Strong thunderstorms produced very heavy rain that caused local flooding. The storms were organized into a mesoscale convective system (MCS) that tracked slowly southeast across northwest Kentucky.
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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 PAH wrote it up.
Strong thunderstorms produced very heavy rain that caused local flooding. The storms were organized into a mesoscale convective system (MCS) that tracked slowly southeast across northwest Kentucky. The storms were fueled by a southwest wind flow of very warm and humid air that averaged around 20 knots a few thousand feet above ground level. Precipitable water values near 2.3 inches supported torrential rainfall rates. The complex of storms formed along a warm front that extended from southern Missouri across southern Illinois.
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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 2, 9:42 PM CST, 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1042 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 955 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 THE GRIDDED FORECAST HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THE ONGOING CONVECTION IN SRN IL/SWRN IND/KY PENNYRILE REGION...DRIVEN MAINLY BY AN MCV. ATTM...IT APPEARS THAT STORM STRENGTH WILL CONTINUE TO DECLINE AS THE LOWER TROP STABILIZES. FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS...GUSTY WINDS...HEAVY RAIN...AND ALMOST CONTINUOUS LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS ACTIVITY AS IT MOVES EWD. SOME FLOODING MAY OCCUR. OTHER SHOWERS WITH MORE ISOLD TSTMS MAY OCCUR ACROSS SRN IL AND MOVE INTO THE KY PENNYRILE REGION LATE IN THE NIGHT...ASSISTED BY AN INCREASING LLJ. UPDATED THE AVIATION SECTION. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 308 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 WITH THE MCV PASSING JUST NORTH OF THE AREA THROUGH THE EVENING...SHOULD SEE EASTWARD PROGRESS OF CONVECTION LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING. WAS ORIGINALLY THINKING THAT LATER TONIGHT WOULD BE MOSTLY DRY BEHIND THE MCV...BUT WITH IT PASSING TO OUR NORTH WE COULD SEE SOME INCREASE THE LOW-LEVEL JET...UP TO AROUND 30KTS...ACROSS THE AREA IN THE LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS. LEFT A 30 TO 40 POP THROUGH THE NIGHT...AND INDICATED A SLIGHT SOUTHEASTWARD SHIFT TOWARD MORNING. ANY SEVERE WEATHER SHOULD BE CONFINED TO THE DIURNAL STORMS...BUT LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE A CONCERN LATER TONIGHT...IF THERE IS RE-DEVELOPMENT. ON FRIDAY WOULD EXPECT ANY LLJ-RELATED CONVECTION TO BE DYING OUT OVER WEST KENTUCKY IN THE MORNING...FOLLOWED BY DIURNAL DEVELOPMENT LATER IN THE DAY. TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB INTO THE UPPER 90S OVER SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS...WHERE THE MOST SUNSHINE IS EXPECTED...AND HEAT INDICES OVER MUCH OF THE AREA WILL CLIMB TO NEAR 105 AGAIN. GIVEN THAT AIRMASS...CANNOT RULE OUT ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS IN THE AFTERNOON. THE NAM AND GFS TRY TO BRING ELEVATED CONVECTION INTO SOUTHEAST MISSOURI MAINLY NEAR THE ARKANSAS BORDER FRIDAY NIGHT. TRIED TO EMPHASIZE THAT AREA WITH LOW CHANCE POPS IN THE LATE EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS...AFTER THE DIURNAL CONVECTION TAPERS OFF EARLY IN THE EVENING. THE GFS AND NAM EMPHASIZE THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE AREA FOR MORE CLOUDS AND CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT SATURDAY...AS A WEAK MID AND UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE PUSHES SLOWLY EASTWARD ACROSS THE REGION. LOWER CHANCE POPS SHOULD SUFFICE FOR NOW. ONCE AGAIN A STRAY SEVERE STORM CANNOT BE RULED OUT IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY. ALL GUIDANCE INDICATES THAT DEWPOINTS WILL BE POOLING OVER THE ENTIRE REGION...SO EVEN THOUGH CLOUDIER SKIES SHOULD HOLD DOWN TEMPERATURES A BIT OVER MOST OF THE AREA...HEAT INDICES MAY STILL CLIMB UP TO NEAR 105 AGAIN SATURDAY. THE MODELS ARE NOT IN THE BEST AGREEMENT FOR SATURDAY NIGHT JUST AHEAD OF A MORE SIGNIFICANT COLD FRONT. WENT WITH A BROAD BRUSH FOR 30-40 POPS FOR NOW. WILL CONTINUE WITH THE SPS TREATMENT FOR THE HEAT...DUE TO UNCERTAINTIES IN CLOUDS AND CONVECTION BOTH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. .LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 308 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 FAIRLY GOOD CONTINUITY IN THE EXTENDED FROM CURRENT GRIDS TO THE LATEST MODEL RUNS. THE FRONT IS STILL EXPECTED IN THE HEARTLAND SUNDAY HOWEVER THERE ARE SOME SLIGHT TIMING AND STRENGTH DISCREPANCIES. THE OPERATIONAL NAM12...GFS...AND ECMWF ALL AGREE ON SIMILAR ARRIVAL TIME OF THE FRONT SUNDAY. HOWEVER THE ECMWF STALLS THE PRE FRONTAL TROUGH OVER THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY WHILE THE NAM PUSHES A LITTLE FARTHER SOUTH AND THE GFS PUSHES IT ALL THE WAY THROUGH. ALSO THE GFS WANTS MOST ALL THE PRECIP TO BE PRE FRONTAL TROUGH WITH ECMWF BOTH PRE AND POST TROUGH PRECIP. FINALLY THE ECMWF STALLS THE FRONT OVER THE OHIO VALLEY BY 12Z MONDAY. THE ECMWF TRIES TO GENERATE MORE QPF OVER WEST KY MONDAY AFTER SUNRISE ALONG THE STALLED FRONT. FOR NOW WILL GO WITH A COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE NAM AND ECMWF AND TAPER POPS SUNDAY NIGHT. ALSO WILL BRING IN HIGH PRESSURE FOR THE UPCOMING WORK WEEK. THIS WILL RESULT IN MOSTLY DRY WEATHER FOR MOST OF THE WEEK. MAY HAVE TO HAVE SOME POPS TOWARD DAY 7 FOR NEXT COLD FRONT ARRIVAL. EXPECT TEMPERATURES TO COOL WITH MUCH DRIER AIR FILTERING INTO THE AREA EARLY NEXT WEEK AS THE NORTHWEST FLOW PREVAILS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z FRIDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 955 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 WDSPRD TSTM ACTIVITY WITH MODERATE TO HEAVY RAINFALL RATES OVER SRN IL/SWRN IND/KY PENNYRILE REGION WILL SLOWLY PROGRESS EWD OVERNIGHT. ANOTHER FLAREUP OF CONVECTION IS POSSIBLE AFTER MIDNIGHT AS A LLJ INCREASES. HOWEVER...THIS ACTIVITY MAY MISS THE KCGI/KPAH TAF SITES. OUTSIDE OF SHOWERS/TSTMS...GUSTY SFC WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO BE GENERALLY OUT OF THE SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST INTO THE DAY FRI...WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. MO...NONE. IN...NONE. KY...NONE. && UPDATE...DB SHORT TERM...DRS LONG TERM....KH AVIATION...DB
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 347 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-031000- JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON- WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE- HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH- WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES- LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL- UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN- MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER- RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID- 347 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING MAINLY EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY CONCERNS. LATER THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE REGION. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WOULD BE THE PRIMARY CONCERN LATER TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST ACROSS THE REGION FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THE BEST CHANCE CONTINUES TO BE WITH A COLD FRONT SATUDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY. A SEVERE STORM CANNOT BE RULED OUT EACH AFTERNOON FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...BUT ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE PERIOD. HEAT INDEX VALUES WILL CLIMB TO THE 100 TO 105 DEGREE RANGE FRIDAY AND SATURDAY AFTERNOONS...OUTSIDE OF THUNDERSTORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. DRS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 831 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 ILZ076>078-083-INZ081-082-085-086-030215- EDWARDS IL-GIBSON IN-PIKE IN-POSEY IN-VANDERBURGH IN-WABASH IL-WAYNE IL-WHITE IL- 831 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN WAYNE COUNTY... EDWARDS...NORTHEASTERN WHITE AND WABASH COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS...AND GIBSON...EXTREME NORTHWESTERN PIKE...NORTHEASTERN POSEY AND EXTREME NORTHWESTERN VANDERBURGH COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA UNTIL 915 PM CDT... AT 827 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A LARGE AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE WABASH VALLEY. THESE STORMS EXTENDED FROM ALBION TO PRINCETON...HAZLETON...AND GRAYVILLE. THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 5 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... FORT BRANCH...PRINCETON...CYNTHIANA...OWENSVILLE...HAUBSTADT... PATOKA AND HAZLETON. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY. MY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 839 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 KYZ011>013-017-030230- CALDWELL KY-CHRISTIAN KY-LYON KY-TRIGG KY- 839 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN CHRISTIAN COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY...AND SOUTHEASTERN CALDWELL...NORTHERN TRIGG AND SOUTHEASTERN LYON COUNTIES IN WESTERN KENTUCKY UNTIL 930 PM CDT... AT 837 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ENERGY...OR OVER THE LAND BETWEEN THE LAKES AREA...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... CADIZ...CANTON...COBB AND ROCKCASTLE. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. MY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 856 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 INZ081-082-086>088-KYZ018-019-030245- DAVIESS KY-GIBSON IN-HENDERSON KY-PIKE IN-SPENCER IN-VANDERBURGH IN-WARRICK IN- 856 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WARRICK...SOUTHEASTERN GIBSON... PIKE...SPENCER AND VANDERBURGH COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA...AND NORTHEASTERN HENDERSON AND NORTHERN DAVIESS COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST KENTUCKY UNTIL 945 PM CDT... AT 851 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WINSLOW TO EVANSVILLE...AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. THERE HAVE BEEN TWO REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS ALONG INTERSTATE 64 ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HEAVY RAIN. STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SOME BRIEF FUNNEL CLOUDS MAY BE OBSERVED ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF THESE STORMS. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... CHANDLER...NEWBURGH...BOONVILLE...ROCKPORT...SANTA CLAUS...GRANDVIEW...AND CHRISNEY. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY. MY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 921 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 KYZ013-015-016-020-021-030300- CALDWELL KY-HOPKINS KY-MCLEAN KY-MUHLENBERG KY-WEBSTER KY- 921 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HOPKINS...EASTERN WEBSTER... WESTERN MCLEAN...NORTHWESTERN MUHLENBERG...AND EXTREME EASTERN CALDWELL COUNTY IN WESTERN KENTUCKY UNTIL 1000 PM CDT... AT 916 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES SOUTH OF CORYDON TO DAWSON SPRINGS...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... MADISONVILLE...CALHOUN...SEBREE...EARLINGTON...MORTONS GAP... ST. CHARLES...SLAUGHTERS...HANSON...WHITE PLAINS...SACRAMENTO... AND BREMEN. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY. MY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 932 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 INZ085-KYZ014-018-030315- HENDERSON KY-POSEY IN-UNION KY- 932 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHWESTERN POSEY COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA...AND WESTERN HENDERSON AND NORTHEASTERN UNION COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST KENTUCKY UNTIL 1015 PM CDT... AT 930 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM MORGANFIELD KENTUCKY TO MOUNT VERNON INDIANA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... HENDERSON...CORYDON AND ROBARDS. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY. MY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 951 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 INZ086>088-KYZ016-018-019-030330- DAVIESS KY-HENDERSON KY-HOPKINS KY-SPENCER IN-VANDERBURGH IN-WARRICK IN- 951 PM CDT THU AUG 2 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WARRICK...SOUTHWESTERN SPENCER AND EASTERN VANDERBURGH COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA...AND EASTERN HENDERSON...WESTERN DAVIESS AND EXTREME NORTHEASTERN HOPKINS COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST KENTUCKY UNTIL 1030 PM CDT... AT 946 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM THE EVANSVILLE METRO AREA TO 10 MILES SOUTH OF HENDERSON...AND MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... NEWBURGH...CHANDLER...BOONVILLE...AND OWENSBORO. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. TORRENTIAL RAIN...WHICH MAY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS SUCH AS DITCHES AND UNDERPASSES...IS ALSO LIKELY. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE ON A FLOODED ROADWAY. MY
The Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 48 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 03:54 UTC.
1 flash flood, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Many city streets had two to three feet of water over them.
Several roadways and main routes throughout the city had about six inches of water over them.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, August 2012
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: 398255, 398256.