Strong storms containing very heavy rain and isolated damaging winds moved southeast across several counties in south central Kentucky during the early morning hours on June 28th. Several of these storms trained over the same locations, causing localized flash flooding.
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.
Strong storms containing very heavy rain and isolated damaging winds moved southeast across several counties in south central Kentucky during the early morning hours on June 28th. Several of these storms trained over the same locations, causing localized flash 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 Louisville, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 27, 7:58 PM CST, 3 hours 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 958 PM EDT MON JUN 27 2011 ...FORECAST UPDATE... UPDATED THE FORECAST TO LOWER POPS SIGNIFICANTLY ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA/NRN PARTS OF NCNTRL KY AND THE NRN BLUEGRASS REGION OF KY. KEPT LIKELY POPS OVER SCNTRL KY...ALONG/S OF AN OLD OUTFLOW BOUNDARY WHERE DEWPOINTS ARE POOLED IN THE MID 70S. DEVELOPING CLUSTER OF SHOWERS/STORMS OVER CENTRAL KY...DEPICTED WELL BY OUR LOCAL WRF BETWEEN 00Z-03Z THIS EVE. THIS ACTIVITY SHUD CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE AS IT SLIDES/DEVELOPS TO THE E/SE TONIGHT TOWARD GREATER INSTABILITY...WHERE SPCS SWD ADJUSTED SLIGHT RISK RESIDES. ALL/MOST ACTIVITY SHUD BE SOUTH/EAST OF OUR FORECAST AREA BY DAWN TUE AS SYNOPTIC SCALE CDFNT REACHES SOUTHERN INDIANA. SOME ISOLATED SHOWERS/STORMS COULD ACCOMPANY FRONT...SO LEFT LO CHC POPS FROM 09Z-12Z. ON A SIDE NOTE...IT IS LIKELY A HEAT BURST OCCURRED IN THE DAVIESS/SPENCER COUNTY AREA BORDERING OUR NWRN CWA AROUND 3 PM EDT. A STORM REPORT FROM THERE INDICATED EXTREME HEAT-LIKE A BLOW TORCH- ALONG WITH HIGH WINDS (50-60 MPH WINDS). THESE WINDS DROPPED ESE INTO PARTS OF HANCOCK...BRECKINRIDGE...HARDIN...OHIO AND GRAYSON COUNTIES WHERE THE ELIZABETHTOWN MESONET RECORDED A WIND GUST NEAR 60 MPH AND A COINCIDING RISE IN TEMP/DROP IN DEWPOINT. THIS WAS ALL BEHIND DECAYING TSTMS. .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT AND TUESDAY)... WATCH 566 REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT...8 PM CDT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL KY AND PERRY COUNTY INDIANA...ALTHOUGH WILL TRY TO TRIM A FEW COUNTIES BACK WITH THE 4 PM FORECAST ISSUANCE. MCS CONTINUES TO PUSH ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS TO HAVE LOST SOME OF ITS PUNCH. -10 LI/S SIT OVER THE LAKE CUMBERLAND AREA HOWEVER...AND NEW CELLS HAVE STARTED TO POP OVER SOUTH CENTRAL KY. THIS COULD BE A SIGN OF RE-GENERATION...THEREFORE WILL CONTINUE THE SEVERE T-STORM WATCH. AGAIN THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS. THE REST OF THE EVENING REMAINS IN QUESTION DUE TO THE MCS/S THAT HAVE MOVED THROUGH THE AREA TODAY. A WELL DEFINED WARM FRONT THAT WAS PRESENT THIS MORNING HAS BEEN LOST IN ALL OF THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES THAT HAVE CROSSED OVER THE REGION TODAY. HOWEVER...A BOUNDARY DID LIE FROM ABOUT CENTRAL MO TO CENTRAL TN AS OF 19Z WITH A PARENT SFC LOW OVER NE OKLAHOMA. ANOTHER SFC LOW WAS LOCATED OVER THE WESTERN GREAT LAKES WITH A COLD FRONT EXTENDING DOWN THROUGH WISCONSIN/ILLINOIS AND THEN BACK WESTWARD INTO MISSOURI. THIS FRONT IS PROGGED TO MOVE THROUGH THE AREA BETWEEN 6Z TO 12Z OVERNIGHT. BEFORE THIS FROPA THOUGH...AT LEAST ONE MORE ROUND OF CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO FIRE ALONG THE COLD FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND PUSH ESE THIS EVENING. DEPENDING ON EXACTLY WHERE THE BOUNDARY FROM THE CURRENT MCS LAYS OUT MAY INFLUENCE THE TRACK OF THIS NEXT ROUND OF STORMS. ALSO...STORM INITIATION LOCATION IS IN QUESTION AS MODELS POINT TO CENTRAL MO WHILE OBS INDICATE REALLY GOOD CONVERGENCE OVER CENTRAL IL. IF STORMS CAN INITIATE FAR ENOUGH EAST OVER ILLINOIS AND TRAVEL E SLIGHTLY SE...THEN AT LEAST WESTERN AND SOUTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FA WILL GET ANOTHER ROUND OF STRONG STORMS. IF STORM INITIATION IS FARTHER WEST...WE MAY MISS A SECOND ROUND OF STRONG STORMS THIS EVENING ALL TOGETHER. AFTER MIDNIGHT...ONLY SOME RESIDUAL SHOWERS/T-STORMS ARE EXPECTED ALONG THE FRONT AS THE IT PASSES THROUGH THE REGION. TEMPS LOOK TO BE MILD THIS EVENING WITH LOWS IN THE LOWER 70S. HIGHS TOMORROW SHOULD REACH THE MID 80S ALTHOUGH CLEARING OF CLOUDS MAY HAMPER THE TEMP FORECAST SOMEWHAT. .LONG TERM (TUESDAY NIGHT - MONDAY)... MODEL CONSENSUS CONTINUES TO SHOW HIGH PRESSURE SLOWLY PROCEEDING FROM THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TUESDAY NIGHT TO THE SOUTHEAST UNITED STATES BY FRIDAY NIGHT...KEEPING US DRY DURING THAT TIME PERIOD. WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WILL SEE THE MERCURY RISE INTO THE MIDDLE AND UPPER 80S...WITH 90S LIKELY ON FRIDAY. A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL SLIP IN FROM THE NORTHWEST THIS WEEKEND...PROVIDING US WITH A CHANCE OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS EACH OF THE THREE DAYS SATURDAY THROUGH THE FOURTH. AT THIS TIME IT LOOKS LIKE THE MOST LIKELY DAY FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE SUNDAY. HIGH TEMPERATURES EACH DAY WILL BE AROUND THE 90 DEGREE MARK. && .AVIATION (00Z TAF ISSUANCE)... RE-DEVELOPMENT OF TSTMS IS EXPECTED EARLY IN THIS PERIOD...MAINLY ACROSS CENTRAL/SCNTRL KY WITH CLUSTERS OF STORMS DROPPING SEWD INTO TENNESSEE BY 10Z. THIS ACTIVITY EXPECTED AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT... EXTENDING FROM N/W ILLINOIS INTO MISSOURI ATTM. FRONT WILL MOVE THRU THE SDF AND LEX SITES BY LATE MORNING ON TUE AND THRU BWG BY MIDDAY OR EARLY AFTERNOON. IN GENERAL...VFR CONDITIONS WIL PREVAIL WITH THE GREATEST CONCENTRATION OF STORMS IN THE BWG VCNTY LATE TONIGHT. SHOULD A TSTM CORE MOVE ACRS BWG...WILL AMEND TO A LOWER FLIGHT CATEGORY...AS LOW AS LIFR IN VSBY. WILL MONITOR FOR THAT POSSIBILITY. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... KY...NONE. IN...NONE. && UPDATE.........KIRKPATRICK SHORT TERM.....AMS LONG TERM......13 AVIATION.......DK/11
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 1015 PM EDT MON JUN 27 2011 KYZ027>029-038>041-045>049-053>057-061>067-070>078-081-082-280800- GRAYSON KY-HARDIN KY-BULLITT KY-SPENCER KY-ANDERSON KY- WOODFORD KY-FAYETTE 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- 1015 PM EDT MON JUN 27 2011 /915 PM CDT MON JUN 27 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...OVERNIGHT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT...A FEW MAY REACH SEVERE LEVELS WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS BEING THE PRIMARY THREAT. STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE FREQUENT LIGHTNING...TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS AND SMALL HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED STORMS ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH THE REGION. STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN THIS WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO REPORT DAMAGING WINDS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE. INZ076>079-083-084-089>092-KYZ023>026-030>037-042-043-280800- 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-JEFFERSON KY-OLDHAM KY- TRIMBLE KY-HENRY KY-SHELBY KY-FRANKLIN KY-SCOTT KY-HARRISON KY- BOURBON KY-NICHOLAS KY- 1015 PM EDT MON JUN 27 2011 /915 PM CDT MON JUN 27 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...OVERNIGHT. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED OVERNIGHT...SOME MAY BE STRONG WITH WIND GUSTS OF 50 MPH BEING THE PRIMARY THREAT. OTHER STORMS WILL PRODUCE BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. ISOLATED TO SCATTERED STORMS ARE EXPECTED TUESDAY AS A COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH THE REGION. STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS. SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AGAIN THIS WEEKEND. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE REQUESTED TO REPORT DAMAGING WINDS OVERNIGHT. 11
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 1021 PM EDT MON JUN 27 2011 KYZ027-280245- GRAYSON- 921 PM CDT MON JUN 27 2011 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH WEAK ROTATION...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...AND GUSTY WINDS... AT 917 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES WEST OF LEITCHFIELD...AND MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. WEAK ROTATION...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 35 TO 45 MPH...ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * THIS STORM WILL ALSO IMPACT... LEITCHFIELD... BLACK ROCK... GRAYSON SPRINGS AND PEONIA... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS...AND AVOID USING THE TELEPHONE UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. && LAT...LON 3752 8615 3733 8625 3748 8650 3757 8646 TIME...MOT...LOC 0220Z 290DEG 19KT 3749 8639 SCHOETTMER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 1122 PM EDT MON JUN 27 2011 KYZ026-027-061>063-280400- BUTLER-EDMONSON-GRAYSON-HART-OHIO- 1022 PM CDT MON JUN 27 2011 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN...AND GUSTY WINDS... AT 1017 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 7 MILES SOUTHEAST OF LEITCHFIELD TO 7 MILES SOUTH OF HARTFORD...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...TORRENTIAL RAIN WITH RAINFALL RATES OF AROUND TWO INCHES PER HOUR REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE HALF MILE...AND GUSTY WINDS OF AROUND 35 TO 40 MPH...ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * THESE STORMS WILL ALSO IMPACT... ROCK CREEK... TILFORD AND CROMWELL... PRENTISS AND OAK GROVE... READY AND FLINT SPRINGS... THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT THE WESTERN KENTUCKY (FORD) PARKWAY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 75 AND 94. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS...AND AVOID USING THE TELEPHONE UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING. EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON LOCAL ROADWAYS. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS IF ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS. && LAT...LON 3730 8589 3723 8678 3737 8691 3748 8614 TIME...MOT...LOC 0322Z 301DEG 5KT 3742 8618 3735 8687 SCHOETTMER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 1210 AM EDT TUE JUN 28 2011 KYZ026>028-061>063-280445- BUTLER-EDMONSON-GRAYSON-HARDIN-HART-OHIO- 1110 PM CDT MON JUN 27 2011 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN...AND GUSTY WINDS... AT 1106 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES WEST OF MUNFORDVILLE TO 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF MORGANTOWN...AND MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...TORRENTIAL RAIN WITH RAINFALL RATES OF AROUND TWO INCHES PER HOUR REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE HALF MILE...AND GUSTY WINDS OF AROUND 35 TO 40 MPH...ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * THESE STORMS WILL ALSO IMPACT... MUNFORDVILLE... LEITCHFIELD... LOVE AND BEE SPRING... KESSINGER... MOUNT BEULAH AND LEITCHFIELD CROSSING... STRAW AND BIG REEDY... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS. MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS...AND AVOID USING THE TELEPHONE UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY. TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING. EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON LOCAL ROADWAYS. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS IF ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS. && LAT...LON 3726 8570 3722 8645 3747 8680 3751 8602 TIME...MOT...LOC 0410Z 286DEG 15KT 3731 8601 3729 8662 SCHOETTMER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
1253 AM EDT TUE JUN 28 2011
KYZ026-061-280545-
BUTLER-OHIO-
1153 PM CDT MON JUN 27 2011
...CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...HEAVY
RAIN...AND GUSTY WINDS...
AT 1150 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
A CLUSSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
HARTFORD...AND MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...TORRENTIAL RAIN WITH RAINFALL
RATES OF AROUND TWO INCHES PER HOUR REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS
THAN ONE HALF MILE...AND GUSTY WINDS OF AROUND 35 TO 40 MPH...ARE
EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
* THIS STORM WILL ALSO IMPACT...
HARTFORD...
SIMMONS AND KEN WYE...
MCHENRY...
COOL SPRINGS AND BEAVER DAM...
SANDEFUR CROSSING...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
FREQUENT LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS IF
POSSIBLE. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS...AND AVOID USING THE
TELEPHONE UNLESS IT IS AN EMERGENCY.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING. EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON LOCAL
ROADWAYS. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN AND TURN ON THEIR HEADLIGHTS IF
ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS.
&&
LAT...LON 3746 8708 3746 8663 3745 8663 3723 8668
3727 8699 3732 8699 3736 8703 3736 8707
3733 8709 3733 8711
TIME...MOT...LOC 0453Z 279DEG 17KT 3736 8698
SCHOETTMERThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 flash flood, 3 thunderstorm wind, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Local emergency management reported that heavy rain had flooded numerous roads across the county.
Law enforcement reported that several roads were washed out due to flooding south of Caneyville. One vehicle was later recovered from the water.
The County Emergency Dispatch reported that many primary and secondary roads were flooded and closed countywide.
Local law enforcement reported several trees were downed along Scottsville Road.
County Emergency Dispatch reported that several trees were downed both in Plum Springs and 4 miles east of Plum Springs along Glasgow Road.
Over four and one half inches of rain fell within several hours, including two inches over the hour ending at 1 am CST.
Local Emergency Dispatch reported two trees downed in the town of Franklin.
Local media reported that many roads were flooded in Bowling Green and elsewhere across the county.
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, June 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: 308466, 308467, 308468, 308474, 308475, 308471, 308476, 308470.