A small cluster of slow moving thunderstorms with intense rainfall caused flooding in portions of Whitley county during the night of August 21st. Most of the flooding occurred in central Whitley county.
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 JKL wrote it up.
A small cluster of slow moving thunderstorms with intense rainfall caused flooding in portions of Whitley county during the night of August 21st. Most of the flooding occurred in central Whitley 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 Jackson, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 21, 8:26 PM EST, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 926 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 .SHORT TERM.../THE REST OF TONIGHT/...UPDATED A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL BE PUSHING THROUGH THE AREA OVERNIGHT...PROVIDING THE LIFT NEEDED TO FIRE OFF ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE LATEST RADAR IMAGERY SHOWS A LINE OF SHOWERS AND STORMS STRETCHING FROM ELLIOTT COUNTY SOUTHWESTWARD THROUGH BREATHITT...CLAY...KNOX...AND WAYNE COUNTIES. THE MAJORITY OF THE STORMS ARE CURRENTLY MOVING ALONG AND JUST NORTH OF THE TENNESSEE BORDER. SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE OFF TO THE EAST WHILE WEAKENING AND BECOMING LESS WIDESPREAD ALONG THE WAY. BY 7 OR 8Z MOST IF NOT ALL OF SHOWERS AND STORMS SHOULD BE GONE OR HAVE DISSIPATED AS THE FRONT EXITS THE AREA. WITH THE LATEST RADAR MOSAIC SHOWING LITTLE NEW ACTIVITY FIRING TO THE WEST AND NORTHWEST...DECIDED TO LOWER POPS OVER NIGHT. WITH SOME ENERGY STILL ROTATING AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH...LEFT IN A 20 POP FOR MOST OF THE AREA THROUGH 8Z...AS ISOLATED SHOWERS OR STORMS COULD STILL POP UP NOW AND AGAIN AS THE FRONT MOVES BY. LEFT IN MENTION OF WIDESPREAD FOG...AS THE LATEST NAMBUFR AND GFS SOUNDINGS BOTH SUPPORT FOG FORMATION LATER TONIGHT AS THE CLOUDS BEGIN TO BREAK UP AND MOVE OFF TO THE EAST. THE LATEST MAV/METMOS ALSO SUPPORTS FOG FORMATIONS FOR PRETTY MUCH EVERY MOS POINT IN EASTERN KENTUCKY. THAT BEING SAID...MENTIONED AREAS OF FOG...OCCASIONALLY DENSE...IN THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD OF THE RECENTLY ISSUED ZONE FORECAST TEXT PRODUCT. ALSO MODIFIED THE QPF...AND WEATHER GRIDS PER THE LATEST CHANGES MADE TO POP FORECAST. AFTER INGESTING HOURLY OBS INTO THE HOURLY TEMP...DEWPOINT...AND WIND GRIDS...IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE REST OF THE FORECAST WAS IN GOOD SHAPE...ALTHOUGH A FEW ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE TO THE WIND GRIDS THROUGH 0Z IN THE GRIDS. THE PREVIOUS SHORT TERM FORECAST DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... /TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/ THIS IS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE THE MODELS HAVE INITIALIZED SO POORLY...THAT YOU ALMOST HAVE TO THROW ALL OF THEM OUT AND GO WITH PERSISTENCE AND EXTRAPOLATION FOR THE FIRST 12 HOURS OF THE FORECAST. THERE IS VERY LITTLE DEVELOPING BEHIND THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT ARE CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS THE AREA. SO DECIDED TO JUST GO WITH SOME ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE TONIGHT PERIOD. COULD NOT GO COMPLETELY DRY DUE TO THE UPPER TROUGH WHICH WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA LATER THIS EVENING. IF THINGS WORK AS FORECAST...THIS SHOULD ALLOW FOR SOME AREAS OF DENSE FOG TO FORM TONIGHT...ESPECIALLY IN THE VALLEYS. FOR TEMPERATURES BLENDED WITH THE NAM MOS FOR THE HIGH TEMPS AS THE GFS MOS STILL HAS A STRONG WARM BIAS. FOR THE LOWS TONIGHT ...WENT A LITTLE LOWER THAN MOS DUE TO LESS PRECIPITATION THAN WHAT THE MODELS WERE CALLING FOR. .LONG TERM.../TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/ THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD BEGINS TUESDAY NIGHT WITH THE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN TAKING A MERIDIONAL TYPE LOOK TO IT. 500 MB TROUGH EXITING THE OH VALLEY AND MOVING EAST OF THE APPALACHIANS. EXTENDED MODELS AGREE WITH RIDGING INTO THE OH VALLEY KEEPING THE AREA IN RATHER COOL NORTHERLY FLOW AND COOLING SURFACE TEMPS. KEPT INHERITED FORECAST DRY AS MODELS HAVE A DECENT HANDLE ON THE COMING PATTERN SO JUST A FEW TWEAKS TO POPS AND SKY. BY WED NIGHT THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE BUILDS IN THE WESTERN PLAINS KEEPING A NORTHWEST FLOW INTO THE FORECAST AREA AS A WEAK SHORT WAVE ATTEMPTS TO MOVE THROUGH BY THU MORNING. MODELS SEEMS TO DISAGREE ON TIMING BUT THE BOUNDARY APPEARS WEAK AT THIS POINT AND STARVED FOR MOISTURE SO SEEM TO ONLY WARRANTS SLIGHT CHANCE POPS. THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA BY THURSDAY NIGHT AND HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK INTO THE AREA WITH A DRY FORECAST EXPECTED. NORTHWEST FLOW RETURNS WITH A EVEN COOLER AIR MASS EXPECTED BRINGING MAX TEMPERATURES DOWN INTO THE LOWER 80S FOR THU AND FRI. && .AVIATION.../00Z TO 24Z/ INTERESTING MINI CELLS ARE CROSSING THE AREA THIS EVENING. A FAVORABLE LOW LEVEL WIND PATTERN IS APPARENTLY LEADING TO ROTATING UPDRAFTS THAT ARE TAKING ON THE APPEARANCE OF MICRO SUPER CELLS...COMPLETE WITH SRM SUPPORT FOR ROTATION. HOWEVER...THEIR IMPACT AT THE SFC APPEAR TO BE QUITE MILD WITH PERHAPS SOME GUSTY WINDS AND A BRIEF DOWNPOUR OF RAIN. EXPECT THESE PESKY ROTATING...AND OTHERWISE... SHOWERS TO MIGRATE EAST AND DIMINISH THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE EVENING. HAVE MAINTAINED A TWO HOUR TEMPO GROUP FOR MVFR VIS CONDITIONS IN THE TAFS AS THEY DRIFT PAST THE MAIN AIRPORTS. THE CLOUDS ARE SCT TO BKN THROUGH THE AREA AT AROUND 2K FEET. EXPECT THIS TO BE THE CASE FOR THE REST OF THE EVENING WITH ANY CLEARING LEADING TO FOG FORMATION AND LOWER STRATUS CLOUDS AFTER MIDNIGHT AND INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF SUNDAY. HAVE BROUGHT THE VIS AND CIG DOWN RATHER LOW AT ALL SITES...BUT PARTICULARLY SME AND LOZ WITH VLIFR CIG/VIS EXPECTED FOR A TIME. THE FOG AND LOWER CLOUDS WILL LIFT FOLLOWING SUNRISE...THOUGH EXPECT MVFR CIGS TO REMAIN FOR MUCH OF THE DAY SUNDAY. WINDS THROUGH THE PERIOD WILL BE RELATIVELY LIGHT...OUTSIDE OF ANY ROGUE THUNDERSTORM...AND SWITCH FROM THE SOUTHWEST TO NORTHWEST LATER TONIGHT. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SHORT TERM...JJ/AR LONG TERM....SHALLENBERGER AVIATION...GREIF
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 1001 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-230515- 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- 1001 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. AREAS OF FOG WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE LATER TONIGHT. THE FOG COULD BECOME DENSE AT TIMES...REDUCING THE VISIBILITY TO ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. PATCHY DENSE FOG WILL BE POSSIBLE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. AR
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 604 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 KYZ106-107-109-212300- JOHNSON-MORGAN-MAGOFFIN- 604 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 700 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING... SOUTHEASTERN MORGAN... NORTHWESTERN JOHNSON AND NORTH CENTRAL MAGOFFIN. AT 604 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR SALEM...OR 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WEST LIBERTY...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...LEWIS AROUND 610 PM EDT...HOLLIDAY AROUND 615 PM EDT...WILLIAMS AROUND 620 PM EDT...MATTHEW AROUND 625 PM EDT...AND ORIENT AROUND 630 PM EDT. RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH... AND OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IN THESE AREAS. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER THEN LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD. GREIF
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 638 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 KYZ079-083-084-212345- PULASKI-WAYNE-MCCREARY- 638 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 745 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING... SOUTHEASTERN PULASKI... NORTHEASTERN WAYNE AND NORTHERN MCCREARY. AT 638 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR BETSEY...OR 6 MILES EAST OF MONTICELLO...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...KIDDER AROUND 650 PM EDT...RITNER AROUND 655 PM EDT...TATEVILLE AROUND 705 PM EDT...SLOANS VALLEY AROUND 715 PM EDT...AND ALPINE AROUND 720 PM EDT. RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO ONE INCH PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER THEN LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD. GREIF
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 649 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 KYZ107-109-110-119-212345- JOHNSON-MARTIN-MAGOFFIN-FLOYD- 649 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 745 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING... JOHNSON... WESTERN MARTIN... NORTH CENTRAL MAGOFFIN AND NORTHERN FLOYD. AT 648 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PERLIE...OR NEAR SALYERSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...FALCON AROUND 655 PM EDT...BALLOT AROUND 700 PM EDT...RICEVILLE AROUND 705 PM EDT...PATRICK AROUND 710 PM EDT...DENVER AROUND 715 PM EDT. RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH... AND OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING IN THESE AREAS. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER THEN LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD. GREIF
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 734 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 KYZ068-079-080-220030- ROCKCASTLE-PULASKI-LAUREL- 734 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 830 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING... SOUTH CENTRAL ROCKCASTLE... EAST CENTRAL PULASKI AND CENTRAL LAUREL. AT 734 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR BENT...OR 13 MILES NORTHEAST OF SOMERSET...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...CEDARVILLE AROUND 740 PM EDT...BILLOWS AROUND 745 PM EDT...BUNCH AROUND 755 PM EDT...HAZEL PATCH AROUND 800 PM EDT...AND BERNSTADT AROUND 805 PM EDT. RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IN THESE AREAS. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER THEN LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD. GREIF
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 800 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 KYZ068-069-080-116-220100- ROCKCASTLE-LAUREL-JACKSON-CLAY- 800 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 900 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING... SOUTHERN JACKSON... EAST CENTRAL ROCKCASTLE... NORTHWESTERN CLAY AND NORTHEASTERN LAUREL. AT 800 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR VICTORY...OR 9 MILES NORTH OF LONDON...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...ATLANTA AROUND 805 PM EDT...GREENMOUNT AROUND 810 PM EDT...MCWHORTER AROUND 815 PM EDT...GREEN HILL AROUND 820 PM EDT...AND ROYRADER AROUND 825 PM EDT. RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH... AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN THESE AREAS. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER THEN LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD. GREIF
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 1020 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 KYZ079-083>087-220330- PULASKI-WAYNE-WHITLEY-MCCREARY-KNOX-BELL- 1020 PM EDT SAT AUG 21 2010 ...A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 1130 PM EDT SATURDAY EVENING... EXTREME SOUTH CENTRAL PULASKI... KNOX... SOUTHEASTERN WAYNE... WHITLEY... MCCREARY AND BELL. AT 1020 PM EDT...A CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED NEAR PARKERS LAKE...OR 8 MILES NORTH OF WHITLEY CITY...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...BEULAH HEIGHTS AROUND 1030 PM EDT...HONEYBEE AROUND 1040 PM EDT...CUMBERLAND FALLS S.P. AROUND 1045 PM EDT...DUCKRUN AROUND 1050 PM EDT...AND BARK CAMP AROUND 1100 PM EDT. RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH... AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING IN THESE AREAS. CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ASSOCIATED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER THEN LIGHTNING IS CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE A HAZARD. GREIF
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A portion of Master St in Corbin had 1 to 1.5 feet of water across it. Craig Rd in west central Whitley county also had water across it. Both roads were still open when the reports were phoned in.
The local dispatch office reported that three feet of water was across the intersection of US Hwy 25W and KY Hwy 204. Both roads were closed prior to this time due to high water.
The dispatch office reported that Craig Road was closed at its intersection with Log Cabin Road due to high water.
The dispatch office reported that KY Hwy 26 was closed due to high water in the Jacks Fork area.
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: 245246, 245242, 245243, 245245.