An early season severe weather outbreak occurred across eastern KY on February 28th. The first storms began moving across the area around 6am on Monday.
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.
An early season severe weather outbreak occurred across eastern KY on February 28th. The first storms began moving across the area around 6am on Monday. The final warnings were issued around 915 am. The primary mode of severe weather was lines of strong to severe storms with bowing segments and embedded supercell structures. Most of the events were straight line wind damage, with a few reports of large hail and one confirmed short lived tornado that occurred in Wolfe county.
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 Feb 28, 6:00 AM EST, 50 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 600 AM EST MON FEB 28 2011 .SHORT TERM.../THE REST OF TODAY/...UPDATED JUST SENT OUT A QUICK UPDATE OF THE ZONE FORECAST TEXT PRODUCT TO ADD TORNADO WATCH 30. THE PREVIOUS SHORT TERM FORECAST DISCUSSION FOLLOWS... /TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/ GOOD AGREEMENT AMONGST THE MODELS REGARDING THE SYNOPTIC PATTERN FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS. THE MAJOR CONCERNS FOR THIS MORNINGS FORECAST WILL BE TWO FOLD. THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS...AND PERHAPS AN ISOLATED TORNADO...WILL THE PRIMARY CONCERNS...ESPECIALLY FROM MID MORNING THROUGH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE SECOND CONCERN WILL BE THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING. WITH THE GROUND AROUND EASTERN KENTUCKY ALREADY SATURATED FROM A RAINFALL LATE LAST WEEK...MOST IF NOT ALL THE RAIN THAT FALLS TODAY WILL TRANSITION QUICKLY TO RUN OFF. THE PRIMARY CONCERN WILL BE LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING ASSOCIATED WITH THE STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT ARE EXPECTED LATER TODAY. WIDESPREAD RIVER FLOODING IS NOT A MAJOR CONCERN AT THIS TIME. A BLEND OF THE GFS AND SREF MODELS WERE USED TO CONSTRUCT THE FORECAST FROM EARLY THIS MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING. A STRONG COLD FRONT...A STRONG LOW LEVEL JET...AND A STEADY FEED OF LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO...WILL BE THE TRIGGERS FOR WIDESPREAD STRONG...AND AT TIMES SEVERE...THUNDERSTORMS TODAY. IT LOOKS AT THIS TIME THAT THE HIGHEST LIKELIHOOD OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE THE PERIOD FROM 16-21Z TODAY...WHICH COINCIDES WITH WHEN THE COLD FRONT WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA. A 50-70KT LOW LEVEL JET IS STILL FORECAST TO MOVE QUICKLY ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. THIS FEATURE WILL LIKELY BE THE STRONGEST TRIGGER FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS TODAY...AS STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS PUMP LARGE AMOUNTS OF MOISTURE INTO THE AREA. THE LATEST MODEL DATA WAS IN SYNC WITH THE INHERITED FORECAST...SO NO MAJOR CHANGES WERE REQUIRED. BASED ON THE LATEST MODEL DATA AND REAL TIME SURFACE OBSERVATIONS AROUND THE OHIO AND TENNESSEE VALLEY REGIONS...DECIDED TO BEEF UP WINDS FOR TODAY TO ACCOUNT FOR CURRENT TRENDS. WINDS HAVE ALREADY BEEN GUSTING TO AS HIGH AS 50MPH ON A COUPLE OF RIDGE TOP LOCATIONS IN THE FORECAST AREA...SO THE UPDATED WIND FORECAST SEEMED JUSTIFIED. ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS WERE NEEDED WITH THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT FORECASTS AS WELL. SOME TWEAKS WERE NEEDED TO COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT WITH SURROUNDING OFFICES...BUT OVERALL THE HOURLY TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS SINCE MIDNIGHT TONIGHT HAVE BEEN IN LINE WITH THE LATEST MODEL DATA...SO THE PREEXISTING FORECASTS FOR THOSE TWO ELEMENTS WERE KEPT PRETTY MUCH AS IS. .LONG TERM.../WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/ UNDER BENIGN RELATIVELY ZONAL FLOW ALOFT...LARGE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE FROM THE GREAT LAKES ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT TO NEW ENGLAND THURSDAY NIGHT...BRINGING DRY WEATHER LOCALLY. A MID/UPPER LEVEL IMPULSE CROSSING THE ROCKIES ON FRIDAY WILL LEAD TO SURFACE LOW DEVELOPMENT OVER TX AND MOVE NE TO OH BY LATE SATURDAY...WITH A COLD FRONT TRAILING SW FROM THE LOW. OUR PROBABILITY OF PRECIP WILL INCREASE FROM FRIDAY TO SATURDAY EVENING IN THE WARM AIR ADVECTION ZONE WITH THE COLD FRONT APPROACHING. SIGNIFICANT MODEL DISCREPANCIES STILL EXIST...ESPECIALLY FROM SATURDAY NIGHT ONWARD. THE ECMWF IS WANTING TO DEVELOP A CLOSED UPPER LOW FROM THE WAVE AS IT MOVES OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER TO THE TENNESSEE VALLEY. HOWEVER...THIS IS NOT AS EXTREME AS THE SOLUTION FROM 24 HOURS AGO...WHEN THE LOW CLOSED OFF FURTHER SW...AND IT IS CLOSER TO THE GFS SOLUTION. NEVER-THE-LESS...FORECAST CONFIDENCE IS LOW FOR THE WEEKEND...ESPECIALLY SUNDAY...AND HAVE STILL USED A COMPROMISE. && .AVIATION.../06Z TO 06Z/ THE PRIMARY CONCERN THROUGH ABOUT 8Z TONIGHT WILL BE LOW LEVEL WINDS SHEAR...AS STRONG WINDS A FEW THOUSAND FEET ABOVE THE GROUND MIX DOWN TO THE SURFACE AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. RAIN SHOWERS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP AND BEGIN AFFECTING THE TAFS SITES AGAIN AROUND 8Z AS WELL. CIGS WILL QUICKLY DECREASE TO MVFR BETWEEN 15 AND 16Z...AS THUNDERSTORMS BEGIN TO FIRE ALONG THE APPROACHING FRONT. THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE THIS AFTERNOON...WITH STRONG WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL THE PRIMARY THREATS. A TEMPO GROUP WAS INTRODUCED FOR THE PERIOD 17-22Z TO COVER ADDRESS THE THREAT OF SEVERE WEATHER AT THE TAF SITES. SHOWERS AND STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO LAST FROM ROUGHLY 16Z THIS MORNING THROUGH 22 OR 23Z THIS AFTERNOON. IFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. IFR CIGS WILL LIKELY PERSIST AT THE TAF SITES FROM ROUGHLY 0-6Z TONIGHT...BEFORE THE FRONT FINALLY MOVES OUT OF THE AREA AND COOLER DRIER MOVES IN BEHIND IT...HELPING TO QUICKLY CLEAR THINGS OUT. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR KYZ044-050>052- 058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120. FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR KYZ044-050>052-058>060- 068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120. && SHORT TERM...AR LONG TERM....HAL AVIATION...AR
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 559 AM EST MON FEB 28 2011 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-011400- 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 559 AM EST MON FEB 28 2011 ...TORNADO WATCH 30 IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON... ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A MAJOR SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK IS POSSIBLE TODAY. THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WILL BRING THE THREAT OF WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS...ALONG WITH SOME HAIL AND A THREAT FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES. IN ADDITION...HEAVY RAIN OF 1 TO 3 INCHES MAY RESULT IN FLASH FLOODING AND GENERAL FLOODING OF SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS. ROCK AND MUD SLIDES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. RUNOFF FROM THE RAIN ON MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT WILL CAUSE MANY AREA RIVERS TO QUICKLY RISE...WITH SOME RIVERS POSSIBLY REACHING FLOOD STAGE ON TUESDAY. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE SATURDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY INSTANCES OF SEVERE WEATHER AND FLOODING TODAY TO THE JACKSON WEATHER OFFICE. AR
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
642 AM EST MON FEB 28 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0633 AM TSTM WND GST 10 N SALYERSVILLE 37.89N 83.06W
02/28/2011 M40 MPH MORGAN KY TRAINED SPOTTER
40 MPH GUST
&&
MBThe Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 59 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:47 UTC.
33 thunderstorm wind, 10 flood, 3 hail, 2 heavy rain, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Numerous trees and power lines were blown down county wide. Areas affected included Ravenna, Wagersville, McKee, Cow Creek, and Richmond Rd. Power outages were also reported across the county.
Trees were blown down on Winchester Road just north of the town of Palmer on the Estill Clark county line.
Numerous trees were blown down around the county between about 7 and 10 am. Four to five thousand people were without power during the morning hours.
Numerous large trees had been blown down. Several out buildings were also damaged or had their roofs blown off in the Hardwick Creek area.
A tree at least 12 inches in diameter was blown down and onto power lines, blocking Hwy 715 just south of Rogers.
Several roads across the county were under water.
A resident of Shady Lane, in Irvine, reported that her metal shed had been severely damaged by thunderstorm wind gusts on Monday morning.
A tree was blown down and onto the corner of a home located at the intersection of Estill Ave and River Drive in Irvine.
Downed power lines blocked the road at the intersection of Hardwicks Creek and Frames Branch Roads southwest of Stanton.
Large tree limbs were partially blocking the road at the intersection of James Crowe Hollow and Cat Creek Roads.
Powers outages were reported around the county. Numerous trees were blown down around the county as well.
Trees were blown down on Hwy 1010 in Toliver.
One inch diameter hail was reported in Campton.
Several houses along Landsaw Rd sustained roof damage. Several trees were also blown down along the Mountain Parkway near Landsaw.
A spotter reported that his lawn furniture was being blown around by thunderstorm wind gusts 3 miles south of Canel City. Pea size hail was also falling when the report was called in.
Large trees were blown down along KY 1010 and the Mountain Parkway by thunderstorm wind gusts 1 mile north of Lexie.
Power outages were reported in Calaboose.
An overhang porch and pieces of siding were torn off a mobile home in Gilmore.
Tree limbs the size of a persons arm were being blown down in the community of Pulaski south of Eubank.
The Lee county superintendent reported that all of the schools across the county were without power.
An amateur radio operator reported a wind gust of 53 mph in Wonnie. He also reported the 0.26 inches of rain had fallen in about 30 minutes at his location.
An EF-1 tornado was confirmed to have touched down 1 mile north of Gilmore. The tornados track was one quarter of a mile long and 100 yards wide. Numerous trees were snapped and scattered along the tornados path. One mobile home had its roof blow off and was also pushed about 5 feet off of its foundation. One barn was destroyed. Two other mobile homes had roof and siding damage. One outbuilding used as a sawmill was also destroyed.
Several large trees were blown down or snapped off along the Mountain Parkway near mile marker 68 in Kernie.
A double wide trailer was blown over and had the roof blown off. A single wide trailer had most its roof blown off as well. One large apple tree was uprooted as well. The damage occurred at Long Branch just west of Salyersville.
A trained spotter reported a thunderstorm wind gust of 50 mph in the community of Burnside.
A trailer was blown over within the city limits of Salyersville.
Numerous reports were received of downed trees from around the county, including Talbert and Jackson.
Bowlings Creek Rd was closed due to water over the road.
Some minor flooding from ditches and culverts was occurring as water was backing up onto roadways. An observer also reported 1.68 inches of rain during the day on Monday.
The Pulaski county EM received numerous reports of downed trees and structural damage from around the county. Reports were received of shingles being blown off of roofs and of a carport being blown into a street and causing damage to an occupied car.
The Public Safety Director reported that a fiberglass greenhouse had been blown about 100 feet off its foundation during the height of the storm. Other debris had also been blown up to 500 feet away from where the greenhouse formally sat.
An employee of Alton Blakely Ford south of Somerset reported that extensive damage occurred to numerous vehicles on the car lot, the dealership sign, the showroom roof, and the buildings HVAC system. The paint, windshields, and headlights of numerous vehicles had been damaged to varying degrees by flying debris. The thunderstorms winds blew a piece of the damaged fiberglass sign through the windshield of one of the cars on the dealership lot.
Wind damage occurred to a house and a building on the Sweet Hollow Golf course. A mobile home was also damaged when a tree fell on it.
Trees were blown down and the roof of a barn was blown off on Buffalo Branch Road near Siler in Knox county. An RV was also blown over at this location.
A daycare center operator near Siler reported that trees were blown down on Rocky Branch Road off Ohler Road. The day care center building was lifted off its foundation, resulting in damage to the building. One witness reported that they saw water lifted from a nearby pond. Other witnesses reported hearing a loud roar as the storm approached.
Quarter size hail was reported in Pikeville.
Shallow flood water was flowing across Hwy 1056 in McCarr, about a quarter of a mile south of Buskirk. Small hail was being washed across the road by the flood water at the same location.
Numerous creeks and streams around the county were at or out of there banks, including areas around the Poor Fork, Be Tree Creek, and Race Track Hollow near Hwy 7.
Slate Creek was out of its banks at numerous locations around northwestern Menifee county near the Montgomery county line.
Streams and creeks around the area were at or approaching bankful. A few low water crossings had water over the road.
Highway 3401 at the Dry Fork community has a foot of standing water over the road.
Some minor street flooding was still occurring in Jenkins.
Highway 7 in Red Star was still flooded.
Highway 160 was closed temporarily due to a tree having been blown across it.
Numerous trees were blown down around the county.
An 8 by 12 foot shed was moved about 40 feet by a thunderstorm wind gust. A few shingles and some siding was torn off one structure. An unsupported concrete block wall was also knocked over. The damage occurred at the corner of 23rd and Winchester Streets in Middlesboro.
The storm total rainfall since 930 am was 1.5 inches.
Several roads were impacted by flooding. Bee Tree Branch, Long Branch, and Star Roads were closed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kentucky, 2011Warnings in Kentucky, February 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: 276085, 276095, 276093, 276101, 276105, 276151, 284441, 284442, 284444, 284446, 276676, 276108, 276328, 276329, 276110, 276330, 276675, 276333, 276111, 276112, 276113, 276026, 276335, 276115, 276114, 276116, 276119, 276146, 276153, 276118, 284439, 284440, 276120, 276123, 284452, 276124, 276340, 276125, 276147, 276148, and more.