Hail and Damaging Wind in Indiana, May 22, 2011

Name: Hail and Damaging Wind in Indiana, May 22, 2011
Start: 2011-05-22T14:13
End: 2011-05-22T15:00
Location: Indiana

May 22, 2011 · NWS LMK · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Temperatures during the afternoon of May 22 warmed into the 80s with dewpoints in the mid to upper 60s. A weak shortwave rounded the base of an upper level trough over the area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 2

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS LMK wrote it up.

Temperatures during the afternoon of May 22 warmed into the 80s with dewpoints in the mid to upper 60s. A weak shortwave rounded the base of an upper level trough over the area. These led to an unstable atmosphere with CAPE values of 2000+ J/kg. Severe storms developed in this unstable environment leading to damaging winds and hail up to nickel size.

What forecasters said that day

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 22, 1:49 PM EST, 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 22, 1:49 PM EST, 24 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
249 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011

.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT AND MONDAY)...

THE MAIN CONCERN IN THE NEAR TERM IS THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. TEMPERATURES HAVE WARMED INTO THE MID
TO UPPER 80S WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S. A WEAK
SHORTWAVE IS ALSO ROUNDING THE BASE OF THE UPPER TROUGH. THIS HAS
LED TO AN UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE WITH CAPE VALUES OF 2000+ J/KG THIS
AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN
PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA AND WILL TRACK NORTHEAST WITH
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA LIKELY.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH
01Z FOR THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA. THE MAIN CONCERN WITH STORMS
WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. LARGE HAIL WILL BE POSSIBLE AS WELL
IN THE STRONGEST STORMS.

THESE STORMS SHOULD WEAKEN QUITE A BIT AFTER SUNDOWN AND IT IS
POSSIBLE WE WILL SEE A BREAK IN PRECIPITATION LATE THIS EVENING.
HOWEVER IT LOOKS LIKE ANOTHER ROUND OF STORMS WILL MOVE IN AFTER
MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AS ANOTHER SHORTWAVE ROUNDS THE UPPER LEVEL LOW.
THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL CROSS THE GREAT LAKES THROUGH TOMORROW AND
A FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTH INTO NORTHERN INDIANA.  MID LEVEL LAPSE
RATES WILL INCREASE WITH THE ATMOSPHERE BECOMING RATHER UNSTABLE.
THE CHANCE FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TOMORROW ACROSS THE AREA
WITH DAMAGING WINDS BEING THE GREATEST THREAT.

WITH SUSTAINED SOUTHERLY FLOW TEMPERATURES THROUGH THE SHORT TERM
WILL CONTINUE TO BE WARMER THAN NORMAL FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. LOWS
TONIGHT WILL BE IN THE MID TO UPPER 60S WITH HIGHS TOMORROW TOPPING
OUT IN THE MID TO UPPER 80S ONCE AGAIN.

.LONG TERM (MONDAY NIGHT - SUNDAY)...

PERIODS OF SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED THRU FRIDAY
UNTIL COLD FROPA FRI NIGHT OR SAT...AFTERWARD...POST FRONTAL SHOWERS
ASSOCIATED WITH AN UPPER LOW. OBVIOUSLY...WITH THIS FORECAST...
WE ARE THROWING OUT THE LATE WEEK/WEEKEND PROGS FROM THE GFS AND
LEANING TOWARD THE OPS EURO/ENSEMBLES.

PERSISTENT SUMMER-LIKE TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE THRU AT LEAST WED
WITH A COOLING TREND INTO THE WEEKEND AS AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WOBBLES
IN FROM THE MIDWEST. MOIST AIRMASS WILL REMAIN IN PLACE WITH
PRECIPITABLE WATERS ABOVE NORMAL. EXPECT MULTIPLE SHORTWAVES TO
CROSS REGION IN BROAD SOUTHWESTERLY FLOW AHEAD OF UPPER LOW/TROF
FORECAST TO REACH THE CENTRAL PLAINS/MID MS VLY WED/THU. IT APPEARS
THERE WILL BE A MAX IN ACTIVITY MON NGT/TUE AHEAD OF A SHORT WAVE
TROF...A BIT OF A LULL LATE TUE THRU EARLY WED AS A SHORT WAVE RIDGE
MOVES OVERHEAD AND INCREASING COVERAGE WED NIGHT AND THU AS
AFOREMENTIONED LOW/TROF APPROACH. AFOREMENTIONED SECOND UPPER LOW
EXPECTED TO SETTLE INTO THE LOWER OH VLY SAT NIGHT...LIKELY
RESULTING IN A SHOWERY/COOL WEEKEND.

OVERALL RAINFALL TOTALS THRU FRIDAY WILL RANGE FROM 1-3 INCHES WITH
ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS...WITH THE HIGHER TOTALS ACROSS SOUTHWEST
INDIANA AND THE LOWEST ACROSS OUR SERN FORECAST AREA (LAKE
CUMBERLAND REGION).

&&

.AVIATION (18Z TAF ISSUANCE)...

MULTIPLE WAVES OF ENERGY WILL ROTATE AROUND AN UPPER LEVEL LOW WHICH
WILL TRACK FROM SRN MN ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES THROUGH THE TAF
PERIOD. THE MAIN CHALLENGE THIS WILL POSE IS FOR THE FORECASTING OF
PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND STORMS THAT MAY IMPACT THE TERMINALS. THE
GENERAL CONSENSUS AMONG THE MODELS IS THAT SCATTERED STORMS WILL
DEVELOP AND MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL KENTUCKY THIS AFTERNOON. WITH THE
SCATTERED NATURE OF THESE STORMS WILL MENTION ONLY A CB GROUP AT SDF
AND LEX AS CERTAINTY OF STORM DEVELOPMENT IN THE VICINITY OF THE
TERMINAL IS NOT VERY HIGH. WITH STORMS ALREADY DEVELOPING NEARER TO
BWG WILL MENTION VCTS THERE.

IT LOOKS LIKE THERE WILL BE A BREAK IN PRECIPITATION THIS EVENING
BEFORE STORMS DEVELOP AGAIN AFTER MIDNIGHT. IN GENERAL FLYING
CONDITIONS WILL BE VFR OUTSIDE OF ANY THUNDERSTORMS.

&&

.LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...NONE.
IN...NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM........EER
LONG TERM.........DK/11
AVIATION..........EER

Hazardous weather outlook, May 22, 2:03 PM EST, 10 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
303 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011

INZ076>079-083-084-089>092-KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067-
070>078-081-082-231915-
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-
303 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011 /203 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL
INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE OFF AN ON THIS AFTERNOON
AND TONIGHT. ALL THUNDERSTORMS WILL HAVE HEAVY RAINFALL AND
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. SOME THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING
WILL BE STRONG TO SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND SMALL HAIL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE MONDAY THROUGH
WEDNESDAY. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE HEAVY RAINFALL AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING...THOUGH A FEW STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE
PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS. MORE ORGANIZED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
POSSIBLE THURSDAY AND FRIDAY AS A STORM SYSTEM TRACKS ACROSS THE
OHIO VALLEY. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD PRODUCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS
AS WELL AS HEAVY RAINFALL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS SHOULD REPORT ANY STRONG WIND GUSTS...WIND DAMAGE...AND
HAIL OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
LOUISVILLE.

EER/DK

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 22, 12:35 PM EST, 1 hour 38 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
135 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011

KYZ070-072-221815-
LOGAN-SIMPSON-
1235 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN...SMALL
HAIL...AND GUSTY WINDS...

AT 1229 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES WEST OF CROSS PLAINS...AND MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN WITH RAINFALL RATES
OF AROUND ONE INCH PER HOUR REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE
MILE...SMALL PEA OR DIME SIZE HAIL...AND GUSTY WINDS OF AROUND 40 TO
50 MPH...ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

* THIS STORM WILL ALSO IMPACT...
  FRANKLIN...
  HILLTOP...
  PRICES MILL...
  SCHWEIZER AND PROVIDENCE...
  FLAT ROCK AND PEDEN MILL...

THIS STORM WILL AFFECT INTERSTATE 65 IN KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS
2 AND 6.

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 3665 8659 3665 8688 3687 8662 3684 8659
      3682 8649 3676 8641 3675 8642 3666 8641
      3665 8644 3666 8650 3664 8657
TIME...MOT...LOC 1735Z 228DEG 26KT 3658 8674

MP

Special weather statement, May 22, 1:03 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
203 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011

KYZ071-073-221845-
ALLEN-WARREN-
103 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN...SMALL
HAIL...AND STRONG WINDS...

AT 1256 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR FRANKLIN...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN WITH RAINFALL RATES
OF AROUND ONE INCH PER HOUR REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE
MILE...SMALL PEA OR DIME SIZE HAIL...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS OF AROUND
45 TO 50 MPH...ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

* THIS STORM WILL ALSO IMPACT...
  THREE SPRINGS...
  PLUM SPRINGS...
  MOUNT VICTOR...
  MEMPHIS JUNCTION...
  DELAFIELD...
  MATLOCK AND RICH POND...
  PLANO AND DRAKE...
  ALVATON...
  HARDCASTLE AND GREENHILL...

THIS STORM WILL AFFECT INTERSTATE 65 IN KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS
20 AND 39.

THIS STORM WILL AFFECT THE NATCHER PARKWAY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 1 AND
7.

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 3677 8642 3681 8641 3684 8658 3689 8663
      3691 8663 3713 8636 3708 8628 3710 8624
      3702 8613 3691 8618 3676 8641
TIME...MOT...LOC 1802Z 226DEG 31KT 3680 8653

MP

Special weather statement, May 22, 1:12 PM EST, 1 hour 1 minute before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
212 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011

KYZ027-061-062-071-221900-
BUTLER-EDMONSON-GRAYSON-WARREN-
112 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN...PENNY
SIZE HAIL...AND STRONG WINDS...

AT 107 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES SOUTH OF MORGANTOWN...AND MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN WITH RAINFALL RATES
OF AROUND ONE INCH PER HOUR REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE
MILE...PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS OF AROUND 45 TO 50
MPH...ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

* THIS STORM WILL ALSO IMPACT...
  MORGANTOWN...
  RIVERSIDE AND GREENCASTLE...
  HORSEMILL AND ANNA...
  REEDYVILLE AND GLENMORE...
  SEGAL AND ROUNDHILL...

THIS STORM WILL AFFECT THE NATCHER PARKWAY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 27
AND 28.

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 3746 8641 3727 8614 3713 8637 3695 8661
      3719 8679
TIME...MOT...LOC 1812Z 234DEG 28KT 3711 8659

MP

Special weather statement, May 22, 1:28 PM EST, 45 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
228 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011

KYZ063-074-076-221915-
BARREN-HART-METCALFE-
128 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN...PENNY
SIZE HAIL...AND STRONG WINDS...

AT 126 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES WEST OF GLASGOW...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT
35 MPH.

FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN WITH RAINFALL RATES
OF AROUND ONE INCH PER HOUR REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE
MILE...PENNY SIZE HAIL...AND STRONG GUSTY WINDS OF AROUND 45 TO 50
MPH...ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

* THIS STORM WILL ALSO IMPACT...
  GLASGOW...
  PRITCHARDSVILLE AND BRISTLETOWN...
  GLASGOW MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AND OIL CITY...
  LECTA...
  CORAL HILL AND CAVE CITY...

THIS STORM WILL AFFECT THE CUMBERLAND (NUNN) PARKWAY BETWEEN MILE
MARKERS 11 AND 14.

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 3686 8609 3689 8609 3688 8611 3690 8614
      3692 8615 3691 8616 3692 8617 3701 8613
      3727 8582 3709 8561 3685 8606
TIME...MOT...LOC 1828Z 230DEG 25KT 3698 8604

MP

Local storm report, May 22, 2:13 PM EST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
313 PM EDT SUN MAY 22 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0312 PM     HAIL             HAWESVILLE              37.90N  86.76W
05/22/2011  M0.88 INCH       PERRY              KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

            A FEW SMALL LIMBS DOWN.

0312 PM     TSTM WND DMG     HAWESVILLE              37.90N  86.76W
05/22/2011                   PERRY              KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

            A FEW SMALL LIMBS DOWN.

&&

EVENT NUMBER LMK1100732
EVENT NUMBER LMK1100733

SZAPPANOS

The radar

The Louisville radar (KLVX), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:12 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Perry

When: May 22, 2:13 PM EST
Where: Perry County, 0.88 mi SE of Cannelton
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 37.910, -86.740

Trees were blown down.

Hail, Crawford

When: May 22, 3:00 PM EST
Where: Crawford County, 0.54 mi E of English
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.330, -86.460

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Indiana in 2011 Every state in 2011 This day in weather history Warnings in Indiana, May 2011

Sources

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: 316539, 316541.