An area of showers and thunderstorms moved across the area during the morning hours. This heavy rain caused flooding across the region.
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 ILN wrote it up.
An area of showers and thunderstorms moved across the area during the morning hours. This heavy rain caused flooding across the region.
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 Wilmington, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 3, 7:39 AM EST, 1 hour 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
839 AM EDT TUE MAY 3 2011
.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT SITUATED SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE
SLOWLY TO THE EAST. AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL MOVE INTO THE
OHIO VALLEY FROM THE SOUTHWEST TODAY ALLOWING FOR ADDITIONAL
PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE AREA.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...
A POSITIVELY TILTED UPPER LEVEL TROF OVER THE UPPER MS VALLEY TO
SLIDE EAST INTO THE GREAT LAKES/OHIO VALLEY OVERNIGHT. A MOIST SWRLY
FLOW UPPER LEVEL FLOW WL CONTINUE TODAY AHD OF THIS TROF AXIS. WARM
AND MOIST ASCENT IN THE FORM OF A 55-60 KT LLJ WL PROVIDE AFFECT
PORTIONS OF NE KY/S CNTRL/ CNTRL OHIO THIS MORNING. THIS LIFT
COMBINED WITH PW/S AROUND 1.5 INCHES WL RESULT IN MODERATE TO
LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AT TIMES. EXPECT 0.5 TO 1.25 INCHES OF ADDITIONAL
RAIN BEFORE DIMINISHING LATE THIS AFTN. THEREFORE...HAVE ADJUSTED
THE FLOOD WATCH DROPPING THE FAR NW AND ADDING THE SE COUNTIES
WHERE THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS EXPECTED.
LITTLE DIURNAL TEMP RISE IS EXPECTED TODAY. HAVE ACCOUNTED FOR RAIN
COOLED AIR AND CUT BACK ON HIGHS.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/...
ONLY A FEW SHOWERS WILL LINGER INTO TONIGHT. SOME INSTABILITY
SHOWERS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY AND THEN HIGH PRESSURE WILL
BUILD IN FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. WITH CLEARING SKIES
AND LIGHT WINDS WEDNESDAY NIGHT TEMPERATURES WILL DROP INTO THE
30S. THIS WILL ALLOW FOR SOME FROST FORMATION. CONTINUED TO
MENTION THIS THREAT IN THE HWO. AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL
MOVE THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY BRINGING ANOTHER CHANCE OF
RAIN TO THE AREA. ANOTHER AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE IN
BRIEFLY FOR FRIDAY NIGHT ALLOWING FOR DRY CONDITIONS. WARMEST DAY
DURING THE SHORT TERM WILL BE THURSDAY WITH MORE SUNSHINE PRESENT
AND SOUTHERLY WINDS.
&&
.LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
MODELS HAVE COME INTO SLIGHTLY BETTER AGREEMENT FOR SATURDAY AND
BRING ANOTHER WAVE OF PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE AREA. LATEST ECMWF
HAS COME BETTER IN LINE WITH THE GFS IN KEEPING SUNDAY DRY HOWEVER
DUE TO RUN TO RUN DISCREPANCIES DECIDED NOT TO TAKE PRECIPITATION
OUT COMPLETELY AT THIS TIME.
USED A BLEND OF NCEP HPC GUIDANCE/00Z ECMWF FOR MONDAY.
MUCH UNCERTAINTY EXISTS AMONGST THE MODELS FOR EARLY NEXT AS TO HOW
THE UPR LVL WEATHER PATTERN WILL EVOLVE. HAVE KEPT MONDAY DRY FOR
NOW. TEMPERATURES WILL BE SLIGHTLY BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS.
&&
.AVIATION /13Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
RAIN WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH TO THE EAST WITH A DIMINISHING TREND
THROUGH THE DAY. CEILINGS ARE GENERALLY MVFR TO START BUT GUIDANCE
STRONGLY POINTS TO THEM LOWERING TO IFR. ASSUMING THIS HAPPENS
THEN THERE SHOULD BE SOME IMPROVEMENT LATE IN THE DAY WITH SOME
LOCATIONS EVEN GOING VFR THIS EVENING. HOWEVER A SECONDARY
DISTURBANCE DROPPING INTO THE REGION WILL BRING MVFR CEILINGS BACK
INTO THE AREA WITH SOME ADDITIONAL SHOWERS POSSIBLE.
OUTLOOK...MVFR CEILINGS WILL LIKELY CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY
MORNING. MVFR CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES POSSIBLE AGAIN ON FRIDAY.
&&
.ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OH...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR OHZ053-060>065-
070>074-077>082-088.
KY...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR KYZ089>100.
IN...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 6 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR INZ066-073>075-080.
&&
SYNOPSIS...NOVAK
NEAR TERM...AR
SHORT TERM...NOVAK
LONG TERM...HICKMAN/NOVAK
AVIATION...HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH 349 AM EDT TUE MAY 3 2011 INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-KYZ089>096-OHZ026-034-035-042>044- 051>053-060>062-070-071-077-078-040900- WAYNE-FAYETTE IN-UNION IN-FRANKLIN IN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-OHIO- SWITZERLAND-CARROLL-GALLATIN-BOONE-KENTON-CAMPBELL-OWEN-GRANT- PENDLETON-HARDIN-MERCER-AUGLAIZE-DARKE-SHELBY-LOGAN-MIAMI-CHAMPAIGN- CLARK-PREBLE-MONTGOMERY-GREENE-BUTLER-WARREN-HAMILTON-CLERMONT- 349 AM EDT TUE MAY 3 2011 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL INDIANA...SOUTHEAST INDIANA...NORTHERN KENTUCKY...MIAMI VALLEY OF OHIO...SOUTHWEST OHIO AND WEST CENTRAL OHIO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. FLOOD WATCH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. COLD AIR AND CLEARING SKIES COULD LEAD TO SOME FROST WEDNESDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS AND COCORAHS OBSERVERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT RAINFALL TOTALS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. KYZ097>100-OHZ045-046-054>056-063>065-072>074-079>082-088-040900- BRACKEN-ROBERTSON-MASON-LEWIS-UNION OH-DELAWARE-MADISON-FRANKLIN OH- LICKING-FAYETTE OH-PICKAWAY-FAIRFIELD-CLINTON-ROSS-HOCKING-BROWN- HIGHLAND-ADAMS-PIKE-SCIOTO- 349 AM EDT TUE MAY 3 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...NORTHERN KENTUCKY...CENTRAL OHIO...SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO AND SOUTHWEST OHIO. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. PERIODS OF RAIN WILL OCCUR TODAY. ALTHOUGH RAIN IS NOT FORECAST TO BE PARTICULARLY HEAVY...SATURATED GROUNDS MAY LEAD TO SOME LOCALIZED MINOR FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. COLD AIR AND CLEARING SKIES COULD LEAD TO SOME FROST WEDNESDAY NIGHT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS AND COCORAHS OBSERVERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT RAINFALL TOTALS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
828 AM EDT TUE MAY 03 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0825 AM FLOOD WEST UNION 38.79N 83.54W
05/03/2011 ADAMS OH LAW ENFORCEMENT
SOME COUNTY ROADS ARE COVERED WITH HIGH WATER.
&&
BRIANCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
847 AM EDT TUE MAY 03 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0845 AM HEAVY RAIN MCKINNEYSBURG 38.60N 84.27W
05/03/2011 M3.72 INCH PENDLETON KY MESONET
AT THE RIVER GAUGE ON THE LICKING RIVER. 24-HR TOTAL.
&&
BINAUPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
849 AM EDT TUE MAY 03 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0845 AM HEAVY RAIN POWERSVILLE 38.66N 84.11W
05/03/2011 M2.34 INCH BRACKEN KY MESONET
24-HOUR TOTAL.
&&
BINAUPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
916 AM EDT TUE MAY 03 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0914 AM HEAVY RAIN 4 SE TOLLESBORO 38.53N 83.52W
05/03/2011 M1.03 INCH LEWIS KY TRAINED SPOTTER
SINCE 5/2/2011 PM
&&
ASLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
917 AM EDT TUE MAY 03 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0914 AM HEAVY RAIN GOSHEN 39.23N 84.16W
05/03/2011 M1.65 INCH CLERMONT OH TRAINED SPOTTER
SINCE 5/2/2011 PM
&&
ASLPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
1017 AM EDT TUE MAY 03 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1002 AM FLOOD WEST UNION 38.79N 83.54W
05/03/2011 ADAMS OH LAW ENFORCEMENT
CREEKS RISING AND THREATENING HOMES. STATE ROUTE 41 ALONG
THE ADAMS AND BROWN COUNTY LINE CLOSED. STATE ROUTE 73
SOUTH OF PEEBLES CLOSED. ROUTE 247 SOUTH OF WEST UNION
FLOODED.
&&
MIKEGThe national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Water covered roadways due to heavy rainfall.
Roads were closed due to high water.
A creek overflowed and covered parts of the road due to heavy rainfall.
Six county roads were closed due to high waters.
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, May 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: 299249, 299251, 299254, 299256.