This event began in the early morning hours of April 27 as a squall line extending from Louisville south into Tennessee. Some of the the line was in bowing segments.
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.
This event began in the early morning hours of April 27 as a squall line extending from Louisville south into Tennessee. Some of the the line was in bowing segments. The morning event resulted in 4 severe thunderstorm warnings and 2 tornado warnings. The evening convection moved into the CWA by 5pm as an intensifying MCS moved through the CWA. Quite a few severe thunderstorm warnings were issued along with 4 tornado warnings as some embedded supercells moved up from the south. All the warnings were confined to the southern and eastern CWA. South of the Jackson CWA, a major tornadic outbreak occurred. The continued rain resulted in flash flooding across the area and lasted into the day on April 28th.
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 Apr 27, 6:43 AM EST, 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 743 AM EDT WED APR 27 2011 .SHORT TERM.../TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT/ CURRENT SURFACE MAP FEATURES DWINDLING LOW PRESSURE ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES...WITH A DEEPENING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE EXTENDING FROM TX INTO AR. EASTERN KENTUCKY REMAINS IN THE WARM SECTOR...WITH DOWNSLOPE WINDS SHUNTING INTENSE ONGOING CONVECTION OFF TO THE WEST. MOST OF THE BROADER VALLEYS AND RIDGETOPS ARE WELL MIXED...HOLDING IN THE MIDDLE 60S...WHILE SOME OF THE MORE SHELTERED HAVE COOLED DOWN TO THE MID AND UPPER 50S. BIGGEST CONCERNS OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS CONTINUE TO BE SEVERE AND FLOODING THREATS. THE MODELS GENERALLY AGREE WITH BRINGING A COUPLE OF AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE THROUGH THE TENNESSEE AND OHIO VALLEYS...THE FIRST BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND THE SECOND AND GENERALLY MORE INTENSE ONE BY EARLY THIS EVENING. THERE ARE STILL SOME MINOR TIMING...AND INTENSITY ISSUES...SO HAVE CONTINUED TO USE AN ENSEMBLE APPROACH...WHICH MAINTAINS GOOD CONTINUITY WITH THE INHERITED GRIDS. REGARDING THE SEVERE THREAT...INSTABILITY CONTINUES TO BE THE INGREDIENT IN DOUBT. DESPITE THE MORE THAN AMPLE VEERING WIND PROFILE THAT WILL BE IN PLACE...THE LATEST NAM SOUNDING DATA HAS VERY LITTLE INSTABILITY TO WORK WITH AS THE FIRST SURFACE LOW PRESSURE LIFTS THROUGH BY EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...SO THE SEVERE THREAT LOOKS LESS FAVORABLE FOR THIS FIRST ROUND. THE SECOND AND MORE INTENSE SYSTEM WILL TAKE AIM AT THE AREA BY EARLY THIS EVENING. INSTABILITY WILL BE ON THE INCREASE OUT AHEAD OF THE MAIN COLD FRONT AND THE MORE VIGOROUS SHORT WAVE TROUGH TO ROTATE THROUGH THE AREA. THE WIND PROFILE BECOMES MORE UNIDIRECTIONAL...SO BY FAR DAMAGING WIND CONTINUES TO LOOK LIKE THE BIGGEST THREAT. ANY TORNADIC ACTIVITY LOOKS TO BE OF THE QLCS NATURE...UNLESS SOMETHING MORE SUPERCELL-LIKE CAN HOLD ON AS IT COMES IN FROM THE TENNESSEE VALLEY...WHERE THE BETTER BALANCE OF INSTABILITY AND SHEAR WILL BE. THE SEVERE THREAT WILL END BEFORE 06Z AS THE COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. REGARDING THE FLOODING CONCERNS...THE LATEST 21Z SREF PROBABILITY OF EXCEEDING 2 INCHES IN 24 HOURS HAS CONTINUED TO SHUNT THE HIGHER VALUES TO THE WEST OF THE AREA FOR THE THIRD CONSECUTIVE NIGHT...HOWEVER WITH THE HIGH PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES IN PLACE AND THE WINDOW OF GOOD FORCING...THE FLASH FLOOD THREAT STILL LOOMS ACROSS THE AREA. THE WESTERN TIER OF COUNTIES WILL HAVE THE HIGHEST THREAT...WHERE DOWNSLOPE WILL HAVE THE LEAST INFLUENCE. FURTHER EAST...THE THREAT WILL BE LESS. THE CONVECTION WILL END BY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...AS THE COLD FRONT AND DEEPER MOISTURE EXIT OFF TO THE EAST. ANOTHER SHORT WAVE TROUGH DROPPING DOWN IN CYCLONIC FLOW BY THURSDAY NIGHT MAY PROVIDE ENOUGH FORCING FOR SOME ISOLATED SHOWERS...SO HAVE LEFT THIS IN THE FORECAST. FOR TEMPERATURES...HAVE FOLLOWED SUIT WITH THE COOLER TREND TO THE HIGHS TODAY...BUT WILL STILL REMAIN ON THE HIGH SIDE OF GUIDANCE...WITH THE DOWNSLOPE COMPONENT TO THE LOW LEVEL WIND. GENERALLY BLENDED THEREAFTER BETWEEN THE GUIDANCE AND THE INHERITED NUMBERS. .LONG TERM.../FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/ THE MAIN FEATURE OF THE EXTENDED IS THE FRONT DEVELOPING ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY AND TRACKING EAST INTO THE TN AND OH VALLEYS BY THE BEGINNING OF THE WORK WEEK. THE LATEST RUNS OF THE GFS AND EURO HAVE DIVERGED EVEN MORE BUT ALSO BOTH MODELS SHOWING A GENERAL SLOWING TREND. AND WHILE THE EURO CONTINUES TO HOLD TO THE SLOWING TREND...THE GFS DISPLAYS A QUICK PASSAGE. WITH SUCH AN AMPLIFIED PATTERN AND VIGOROUS RIDGE IN THE ATLANTIC...WOULD THINK A SLOWER TREND OR APPROACH WOULD BE THE BEST. HOWEVER...ENSEMBLE MEMBERS ARE QUITE OFF FROM THEIR MEANS AND THE GFS AND EURO AS WELL. GIVEN ALL THIS INFORMATION...DECIDED NOT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES ON THE TIMING IN THE GRIDS WITH SKY AND POPS. TEMPERATURES SEEM TO BE ON TRACK TOO WITH THE TYPE OF AIR MASS ON TAP. DID MAKE A FEW COSMETIC CHANGES TO THE SKY LATER IN THE WEEK. OVERALL...WHILE THEIR IS SOME UNCERTAINTIES WITH THIS FEATURE...IN BOTH EXAMPLES THE QPF IS BRIEF WITH NO EVIDENCE AT THIS POINT OF A STALLED WARM FRONT OUT A HEAD OF THE SYSTEM. ALSO THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH DOES TRANSITION FROM A POSITIVE TILT TO A NEGATIVE ON WED. WOULD VENTURE TO SUGGEST A QUICKER PASSAGE OF THE TROUGH AXIS AND THEREFORE A QUICKER END TO PRECIP...GIVEN THE WRAP AROUND MOISTURE IS MINIMAL. SO WILL DOWNPLAY FLOOD POTENTIAL WITH THIS SYSTEM AT THIS TIME. PREVIOUS LONG TERM DISCUSSION...COOLER AND LESS ACTIVE WEATHER FINALLY RETURNS BY THURSDAY INTO THE START OF THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. ANOTHER FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL PUSH INTO THE OHIO VALLEY LATE NEXT WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...PROVIDING ANOTHER ROUND OF POTENTIALLY UNSETTLED WEATHER. BY FRIDAY...HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION AND PROVIDE A FAIRLY PLEASANT END TO THE WEEK AND A NICE...DRY START TO THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. BY SATURDAY NIGHT...MODELS BEGIN TO DIVERGE A BIT ON THE TIMING OF OUR NEXT FRONTAL BOUNDARY. THE GFS IS ALREADY TRENDING SLOWER WITH THE FRONT...AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT TYPICALLY OCCURS IN THE EXTENDED. THUS...GOING TO DELAY THE ARRIVAL OF POPS SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY. I REALLY LIKE THE TIMING OF THE FRONT IN THE ECMWF...WAITING UNTIL LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY TO BRING THE FRONT ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY. THUS...WILL RESERVE THE BETTER POPS FOR SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY. THERE COULD BE SOME ACTIVITY SNEAKING INTO EAST KENTUCKY AS EARLY AS SATURDAY NIGHT...SO OPTING TO AT LEAST KEEP SOME LOW POPS IN THE FORECAST. GOING TO KEEP TEMPERATURES CLOSE TO GUIDANCE...WITH TEMPERATURES SLOWLY WARMING THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. && .AVIATION.../12Z TO 12Z/...UPDATED SURFACE ANALYSIS AS OF 1130Z SHOWS THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH OVERNIGHTS CONVECTION SWINGING NORTHEAST THROUGH THE TN VALLEY. TIME OF ARRIVAL ESTIMATES SHOWER ACTIVITY INTO SME AND LOZ IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS SO HAVE THAT IN THE TAFS AT ABOUT 13Z TO 14Z. DID KEEP IN THE THE STRONGER WINDS GUSTS TODAY AS THE STRONGER WINDS MIX TO THE SURFACE TODAY. TRENDS IN SHORT TERM MODELS AND MODEL SOUNDINGS HAVE STRONGER CONVECTION MOVING THROUGH THE AREA BY 20Z TODAY SO WILL DROP TAF SITES TO IFR AT THOSE TIMES. AT THIS POINT...HAVE THE COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH AFTER 00Z TONIGHT AND HAVE THE ASSOCIATED WIND SHIFT. STILL UNSURE OF ANY LOW CEILINGS AND REDUCTION TO VIS BUT WITH LINGERING SHOWERS WENT AHEAD AND PUT IN IFR CEILINGS AND A MVFR VIS. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR KYZ044-050>052- 058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120. && SHORT TERM...GEOGERIAN LONG TERM....KAS/SHALLENBERGER AVIATION...SHALLENBERGER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 555 AM EDT WED APR 27 2011 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-281100- 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 555 AM EDT WED APR 27 2011 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING. A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK IS POSSIBLE FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING WITH DAMAGING AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS THE PRIMARY THREAT. ADDITIONALLY...LARGE HAIL AND MULTIPLE TORNADOES ARE ALSO A POSSIBILITY. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO CONTAIN HEAVY RAINFALL AND COULD TRAIN OVER THE SAME AREAS...LEADING TO THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY OCCURRENCES OF HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS...OR EXCESSIVE RAINFALL THROUGH TONIGHT. GREIF/GEOGERIAN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 700 AM EDT WED APR 27 2011 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-272300- 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 700 AM EDT WED APR 27 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND FLASH FLOODING POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT... A COMPLEX AND STRONG AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL EVENTUALLY PASS THROUGH THE REGION...BRINGING A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE REGION THIS EVENING. AHEAD OF THIS...A COUPLE ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE ANTICIPATED THROUGH THIS MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON. AS THE FRONT MOVES TOWARD THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THIS EVENING...CONDITIONS WILL BECOME FAVORABLE FOR AN OUTBREAK OF SEVERE WEATHER. DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THREAT FROM ANY STORM THAT DEVELOPS...HOWEVER LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO A POSSIBILITY. THE MOST ORGANIZED STORMS COULD YIELD A SUSTAINED PATH OF SEVERE WEATHER AS THEY TRACK THROUGH THE AREA. IN ADDITION...THE FRONT...AND ANY STORMS THAT IT SPAWNS...WILL BE SLOW TO MOVE THROUGH EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO TONIGHT. THIS WILL LEAD TO A POTENTIAL FOR TRAINING THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...AND THUS A POSSIBILITY OF FLASH FLOODING. BY LATE TONIGHT...TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE 1 TO 3 INCH RANGE...WITH LESSER AMOUNTS IN FAR EASTERN KENTUCKY...AND HIGHER AMOUNTS ALONG AND WEST OF I-75. IF THESE AMOUNTS MATERIALIZE...FLOODING WILL BECOME PROBABLE ALONG THE RED RIVER...AS WELL AS ON PORTIONS OF THE CUMBERLAND AND KENTUCKY RIVERS. ANY CHANGES IN THE TRACK AND INTENSITY OF THIS SYSTEM WILL AFFECT THE TIMING OF THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT AS WELL AS TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS. RESIDENTS SHOULD STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER UPDATES TO THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION. GEOGERIAN/SHALLENBERGER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 818 AM EDT WED APR 27 2011 KYZ079-083-084-271300- PULASKI-WAYNE-MCCREARY- 818 AM EDT WED APR 27 2011 ...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 900 AM EDT WEDNESDAY MORNING... SOUTHERN PULASKI... WAYNE AND MCCREARY. AT 818 AM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED 8 MILES WEST OF SUNNYBROOK...OR NEAR ALBANY...MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...SUNNYBROOK AROUND 825 AM EDT...SLICKFORD AROUND 830 AM EDT...MOUNT PISGAH AROUND 835 AM EDT...PARMLEYSVILLE AROUND 840 AM EDT...AND CO-OPERATIVE AROUND 845 AM 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 SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. THE HEAVY RAIN WILL LIKELY CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON AREA ROADWAYS. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO DRIVE CAREFULLY. GREIF
The Louisville radar (KLVX), 152 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:36 UTC.
25 thunderstorm wind, 7 flash flood, 5 hail, 2 flood, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
There were trees down on highway 674.
There were trees down on Hollow road.
There were trees down on highway 200 at Flat Springs.
There was a tree down on a house on highway 2393.
There was a tree down along highway 1247.
There was a tree down across Beulah Heights road.
There was a tree down on highway 92 between mile marker 9 and 10.
A fallen tree was blocking the road and power lines were knocked down on Peach Tree lane near Brodhead.
The roof of a barn was blown off. A board was blown through the window of a truck. The top snapped off of a 20 inch diameter tree.
There was a tree down blocking the road on Scaffold Cane Branch road.
There was damage to a mobile home and some 3 to 4 inch diameter tree limbs down on highway 92.
There was a tree blocking the road.
There was a tree down on Campbell Branch road.
There was a tree down over highway 90 near Mills Old Riding Station.
There were trees down on Watson Ridge road, Marble Yard road, Campbell Branch road, and Cobb Hill road.
There were trees on power lines along highway 1006 and 363.
There were trees down and a roof blown off of a barn on McWhorter road.
There were 2 trees down blocking a road.
The hail was the size of quarters.
There were tree limbs 3 to 4 inches in diameter blown down.
There was 6 to 8 inches of running water over US 25.
There was a funnel cloud spotted near Fonde.
There were several roads flooded in the Irvine area. Highway 89 at 1030 Winchester road had several inches of standing water and 246 Main street also had several inches of standing water. Millers Creek at the railroad crossing had water over the road. All ditch lines were overflowing into the road. There was also standing or running water on most roadways.
There was standing water over the roadway at Dark Hollow Rd and Stacy Lane.
The hail was the size of quarters and was reported by law enforcement.
The hail was the size of quarters.
The wind gust was estimated to be up to 60 mph.
The hail was the size of quarters.
The hail was the size of quarters in Evarts.
A trained spotter reported that several 3 to 5 inch diameter limbs were blown from trees in Evarts. Some shingles were also blown off of his home as the storm passed. The spotter also reported seeing a wall cloud on the southwest flanks of the storm.
There was a mudslide with trees blocking KY 38.
A tree was blown down across a road.
There was 18 inches of water flowing on Cumberland Avenue.
Highway 192 was closed due to 4 feet of water standing on the road. Traffic near the area was being rerouted.
A tree was blown down and was blocking the roadway.
A tree was blown down and onto the road on KY Hwy 292.
Highway 1363 was closed due to high water.
Meadow Creek Rd was closed near Woodbine fire department due to high water.
Highway 26 was closed at Corbin Bypass Junction due to high water.
Big Woods Rd off of route 32 was closed due to 18 inches of water swiftly flowing over the road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, April 2011
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: 296227, 296229, 296230, 296231, 296232, 296404, 296233, 296234, 296235, 296402, 296403, 296405, 296406, 296407, 296408, 296409, 296410, 296411, 296210, 296412, 296178, 296209, 296204, 296205, 296213, 296220, 296416, 296221, 296222, 296413, 296414, 296415, 296179, 296180, 296417, 296418, 296181, 296184, 296187, 296198.