON...SALYERSVILLE...PRESTONSBURG...BEATTYVILLE...JACKSON... HINDMAN...BOONEVILLE...HAZARD...MANCHESTER...HYDEN...WHITESBURG... INEZ...PIKEVILLE 413 AM EDT FRI AUG 13 2010 ...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PEAK HEAT INDEX VALUES OF BETWEEN 100 AND 105 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. PEAK HEAT INDEX VALUES OF BETWEEN 100 AND 105 DEGREES ARE EXPECTED SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. EXPECT THE STORMS TO BE MOST NUMEROUS SUNDAY WITH THE PASSAGE OF A COOL FRONT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. DUSTY
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
801 AM EDT FRI AUG 13 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0725 PM TSTM WND DMG N JACKSON 37.56N 83.38W
08/11/2010 BREATHITT KY NWS EMPLOYEE
14 INCH DIAMETER MAPLE TREE UPROOTED.
&&
GREIFThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
18 excessive heat. Local standard time, as filed.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
High temperatures were in the low to mid 90s with heat indices once again around 100 degrees.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, August 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: 245671, 245672, 245673, 245674, 245675, 245676, 245677, 245682, 245683, 245684, 245687, 245688, 245689, 245690, 245693, 245694, 245696, 245697.