Hail in Kentucky, April 28, 2012

Name: Hail in Kentucky, April 28, 2012
Start: 2012-04-28T18:52
End: 2012-04-28T19:35
Location: Kentucky

April 28, 2012 · NWS LMK · 12 events in 2 counties and zones

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: 12

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.

During the late afternoon on April 28th, a stationary boundary lay across southwestern Indiana, across the city of Louisville and extending southeastward to just south of Lexington. A cluster of severe storms developed over southern Illinois during the early afternoon. One storm became predominate, growing into a high precipitation supercell that tracked east southeast along the boundary. After spreading widespread large hail across southern Indiana, this storm tracked right across the Louisville metropolitan area. Large hail fell along a path from Shively, through Churchhill Downs and Louisville International Airport, to the Fern Creek neighborhood and Billtown Road just south of Jeffersontown. Hail size averaged around 1.5 inches across the metropolitan area, with 2 inch hail reported from just east of Fern Creek. The storm began to weaken as is crossed Spencer and Shelby Counties southeast of Louisville.

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 Apr 28, 6:41 PM EST, 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 28, 6:41 PM EST, 11 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
741 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012

.Forecast Update...
Issued at 739 PM EDT Sat Apr 28 2012

Adding a row of counties to the SVR watch to the south given the
southeast track of the severe storm near the Ohio River.

Issued at 619 PM EDT Sat Apr 28 2012

Well, after a conference call with SPC, upgrading portions of our
western CWA to a Tornado Watch until 11pm EDT. If cells track right
along the warm front, a quick spin up could be possible. However, it
should be noted the main threats will be large hail and possibly
damaging winds if the storms get rooted in the boundary layer. Looks
like the largest storm headed into Orange county will be in the cool
air, so large hail is expected.

Update out shortly.

Issued at 555 PM EDT Sat Apr 28 2012

Doing a quick update to delay POPs east of I-65 this evening.
Surface boundary stretches from roughly Orange county, IN southeast
to northern Bullitt county, KY to northern Madison county, KY.
Although storms could develop once cap has broke anywhere along the
boundary, it looks like cells over southwest IN will track southeast
along the boundary, or just downstream of the boundary in the cool
air. If storms remain on the cool side of this, large hail will be
the only threat with storms. If storms become rooted in the boundary
layer, isolated damaging winds could be a threat, but at this time,
this does not look like the main scenario.

Other than tweaking POP timing and sky cover, rest of forecast is on
track. Update already sent to web.

.Short Term (Tonight through Monday morning)...
Issued at 330 PM EDT Sat Apr 28 2012

...Still a potential for scattered severe thunderstorms this
afternoon and early evening over southern Indiana and northern part
of central Kentucky...

A surface analysis shows that at 2 pm EDT a warm front extending
east southeast from southwestern Indiana through just north of
Louisville to Lexington. This front extends farther west to an area
of weak low pressure over northeastern Missouri. This boundary will
move just a little more to the northeast before stalling this
evening.

Strong instability with steep mid-level lapse rates have developed
along and just to the south of this boundary. As an ill defined
shortwave moves towards southern Indiana this evening, expect a
least scattered storms to develop right along or just to the north
of this boundary late this afternoon or early this evening. With
moderate to strong instability and uni-directional shear, these
storms may develop into more organized convection with isolated
damaging winds or large hail possible. Feel that our best chance for
scattered to numerous storms this evening will lie north of
Interstate 64. Although portions of the northern Bluegrass may
struggle to reach the lower 70s, highs this afternoon will peak in
the upper 70s to the lower 80s. Will put chances of convection
around 50% along our northern border this evening, reducing chances
to slight just south of Interstate 64.

Current and forecast soundings show a cap over southern Kentucky.
This will likely preclude convection this evening.

The wave responsible for the anticipated Indiana convection this
evening will move off to the northeast early Sunday. Any scattered
showers will diminish across the northern Bluegrass during the
pre-dawn hours Sunday. A cold front will sag south towards south
central Kentucky Sunday morning, shifting winds to the east and
bringing cooler temperatures and variable cloudiness to the northern
half of our forecast area. On Sunday, any afternoon instability will
be tempered by increased cloud cover, despite a lack of any upper
air features, will continue with a slight chance of showers.
Temperatures Sunday will range from near 70 across the Bluegrass to
the lower 80s near Tennessee.

.Long Term (Sunday Night through Friday)...
Issued at 335 PM EDT Apr 28 2012

Monday through Saturday...

Weak short waves riding through a relatively zonal upper air flow
through the week will bring a few opportunities for little more than
garden variety thunderstorms during the week. With the gulf opened
up, surface dew points will remain at or above the mid 50s until for
most of the week, helping to supply moisture for any storms that do
pop up. The most significant looking opportunity for precipitation
during the period appears to be from Thursday night through Friday
as a cold front associated with a weakening trof is progged to move
through the eastern half of the U.S.  The GFS keeps this feature
together a bit better than the ECMWF, but this far expect all model
solutions to change a few more times before the period approaches so
will generally hold POPs into the 30s and 40s.

With the juicy southerly flow off the gulf, minimum temperatures
will remain above normal through the period with readings mainly in
the 60s. Lows could drop into the 50s across the area Saturday
morning if the aforementioned cold front remains intact as it
crosses the Ohio River.

Max temps through the week will be 10-15 degrees above normal - in
the lower to mid 80s. Like the min temperatures, these should drop a
bit on Saturday after the weak cold frontal passage, but will still
be in the mid 70s to around 80.

&&

.Aviation (00Z TAF Issuance)...
Updated at 715 PM EDT Sat Apr 28 2012

Large, severe thunderstorm about 30 miles northwest of SDF will
approach the terminal by 0000z-0015z. Large hail, gusty winds over
40-50 knots possible, and VSBYs below 1SM from heavy rain will be
very likely. Lightning and a gust front should hit the airport
first, followed by the torrential rain and continued wind gusts.

This is tracking along a boundary, which continues to waver north
and south of SDF and LEX. May continue a variable wind, and handle
thunderstorm wind gusts better within a TEMPO. Thinking this will
reach LEX by 02z. BWG will remain dry with high cirrus working into
the terminal from anvil blow-off.

The threat for on and off TSRA for SDF and LEX will last through the
overnight hours, with winds shifting around to the northeast and
becoming light. After 15z tomorrow, with the front sagging south,
looks like all terminals will have a chance for TSRA but will leave
out of TAFs for now.

&&

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

Updates..........AL
Short Term.......JSD
Long Term........JBS
Aviation.........AL

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 28, 5:25 PM EST, 1 hour 27 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...CORRECTED TIME
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
625 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012

INZ076>079-083-084-090>092-KYZ030>037-039>043-049-292000-
ORANGE IN-WASHINGTON IN-SCOTT IN-JEFFERSON IN-DUBOIS IN-
CRAWFORD IN-HARRISON IN-FLOYD IN-CLARK IN-JEFFERSON KY-OLDHAM KY-
TRIMBLE KY-HENRY KY-SHELBY KY-FRANKLIN KY-SCOTT KY-HARRISON KY-
ANDERSON KY-WOODFORD KY-FAYETTE KY-BOURBON KY-NICHOLAS KY-
CLARK KY-
625 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012 /525 PM CDT SAT APR 28 2012/

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

.DAY ONE...THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA AND
NORTHERN KENTUCKY BY EARLY TO MID EVENING. MODERATE INSTABILITY
COUPLED WITH INCREASING WINDS ALOFT MAY ALLOW FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
LARGE HAIL AND ISOLATED DAMAGING WINDS WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS.
ANY THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL GENERALLY STAY ALONG AND NORTH OF
INTERSTATE 64 WHERE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT
UNTIL 11 PM EDT. ALSO...A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR
LOCATIONS WEST OF I-65. THE OVERALL THREAT WITH STRONG STORMS WILL
BE HAIL AND POSSIBLY HIGH WINDS...BUT A QUICK SPIN-UP TORNADO CAN
NOT BE RULED OUT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY WITH A BETTER CHANCE OF
MORE WIDESPREAD STORMS ON TUESDAY. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL
PRODUCE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY
RAINFALL.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND
FRIDAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED OVER SOUTHERN INDIANA THIS
EVENING.

INZ089-KYZ023>029-038-045>048-053>057-061>067-070>078-081-082-
292000-
PERRY IN-HANCOCK KY-BRECKINRIDGE KY-MEADE KY-OHIO KY-GRAYSON KY-
HARDIN KY-BULLITT KY-SPENCER KY-NELSON KY-WASHINGTON KY-MERCER KY-
JESSAMINE 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-
625 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012 /525 PM CDT SAT APR 28 2012/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL KENTUCKY.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

ISOLATED STORMS MAY DEVELOP OVER CENTRAL KENTUCKY BY MID TO LATE
EVENING...DIMINISHING IN INTENSITY AFTER MIDNIGHT. ANY STORM MAY
PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.

ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE SUNDAY WITH A BETTER CHANCE OF
MORE WIDESPREAD STORMS ON TUESDAY. ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL
PRODUCE CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...GUSTY WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY
RAINFALL.

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND
FRIDAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTH.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.

JSD/JS

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 28, 6:34 PM EST, 18 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
734 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012

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

0733 PM     HAIL             5 N CORYDON             38.29N  86.13W
04/28/2012  E1.00 INCH       HARRISON           IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            DIME SIZE HAIL COVERED THE GROUND.

&&

EVENT NUMBER LMK1200546

MRC

Local storm report, Apr 28, 6:37 PM EST, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
737 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012

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

0731 PM     HAIL             1 SE CRANDALL           38.28N  86.05W
04/28/2012  E1.50 INCH       HARRISON           IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

EVENT NUMBER LMK1200547

MRC

Local storm report, Apr 28, 6:40 PM EST, 12 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
740 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012

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

0739 PM     HAIL             GEORGETOWN              38.30N  85.97W
04/28/2012  E1.75 INCH       FLOYD              IN   EMERGENCY MNGR

&&

EVENT NUMBER LMK1200548

MRC

Local storm report, Apr 28, 6:47 PM EST, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
747 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012

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

0725 PM     TSTM WND DMG     NEW SALISBURY           38.32N  86.10W
04/28/2012                   HARRISON           IN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN.

&&

EVENT NUMBER LMK1200549

MRC

Local storm report, Apr 28, 6:49 PM EST, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
749 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012

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

0705 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MARENGO                 38.37N  86.34W
04/28/2012                   CRAWFORD           IN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            POWER LINES DOWN. ALSO HAIL LARGE ENOUGH TO DAMAGE
            CARS.

&&

EVENT NUMBER LMK1200550

MRC

Local storm report, Apr 28, 6:52 PM EST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
752 PM EDT SAT APR 28 2012

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

0752 PM     HAIL             NEW ALBANY              38.30N  85.83W
04/28/2012  E0.75 INCH       FLOYD              IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            FALLING FOR 5 TO 10 MINUTES.

&&

EVENT NUMBER LMK1200551

MRC

The radar

The Louisville radar (KLVX), 35 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:53 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Jefferson

When: April 28, 6:52 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, 2.07 mi N of Louisville
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.260, -85.780

A spotter reported half dollar sized hail in the Portland area.

Hail, Jefferson

When: April 28, 6:55 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, 1.48 mi NNW of Audubon Park
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.220, -85.740

A spotter a couple of miles east of the University of Louisville reported hail damage to several car windows. He also estimated 50 mph winds.

Hail, Jefferson

When: April 28, 6:56 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, 2 mi SSE of Louisville
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.202, -85.772

The National Weather Service Meteorologist in Charge observed 2 inch hail at Churchhill Downs.

Hail, Jefferson

When: April 28, 7:00 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, 2.69 mi WSW of Indian Hills
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.270, -85.698

A spotter reported one inch hail near the Veteran's Administration Hospital east of downtown Louisville.

Hail, Jefferson

When: April 28, 7:02 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, 0.83 mi NNW of Pleasure Ridge Park
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Broadcast Media
Coordinates: 38.160, -85.788

Louisville media reported golf ball sized hail at Iroquois Park.

Hail, Jefferson

When: April 28, 7:06 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, 0.79 mi NW of (Sdf)staniford Fld L
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Official NWS Observations
Coordinates: 38.187, -85.742

Golf ball sized hail was reported by the ASOS observer at the Louisville International Airport.

Hail, Jefferson

When: April 28, 7:07 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, 1.48 mi NNW of Audubon Park
Measured: 1.5 in hail
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 38.220, -85.740

A retired NWS employee reported 1.5 inches of hail in the Highlands area of Louisville.

Hail, Jefferson

When: April 28, 7:09 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, 0.88 mi NE of Smyrna
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.140, -85.640

Hail, Jefferson

When: April 28, 7:16 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, 0.79 mi NNW of Fern Creek
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.161, -85.584

Numerous reports of damaging hail were received from the Fern Creek area. One spotter reported 2 inch hail. Large hail damaged vehicles and the siding of several homes. A NWS employee observed many leaves stripped from trees and localized fog resulting from patches of hail left on the ground 2 hours after the storm passed.

Hail, Jefferson

When: April 28, 7:21 PM EST
Where: Jefferson County, 1.09 mi E of Fern Creek
Measured: 2 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.150, -85.560

Hail, Spencer

When: April 28, 7:30 PM EST
Where: Spencer County, Elk Creek
Measured: 1.25 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.100, -85.370

A spotter reported that one half dollar sized hail fell for 8 to 10 minutes.

Hail, Spencer

When: April 28, 7:35 PM EST
Where: Spencer County, 0.54 mi E of Taylorsville
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.030, -85.340

What these are

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 Kentucky in 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Kentucky, April 2012

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: 368053, 368054, 368055, 368056, 368057, 368059, 368062, 368063, 368061, 368064, 368065, 368066.