A potent and slow moving area of low pressure dumped heavy rainfall on portions of eastern Kentucky on January 24th and 25th. The result for quite a few locations east of I-75 was flooded and washed out roads.
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 potent and slow moving area of low pressure dumped heavy rainfall on portions of eastern Kentucky on January 24th and 25th. The result for quite a few locations east of I-75 was flooded and washed out roads. Numerous roads in the affected counties had to be closed for varying periods of time due to flood water or damaged caused to the roads by the flood 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 Jackson, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 24, 6:39 AM EST, 1 hour 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 639 AM EST SUN JAN 24 2010 .SHORT TERM.../TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT/ BROAD AREA OF CONVECTION CURRENTLY MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL KENTUCKY WELL OUT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT IS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE. THIS CONVECTION WILL BE ENCROACHING OUR WESTERN BORDER IN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. STRONGER GUSTS WITHIN THE STORMS HAVE GENERALLY BEEN BETWEEN 30 AND 35 KTS...AS SUCH WILL LEAVE THE LAKE WIND ADVISORY GOING TODAY...ALTHOUGH AFTER 18Z...WINDS SHOULD SLACKEN QUITE A BIT AS THE LOW LEVEL JET EXITS AND THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT SLACKENS. THE MODELS HAVE GENERALLY COME IN WITH HIGHER QPF TOTALS FOR TODAY. BOTH THE 00Z GFS AND THE 06Z WRF IS RANGING FROM ONE TO TWO INCHES. 6 HR FLASH FLOOD GUIDANCE IS GENERALLY BETWEEN AN INCH AND A HALF AND TWO INCHES. MY CONFIDENCE IS NOT REALLY HIGH IN THESE LATEST WETTER NUMBERS. FEEL THAT THE MODELS ARE TRANSPORTING A BIT TOO MUCH MOISTURE ACROSS OUR AREA TODAY. HAVE GONE WITH THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH TO AN INCH AND A QUARTER ACROSS THE AREA...WHICH WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE...ALTHOUGH THERE MAY BE A FEW NUISANCE FLOODING PROBLEMS IN LOW LYING AREAS...AND WILL MENTION THIS POTENTIAL IN THE HWO. HAVE MAINTAINED A PRETTY PERSISTENT FORECAST FOR THE REST OF PERIOD...WITH THE COLD FRONT MAKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE AREA THIS EVENING. A SERIES OF SHORT WAVE TROUGHS WILL TAKE AIM AT THE AREA FROM TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT...WITH OFF AND ON SCATTERED PRECIPITATION. RAIN SHOWERS WILL TRANSITION TO SNOW SHOWERS BY LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY MONDAY EVENING AND STAY ALL SNOW THEREAFTER. FOR TEMPERATURES...GENERALLY FAVORED A BIT COOLER HIGHS TODAY WITH ALL OF THE CLOUDS AND PRECIPITATION AROUND. STUCK CLOSE TO A BLEND OF PERSISTENCE AND THE LATEST GUIDANCE FOR THE REST OF THE FORECAST. .LONG TERM.../WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/ THE PERIOD WILL BEGIN WITH AN UPPER LEVEL TROUGH AXIS SHIFTING EAST OF THE AREA WITH RIDING ENTERING THE PLAINS STATES FROM THE ROCKIES...WHILE AN UPPER LEVEL LOW IS PROGGED TO BE ENTERING THE WEST COAST. AT THE SAME TIME THE POLAR VORTEX IS PROGGED TO BE OVER THE HUDSON BAY REGION. WITH VARIATION IN RUN TO RUN AND MODEL TO MODEL...THE POLAR VORTEX IS PROGGED TO MOVE INTO ONTARIO BY 12Z THU...WHILE AT THE SAME TIME THE UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM MOVES TO NEAR THE FOUR CORNERS REGION. A SFC COLD FRONT IS PROGGED TO APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE NW ON WED NIGHT AS THE VORTEX DROPS SOUTH. SOME WARMING SHOULD OCCUR AHEAD OF THIS ON WED WITH 8H TEMPS POSSIBLY CLIMBING ABOVE 0C ON WED...AT LEAST IN THE SW. MEANWHILE...A SFC LOW SHOULD BEGIN TO DEVELOP OVER TX ON WED NIGHT AND THU...AND THEN TRACK EAST ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES ON THU INTO FRI. THE MODELS ALSO HANDLE THE UPPER SYSTEM COMING EAST FROM THE ROCKIES DIFFERENTLY AND THIS LEADS TO TIMING DIFFERENCES WITH THE UPPER LOW AS WELL AS POTENTIAL DIFFERENCES IN THE THERMAL PROFILE. THE 0Z ECMWF IS GENERALLY DEEPER AND MORE CONSOLIDATED WITH THE UPPER TROUGH AS IT MOVES EAST. AT THIS POINT IT APPEARS THAT THERE WILL BE A CONSIDERABLE NW TO SE TEMP GRADIENT ACROSS THE AREA ON THU...WITH COLDER AIR GRADUALLY MOVING INTO THE AREA ON THU INTO THU NIGHT AT THE SAME TIME THAT MOISTURE MAY BE STREAMING IN FROM THE SOUTH AND WEST AS THE AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ORGANIZES TO OUR SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST. THE GENERAL CONSENSUS OF THE MODEL RUNS IS THAT ANY PRECIP ON THU WILL BEGIN AS ALL RAIN AND THEN AS COLDER AIR WORKS IN GRADUALLY BEGIN TO CHANGE TO SNOW ON THU AFTERNOON FROM NW TO SE. EVENTUALLY THOUGH...WITH COLDER AIR WORKING IN AND WETBULBING...PRECIP WOULD EVENTUALLY CHANGE TO ALL SNOW EVERYWHERE AT SOME POINT ON THU NIGHT AND ANY PRECIP ON FRI REMAINING AS ALL SNOW EVEN THOUGH TEMPS MAY BE MARGINAL...ESPECIALLY THE FARTHER SE IN THE CWA. THE GFS RUNS AS WELL AS THE GEM OFFER A BIT MORE OF A GLANCING BLOW AS FAR AS QPF GOES...WHILE THE 0Z ECMWF IS CONSIDERABLY WETTER AND WOULD LEAD TO THE POTENTIAL FOR A MORE SIGNIFICANT EVENT IF IT WERE TO VERIFY. THE LAST COUPLE OF GFS RUNS ARE QUICKER MOVING THE UPPER SYSTEM THROUGH AND TRACKING THE SFC LOW OFF TO THE EAST THAN THE 0Z ECMWF IN PARTICULAR WHICH IS SLOWER AND MORE AMPLIFIED WITH THE UPPER TROUGH. AT THAT TIME RANGE THE ECMWF HAS GENERALLY BEEN BETTER THIS WINTER... THOUGH IT TENDS TO HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A WET BIAS. FOR NOW...OPTED TO SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE SO TO SPEAK AND RAISE POPS IN THE NW TO 50 PERCENT ON THU AND THEN 50 ACROSS THE BOARD ON THU NIGHT...WITH 50 LINGERING SE ON FRI. THE BOTTOM LINE IS WE WILL CONTINUE TO HIGHLIGHT THE POTENTIAL FOR A WINTER STORM DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK. A MUCH COLDER AIRMASS WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA AS THE SYSTEM DEPARTS AND LINGER THROUGH THE END OF THE PERIOD WITH AN EASTERN US TROUGH. ALTHOUGH THE AIRMASS SHOULD BE MILDER THAN WHAT WAS EXPERIENCE IN EARLY JAN...HIGHS ON FRI AND SAT MAY STRUGGLE TO REACH THE FREEZING MARK. && .AVIATION.../12Z TO 12Z/...UPDATED A LINE OF SHOWERS WELL OUT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE EAST ACROSS THE AREA. SO FAR...ONLY LOW VFR CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCED. A PASSING STRONG LOW LEVEL JET WILL COTNINUE TO BRING LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR TO THE AREA OVER THE NEXT 3-4 HOURS...EFORE MOVING OUT. CEILINGS WILL CONTINUE TO LOWER TO LOW MVFR/IFR. THE ACTUAL COLD FRONT LOOKS TO MOVE THROUGH THIS EVENING...WITH SUSTAINED SHOWERS LIKELY COMING TO AN END BETWEEN 22Z AND 01Z THIS EVENING FROM WEST TO EAST. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... LAKE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR KYZ044- 050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120. && SHORT TERM...GEOGERIAN LONG TERM....JP AVIATION...GEOGERIAN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 517 AM EST SUN JAN 24 2010 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-251200- 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 517 AM EST SUN JAN 24 2010 ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A POTENT COLD FRONT CROSSING THE AREA WILL BRING A FEW THUNDERSTORMS...GUSTY WINDS...AS WELL AS SOME LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. SOME NUISANCE FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. PORTIONS OF THE KENTUCKY AND CUMBERLAND RIVER BASINS MAY BE RUNNING HIGH MONDAY AND TUESDAY. SCATTERED SNOW SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE AFTERNOON MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. ONLY LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED. THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE FOR SNOW FROM THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY AS AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE PLAINS STATES AND MOVE INTO THE EASTERN UNITED STATES. THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A SIGNIFICANT ACCUMULATION OF SNOWFALL. HOWEVER...THERE IS CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY IN THE EVOLUTION AND EVENTUAL TRACK OF THIS SYSTEM...AS WELL AS HOW COLD THE AIRMASS WILL BE WHICH WOULD AFFECT THE AMOUNT OF SNOW AND TYPE OF PRECIPITATION THAT FALLS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY FLOODING TODAY. GEOGERIAN/JP
The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 23 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:59 UTC.
15 flood, 2 heavy rain, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Most small creeks between Campton and Talbert were at bank full with some minor flooding noted in fields and pastures. Numerous backed up culverts and one minor rock slide on the side of Highway 30 were reported west of Jackson. The rock slide was not in the road and was not hindering traffic.
Six to eight inches of water was reported over Kentucky 1427 and Abbott Creek Road 2 miles east of Bonanza.
As a result of heavy rainfall, four inches of water was reported running over Highway 92 in Monticello.
A car was trapped on a flooded road in East Bernstadt.
Kentucky Highway 1098 washed out at Smiths Branch about 2 miles up from Highway 15.
Numerous roads were covered with water county wide at depths of between 4 inches and 1 foot.
Flood waters led to the closure of portions of Highway 80 and the Hal Rogers Parkway near Manchester.
Oakley Creek was out of its banks and was flooding a portion of Highway 1635 near Royalton, rendering the road impassable.
Dark Hollow Road was flooded and Congleton Road was partially washed out.
Flooding was reported on secondary roads in and around Lincoln.
A member of the public received information from a 911 dispatcher about flooding problems around Perry county. Highway 2020 at Squabble Creek was under water below Buckhorn Dam. Water was also reported over Highway 28 in Perry County. Numerous rock slides have also been reported around the county between 3 and 8 pm on the 24th.
Redlick Road was closed in the vicinity of Irvine due to high water or backwater from the Kentucky River.
Water or backwater from the Cumberland River and larger tributaries lead to road closures on Kentucky Highway 229 and Kentucky Highway 11 north as well as numerous other county roads.
Backwater flooding from the south fork of the Kentucky River caused Highways 2024 and 3347 to be closed.
The following roads were still under water as of report time, Driftwood Drive, Nolands Creek, Dark Hollow Road and State Road 3328. A section of Congleton road had collapsed in the Cobb Hill area and Stewart Fork Road had been washed out.
Lot Mud Creek Road was closed due to high water.
Highway 1064 was closed 6 miles south southeast of Corbin due to flood water.
Over one foot of running water over highway 6 in Barbourville.
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, January 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: 210900, 210897, 210892, 210893, 210894, 210896, 210898, 210899, 210901, 210902, 210903, 210904, 210905, 210906, 210907, 210908, 210891, 211835.