A cluster of strong and severe thunderstorms raked eastern KY during the afternoon and evening hours of June 21st. The majority of the damage and flooding caused by the storms occurred north of the Hal Rogers Parkway and Highway 80 Corridor.
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 cluster of strong and severe thunderstorms raked eastern KY during the afternoon and evening hours of June 21st. The majority of the damage and flooding caused by the storms occurred north of the Hal Rogers Parkway and Highway 80 Corridor. Numerous reports of downed trees and power lines were received at the Jackson weather office, along with a few reports of subsevere hail and flooding.
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 Jun 21, 12:30 PM EST, 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 130 PM EDT MON JUN 21 2010 .SHORT TERM.../THE REST OF TODAY/ THE PRIMARY FORECAST CONCERN THIS MORNING IS THE PROJECTED DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF A LARGE CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS INDIANA AND OHIO. AFTER LOOKING AT VARIOUS SURFACE OBSERVATIONS AND FORECAST INSTABILITY PARAMETERS...IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS AN AXIS OF MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY SITUATED FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST ACROSS EASTERN INDIANA...SOUTHWESTERN OHIO AND EASTERN KENTUCKY. THE ONGOING CLUSTER OF STORMS IS CURRENTLY BEING DRIVEN BY OUTFLOW BOUNDARY INTERACTIONS WITH THE MOIST AIR MASS LYING OVER INDIANA OHIO AND KENTUCKY. ANALYSIS OF CURRENT REGIONAL RADAR MOSAIC LOOPS REVEALS THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE AFORMENTIONED MCS IS BEGINNING TO PROPAGATE TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHEAST. IF THIS TREND OF STORM EVOLUTION CONTINUES...THE CLUSTER WILL BEGIN ENTERING THE NORTHWESTERN PORTION OF THE FORECAST AREA BETWEEN 17 AND 18Z...WITH A GENERAL SOUTHEASTWARD MOVEMENT EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING. ADJUSTED THE POP...SKY COVER...QPF AND WEATHER GRIDS TO REFLECT THE EXPECTED MOTION OF THE MCS THROUGH 0Z TONIGHT. A FEW ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE ALSO BEGUN TO FIRE AROUND WINCHESTER AND POINTS NORTH...FURTHER INDICATING HOW MOIST AND UNSTABLE THE AIR MASS IS ACROSS CENTRAL AND EASTERN KENTUCKY. WITH ALL THAT IN MIND...WENT WITH A 50 PERCENT CHANCE OF RAIN ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF OF THE AREA. ALSO DECREASED TODAYS HIGH TEMPERATURES ACROSS THE BOARD BY A DEGREE OR TWO TO REFLECT THE INFLUENCE OF INCREASING CLOUD COVER AND PRECIP LATER TODAY. UPDATED ZONES HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED. THE PREVIOUS SHORT TERM FORECAST DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... /TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/ 06Z SFC ANALYSIS SHOWS A WEAK PRESSURE PATTERN IN PLACE THROUGH THE REGION. SKIES ARE MAINLY CLEAR OVER THE OHIO VALLEY WITH THE NOCTURNAL MCS ACTIVITY FOUND WELL OFF TO THE WEST OVER THE PLAINS. THE RELATIVELY MOIST BOUNDARY LAYER...CLEAR SKIES AND LIGHT WINDS HAVE AGAIN LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF PATCHY VALLEY FOG...INITIALLY IN THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY WHERE THEY ARE STILL WORKING OFF THE RAIN THEY PICKED UP ON FRIDAY. TEMPERATURES AT 3 AM EDT ARE EXHIBITING A MINOR RIDGE TO VALLEY SPLIT OF AROUND 5 DEGREES FROM THE LOW 70S IN THE THERMAL BELT TO THE MID 60S IN THE LOW SPOTS. DEWPOINTS...MEANWHILE ARE GENERALLY IN THE MID 60S ACROSS THE AREA. THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD GENERALLY AGREEMENT ALOFT WITH THE LONGWAVE PATTERN THROUGH THE SHORT TERM PORTION OF THE FORECAST. THEY ALL SHOW THE LARGE SUBTROPICAL RIDGE ACROSS THE SOUTH REMAINING DOMINANT WHILE FAST FLOW RIPPLES PAST ON ITS NORTHERN FRINGE. EACH MODEL HAS ITS OWN PREFERRED SET OF MINOR SHORTWAVES MAKING THIS PASSAGE...THOUGH NONE OF THESE HAVE ENOUGH CONSENSUS SUPPORT TO KEY IN ON FOR FORECAST SPECIFICS. INSTEAD WILL FOCUS ON THE BLENDED POSITION OF THE RIDGE AND RELATIVE LOWER HEIGHTS FOUND TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CWA THROUGH WEDNESDAY. FOR WEATHER DETAILS...LEANED TOWARD THE NAM WITH A LARGE GRAIN OF SALT...PARTICULARLY AFTER THE TONIGHT PERIOD. SENSIBLE WEATHER WILL FEATURE A FURTHER BUILDING OF THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY THROUGH EAST KENTUCKY TODAY AND PARTICULARLY TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. HAVE PUT IN A SMALL CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING TO THE NORTHWEST OF JKL IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE POTENTIAL DOWNSTREAM DEVELOPMENT OF THE MCS...OR ITS RESULTING MCV...CURRENTLY OVER IOWA. SHOULD ORGANIZED STORMS MANAGE TO SURVIVE INTO OUR AREA...THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE FOR DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ON ITS LEADING EDGE. THIS AREA COINCIDES WITH THE SLIGHT RISK AREA ISSUED FOR TODAY FROM SPC AND WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE HWO. ALSO HIGHLIGHTED WILL BE THE HIGH HEAT AND HUMIDITY ANTICIPATED TODAY...PARTICULARLY IN THE I-75 CORRIDOR OF THE CUMBERLAND VALLEY. FOR TODAY THE HEAT INDEX SHOULD STAY JUST SHY OF ADVISORY CRITERIA... BUT TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AFTERNOONS LOOK TO BE A GOOD BET FOR MEETING CRITERIA FOR MUCH OF THE AREA...BARRING ANY SAVING GRACE OFFERED BY MCS ACTIVITY REACHING THIS FAR SOUTHEAST. WILL HOLD OFF ON ISSUING ANY HEADLINES FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY FOR NOW...CONTINUING TO MENTION THE HEAT BUILDUP THROUGH MIDWEEK IN THE HWO. PATCHY VALLEY FOG CAN BE EXPECTED LATE EACH NIGHT...WITH MORE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE A POSSIBILITY IF WE GET BRUSHED BY ANY STORMS. THE BEST CHANCES FOR MCS ACTIVITY SHOULD STAY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF MOST OF CWA TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND HAVE TAPERED POPS WITH THIS IDEA IN MIND...THOUGH SHOULD ONE GET GOING JUST TO OUR NORTH AT ANY TIME AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY COULD HELP TRIGGER SYMPATHY STORMS GIVEN OUR SFC BASED INSTABILITY AND SEEMINGLY WEAKLY CAPPED ENVIRONMENT. AGAIN FOR TEMPS FAVORED THE MET NUMBERS OVER THE TOO WARM MAV...DID ALSO MAINTAIN A SMALL RIDGE TO VALLEY SPLIT FOR OVERNIGHT TEMPS. AS FOR POPS...ENDED UP CLOSEST TO THE MET THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WHILE THE SOMEWHAT HIGHER MAV NUMBERS WERE PREFERRED THEREAFTER GIVEN THE PROXIMITY OF THE ANTICIPATED MCS TRACKS JUST OFF TO OUR NORTH THROUGH WEDNESDAY. .LONG TERM.../WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/ AN INITIALLY SOMEWHAT ZONAL FLOW PATTERN ACROSS MUCH OF THE CONUS WILL AMPLIFY BRIEFLY AS A TROUGH MOVES FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS/US/CANADIAN BORDER INTO THE GREAT LAKES ON WED INTO THU. THE TROUGH IS THEN EXPECTED TO REMAIN OVER THE NORTHEASTERN STATES THROUGH THE START OF THE WEEKEND...BUT SHOULD WEAKEN WITH TIME...WITH A RELATIVELY ZONAL PATTERN REMAINING AT THE END OF THE PERIOD. MEANWHILE OVER THE WEST COAST OF THE US/EASTERN PACIFIC A MEAN TROUGH IS ANTICIPATED. THE CENTER OF A MEAN UPPER LEVEL RIDGE INITIALLY OVER THE MS VALLEY/SOUTHEAST IS EXPECTED TO RETROGRADE WEST INTO THE PLAINS ON WED INTO THU...WITH RIDGING EXTENDING EAST INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES. THE HIGH IS THEN EXPECTED TO REASSERT ITSELF AGAIN WITH THE CENTER OF THE HIGH SHIFTING BACK INTO THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES AT THE END OF THE PERIOD. THERE ARE SOME MODEL TIMING AND AMPLITUDE DIFFERENCES WITH THE RIDGE AND TROUGHS OVER TIME...BUT MODELS AGREE WITH THE OVERALL PATTERN AS NOTED BY HPC. WITH THE CONSENSUS OF THE MODELS FORECAST PREFERRED BY HPC...SAW NO REASON TO STRAY FROM THIS REASONING. A SFC AREA OF LOW PRESSURE ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTHERN PLAINS TROUGH WILL TRACK FROM THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES INTO THE NORTHEASTERN US DURING THE FIRST 24 HRS OR SO OF THE PERIOD. THE PROGRESS OF THE TRAILING COLD FRONT WILL BE SLOWED BY THE SOUTHERN US RIDGING AND THIS BOUNDARY SHOULD BECOME NEARLY STATIONARY OVER THE REGION ON THU AND REMAIN THERE INTO FRI...BEFORE MOVING BACK NORTH ON FRI NIGHT/EARLY SAT IN RESPONSE TO LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING OVER THE PLAINS AND INCREASING HEIGHTS ACROSS THE SOUTHEASTERN US. THE REGION WILL THEN BE IN THE WARM SECTOR TO END THE PERIOD. WITH THE BOUNDARY EXPECTED TO BE INITIALLY NORTH OF THE OH RIVER... DEBRIS CLOUDS WILL PROBABLY NOT IMPEDE MAX T ALL THAT MUCH ON WED. GIVEN 8H TEMPS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR 20C ON WED...HIGHS IN THE LOW TO MID 90S...WITH THE HIGHEST READINGS IN THE SOUTHWEST AND NORMALLY WARMER VALLEY LOCATIONS. WENT WITH THE HIGHEST POPS...IN THE CHANCE RANGE FROM LATE THU NIGHT NORTH...TRANSITIONING TO THE SOUTHERN CWA BY LATE FRI. AT THE END OF THE PERIOD...AS THE REGION GETS BACK INTO THE WARM SECTOR...POPS HAD A MORE DIURNAL FLAVOR. TEMPS SHOULD REMAIN SEVERAL DEGREES WARMER THAN AVERAGE FOR MID TO LATE JUNE...ESPECIALLY FOR DAYTIME TEMPERATURES WITH RATHER HUMID CONDITIONS AS WELL. && .AVIATION.../18Z TO 18Z/...UPDATED A CLUSTER OF SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS IS CURRENTLY MOVING ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY...GENERALLY NORTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL BE AFFECTING JKL BETWEEN 18 AND 19Z IF THEY ARE ABLE TO HOLD TOGETHER. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO AFFECT JKL THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AND WILL DISSIPATED RAPIDLY AFTER THE SUN GOES DOWN. VFR CONDITIONS WILL PREVAIL OVERALL...ESPECIALLY AT LOZ AND SME...THE EXCEPTION BEING JKL WHERE BRIEF PERIODS OF MVFR CONDITIONS COULD OCCUR WITH ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT MOVE OVER THE AIRPORT. LOZ AND SME WILL PROBABLY SEE SOME MVFR FOG AFTER 8Z TONIGHT AS THE CLOUDS BREAK UP AND WINDS DIE DOWN. JKL SHOULD REMAIN RELATIVELY FREE OF FOG AS THE BROKEN CLOUDS SHOULD PERSIST A LITTLE LONGER THERE THAN AT THE OTHER TWO TAF SITES. AFTER 13Z TOMORROW THE FOG SHOULD HAVE BURNED OFF AT BOTH LOZ AND SME WITH ONLY A FEW LOW CLOUDS LEFT OVER. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && SHORT TERM...GREIF/AR LONG TERM....JP AVIATION...AR
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 430 AM EDT MON JUN 21 2010 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-221130- 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- 430 AM EDT MON JUN 21 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING... PRIMARILY NORTH OF THE HAL ROGERS PARKWAY. A FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD BE STRONG WITH FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAINS AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS THE MAIN THREATS. ADDITIONALLY...HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL BE BUILDING INTO EASTERN KENTUCKY TODAY. HEAT INDICES WILL REACH TO NEAR 95 THIS AFTERNOON...MAINLY IN AND ALONG THE INTERSTATE 75 CORRIDOR. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. NORTHERN PORTIONS OF EAST KENTUCKY MAY BE BRUSHED BY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS OF TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. MORE ORGANIZED CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AS A SLOW MOVING FRONT DROPS THROUGH THE AREA. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...AS WELL. ADDITIONALLY...HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY THROUGH MIDWEEK. HEAT INDICES WILL REACH TO NEAR 95 EACH AFTERNOON FROM TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS AND REPORTS OF DAMAGING WIND GUSTS FROM ANY THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GREIF
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 1236 PM EDT MON JUN 21 2010 KYZ050-058>060-108-111-211730- MONTGOMERY-MENIFEE-POWELL-ESTILL-WOLFE-LEE- 1236 PM EDT MON JUN 21 2010 ...AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 130 PM EDT MONDAY AFTERNOON... SOUTHERN MONTGOMERY... SOUTHWESTERN MENIFEE... POWELL... EXTREME WEST CENTRAL WOLFE... NORTHERN ESTILL AND EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL LEE. AT 1233 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR WESTBEND...OR 8 MILES SOUTH OF MOUNT STERLING...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...WESTBEND AROUND 1240 PM EDT...VIRDEN AROUND 1245 PM EDT...POWELL VALLEY AROUND 1250 PM EDT...CLAY CITY AND WALTERSVILLE AROUND 1255 PM EDT...STANTON AND BEAN AROUND 100 PM EDT. IN ADDITION...LOCATIONS ALONG THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY CORRIDOR BETWEEN MILEMARKERS 12 AND 33 AND PARTS OF THE INTERSTATE 64 CORRIDOR IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY WILL BE AFFECTED. RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. DANGEROUS 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. PELTON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 129 PM EDT MON JUN 21 2010 KYZ060-106-108-211815- MENIFEE-MORGAN-WOLFE- 129 PM EDT MON JUN 21 2010 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 215 PM EDT MONDAY AFTERNOON... SOUTHWESTERN MORGAN... SOUTHEASTERN MENIFEE AND NORTH CENTRAL WOLFE. AT 129 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR EZEL...OR 10 MILES WEST OF WEST LIBERTY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 5 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...TWENTYSIX AROUND 135 PM EDT...TOLIVER AROUND 145 PM EDT...PEKIN AROUND 155 PM EDT...MURPHYFORK AROUND 200 PM EDT...TRENT AROUND 205 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO ONE AND ONE HALF INCHES PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 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. PELTON
The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 104 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:38 UTC.
19 thunderstorm wind, 2 heavy rain, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Four power poles were blown down between Old Convict Road and Junction Road.
A tree was blown down on Grassy Knoll Road just off of Martha Mills Road near Tilton.
A tree was blown down on Sutton Road near Wallingford.
Two power poles were blown down on Junction Road. Trees were blown down on both Junction Road and Nepton Road.
Several trees were blown down around the county including on US 460 and along US 60 east near the 4000 block.
Three locust trees were blown down near Ewington.
Trees were blown down on Clack Mountain Road near Morehead.
Two and a half inches of rain fell in Relief between 3 and 4 pm.
An NWS employee reported that 2.65 inches of rain fell at the Jackson weather office.
A lot of tree damage occurred on Hwy 315 between the Hwy 30 Jct and Sebastians Branch. Numerous large limbs were on the Hwy and several trees snapped off or uprooted and fell on the road.
Several trees were blown down in Keaton.
Several large trees were blown down 2 miles southwest of Stambaugh in the community of Sip.
Several trees were blown down near Chandlerville.
There were 6 inches of water flowing across Main St in Jackson.
Trees and power lines were blown down in Chavies.
The Elliott county EM reported that 1.65 inches of rain had fallen and that several trees had been blown down along Hwy 504. There were also numerous power outages in Sandy Hook.
Trees and power lines were blown down in Hazard.
Trees and power lines were blown down in Bulan.
Trees and power lines were blown down in Viper.
Trees and power lines were blown down in Vicco.
Trees blown down by thunderstorm wind gusts were blocking the road on Rte 805 near Fleming Neon.
Several trees were blown down in Southdown.
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, June 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: 228747, 228743, 228744, 228748, 228749, 228745, 228746, 228754, 228764, 228750, 228751, 228752, 228753, 228759, 228755, 228756, 228757, 228758, 228760, 228761, 228762, 228763.