Central Kentucky was in the warm sector with brisk southerly flow ahead of an approaching cold front. Outflow boundaries from convection in Illinois entered the region in the afternoon and ignited a few severe thunderstorms.
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 LMK wrote it up.
Central Kentucky was in the warm sector with brisk southerly flow ahead of an approaching cold front. Outflow boundaries from convection in Illinois entered the region in the afternoon and ignited a few severe thunderstorms.
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 Louisville, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 13, 11:15 AM EST, 1 hour 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 1215 PM EDT THU MAY 13 2010 ...FORECAST UPDATE... HAVE SENT AN AFTERNOON FORECAST UPDATE AND ADDED 30 POPS TO THE FORECAST AREA. THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO A COUPLE OF WEAK BOUNDARIES MOVING INTO THE AREA FROM CONVECTION ACROSS ILLINOIS EARLIER THIS MORNING. IF THE STORMS BREAK THE LOW LEVEL CAP STRONG STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE. .SHORT TERM (TODAY AND TONIGHT)... WITH A WARM FRONT JUST TO OUR NORTH TODAY AND A COLD FRONT WELL OFF TO OUR WEST WE WILL BE WELL WITHIN THE WARM SECTOR OF AN APPROACHING PLAINS STORM SYSTEM. SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 25 MPH WILL CAUSE TEMPERATURES TO RISE WELL INTO THE 80S AS STICKY DEW POINTS REMAIN IN THE 60S. ANY THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE ISOLATED AT BEST. TONIGHT THAT COLD FRONT TO OUR WEST WILL WEAKEN AS IT APPROACHES...REACHING THE LMK CWA AROUND SUNRISE. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY THE FRONT AFTER MIDNIGHT. SOME HEAVY DOWNPOURS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN THE JUICY ATMOSPHERE...ESPECIALLY OVER SOUTHERN INDIANA WHERE SIGNIFICANT RAINS FELL ON WEDNESDAY. THIS COULD PRESENT SOME LOCAL PROBLEMS ON SMALLER STREAMS EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. .LONG TERM (FRIDAY - WEDNESDAY)... ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN STILL LOOKS GOOD IN THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST AS SURFACE BOUNDARY WAFFLES ACROSS THE AREA AND AMPLIFIED MID LEVEL PATTERN INTRODUCES SEVERAL WAVES OF ENERGY. FRIDAY - MONDAY... THE FIRST CONCERN IN THE LONG TERM PERIOD WILL BE THE SFC LOW OVER NORTHERN TX/OKLAHOMA REGION THIS MORNING. THIS LOW IS PROGGED TO MOVE NORTH TOWARDS THE GREAT LAKES REGION LATE THURS AIDED BY A MID LEVEL TROUGH OVER THE HIGH PLAINS. AS THE LOW CONTINUES TO PUSH ENE...IT/S COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH OUR AREA FRIDAY MORNING. THE FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH OUR NORTHERN FORECAST AREA MID TO LATE MORNING WITH THE SE FORECAST AREA SEEING THE FROPA SOMETIME IN THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON HOURS. CONVECTION WILL FOCUS AROUND THIS FRONT. ALTHOUGH CONVECTION WILL GENERALLY BE WEAKENING FRIDAY MORNING TOWARD SUNRISE ACCORDING TO THE LATEST MODEL GUIDANCE...IT/S NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION TO SEE A STRONG STORM MAYBE AN ISLD SEVERE DURING THE VERY EARLY MORNING HOURS OF FRIDAY OVER SOUTHERN INDIANA. THE FRONT WILL THEN STALL OVER CENTRAL KY FOR MUCH OF THE AFTERNOON. AS THE ATMOSPHERE RE-CHARGES...CONVECTION WILL STRENGTHEN IN CLUSTERS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON HOURS...MAINLY OVER CENTRAL KY. SEVERE STORMS WILL BE MOST LIKELY SOUTH OF THE WESTERN KY PARKWAY AND BLUEGRASS PARKWAY. SOUNDINGS REVEAL MODEST WIND FIELDS WITH PLENTY OF MID LEVEL CAPE WHICH WILL SUPPORT MAINLY A LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WIND THREAT. FRIDAY NIGHT CONVECTION WEAKENS AND MOVES OUT AS THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY SETTLES TO OUR SOUTH. DEPENDING ON EXACTLY WHERE THE BOUNDARY SETTLES BY SATURDAY WILL DETERMINE OUR PRECIP CHANCES. RIGHT NOW FEEL THAT IT WILL SETTLE WELL SOUTH OF OUR AREA...BUT CAN/T RULE OUT SOME DIURNALLY DRIVEN ISLD STORMS IN OUR SOUTHERN FA FOR SAT. SATURDAY NIGHT LOOKS TO BE DRY...BUT BY SUNDAY THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM WILL APPROACH THE AREA CAUSING SHOWERS AND STORMS TO RETURN. A POTENT MID LEVEL TROUGH WILL STRENGTHEN BECOMING A CLOSED LOW JUST SW OF THE GREAT LAKES BY MONDAY. AT THE SAME TIME...A SFC LOW WILL STRENGTHEN AS IT MOVES FROM OKLAHOMA TO THE GREAT LAKES REGION BY MONDAY. PRECIP WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA SUNDAY WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS POSSIBLE SOMETIME SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY. WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THIS SYSTEM IN COMING DAYS FOR SEVERE POTENTIAL. AS FOR TEMPS...FRIDAY WILL BE TRICKY DEPENDING ON FROPA TIMING AND BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS. WILL GO WITH LOW 70S N TO LOW 80S IN THE SE FORECAST AREA. LOOK FOR HIGHS IN THE 70S FOR SAT-MON. TUESDAY - WEDNESDAY... LOOK FOR CONDITIONS TO FINALLY GO DRY SOMETIME TUESDAY WITH SFC HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING IN FOR WED. TEMPS WILL REMAIN SEASONAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. && .AVIATION (12Z TAF ISSUANCE)... WITH A WARM FRONT TO OUR NORTH AND A COLD FRONT OFF TO OUR WEST WE WILL SPEND TODAY AND THIS EVENING WELL IN THE WARM SECTOR OF A PLAINS STORM SYSTEM. OTHER THAN SOME VERY BRIEF MVFR FOG POSSIBLE IN ABOUT THE FIRST HOUR OF THE TAF PERIOD...TODAY WILL BE VFR. WINDS WILL BE THE MORE PRESSING CONCERN AS THEY KICK UP AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING PLAINS COLD FRONT. EXPECT SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 15KT WITH GUSTS TO NEAR 25KT. AN ISOLATED TSRA COULD POP UP IN THE HEAT OF THE AFTERNOON BUT NOTHING WORTHY OF MENTIONING IN THE TAFS AT THIS POINT. AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT THE COLD FRONT WILL FINALLY MAKE IT INTO THE REGION...WEAKENING AS IT DOES SO. WILL INCLUDE A CB CLOUD TYPE AFTER MIDNIGHT. EARLY THOUGHTS FOR FROPA AT THE AIRPORTS LOOKS TO BE IN THE 11Z-14Z RANGE. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && UPDATE.........JA SHORT TERM.....13 LONG TERM......AML AVIATION.......JA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 1040 AM EDT THU MAY 13 2010 INZ076>079-083-084-089>092-KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067- 070>078-081-082-140745- ORANGE IN-WASHINGTON IN-SCOTT IN-JEFFERSON IN-DUBOIS IN- CRAWFORD IN-PERRY IN-HARRISON IN-FLOYD IN-CLARK IN-HANCOCK KY- BRECKINRIDGE KY-MEADE KY-OHIO KY-GRAYSON KY-HARDIN KY-BULLITT KY- JEFFERSON KY-OLDHAM KY-TRIMBLE KY-HENRY KY-SHELBY KY-FRANKLIN KY- SCOTT KY-HARRISON KY-SPENCER KY-ANDERSON KY-WOODFORD KY- FAYETTE KY-BOURBON KY-NICHOLAS KY-NELSON KY-WASHINGTON KY- MERCER KY-JESSAMINE KY-CLARK KY-LARUE KY-MARION KY-BOYLE KY- GARRARD KY-MADISON KY-BUTLER KY-EDMONSON KY-HART KY-GREEN KY- TAYLOR KY-CASEY KY-LINCOLN KY-LOGAN KY-WARREN KY-SIMPSON KY- ALLEN KY-BARREN KY-MONROE KY-METCALFE KY-ADAIR KY-RUSSELL KY- CUMBERLAND KY-CLINTON KY- 1040 AM EDT THU MAY 13 2010 /940 AM CDT THU MAY 13 2010/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE IN A HUMID UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE...ESPECIALLY ALONG AND NORTH OF THE OHIO RIVER. THE MAIN THREAT FROM ANY STORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS...ESPECIALLY IN THE VICINITY OF ANY STREAMS THAT ARE RUNNING HIGH FROM WEDNESDAY/S RAINS. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT MOVES INTO THE REGION FROM THE WEST...ESPECIALLY AFTER MIDNIGHT. AGAIN THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A MEANDERING FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER THE REGION...AS WELL AS SEVERAL ENERGY WAVES RIDING ALONG THE BOUNDARY...WILL PROVIDE SEVERAL CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. STORMS ON FRIDAY MAY BECOME SEVERE ESPECIALLY OVER CENTRAL KENTUCKY. THE MAIN THREATS FROM THESE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LARGE HAIL...STRONG WINDS...AND BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN. FROM FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY...ON AND OFF EPISODES OF STORMS WILL CONTINUE WITH THE NEXT NOTABLE WAVE OF STORMS SCHEDULED TO ARRIVE SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. ANY THUNDERSTORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LIGHTNING...BRIEF PERIODS OF HEAVY RAIN...AND GUSTY WINDS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED FRIDAY. JA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
115 PM EDT THU MAY 13 2010
KYZ030-031-034-131745-
JEFFERSON-OLDHAM-SHELBY-
115 PM EDT THU MAY 13 2010
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH GUSTY WINDS AFFECTING
JEFFERSON...OLDHAM AND SHELBY COUNTIES...
AT 111 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR LOUISVILLE...AND MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
OCCASIONAL LIGHTNING...MODERATE RAIN WITH RAINFALL RATES OF AROUND
ONE HALF INCH PER HOUR REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN THREE
MILES...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS OF AROUND 40 TO 50 MPH...ARE EXPECTED
WITH THIS STORM.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
JEFFERSONTOWN...
MIDDLETOWN...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...SEEK SHELTER INDOORS AND STAY
AWAY FROM WINDOWS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA ALL HAZARDS RADIO...
WEATHER.GOV/LOUISVILLE ON THE INTERNET...OR LOCAL MEDIA FOR LATER
UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
&&
LAT...LON 3844 8539 3822 8533 3813 8551 3809 8572
3824 8578
TIME...MOT...LOC 1714Z 248DEG 29KT 3821 8565
RSThe Louisville radar (KLVX), 48 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:25 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous trees were down and power outages were reported across Jefferson County.
A trained spotter reported several small trees down along with intense rain. The peak wind gust was estimated to be 60 mph.
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, 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: 236586, 236584.