During the afternoon hours of June 29th, a thunderstorm complex over northern Illinois and Indiana began to organize north of a stationary boundary. The storms became more organized as they tracked through central Ohio.
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.
During the afternoon hours of June 29th, a thunderstorm complex over northern Illinois and Indiana began to organize north of a stationary boundary. The storms became more organized as they tracked through central Ohio. The complex of storms developed into a derecho as it tracked through Ohio and into West Virginia and Virginia. The resulting system produced a large area of damaging winds. As the derecho tracked through the northern portion of Kentucky, a gust front was produced and tracked south across eastern Kentucky. Numerous reports of wind damage was recieved as the gust front pushed south.
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 Jun 29, 5:10 PM EST, 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 610 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 .MESOSCALE CONVECTIVE UPDATE... ISSUED AT 610 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 UPDATED THE GRIDS AND ZONES TO REFLECT THE SEVERE AND STRONG STORMS THAT LOOK TO GRAZE OUR NORTHEAST COUNTIES OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS. THESE WILL MOVE INTO A EXTREMELY UNSTABLE AIR MASS IN PLACE THROUGH OUR NORTHEAST CWA WITH A LARGE GUST FRONT BRINGING A STRONG POTENTIAL FOR DAMAGING WINDS GIVEN THEIR HISTORY TO THE NORTH. HAVE ADDED THESE ATTRIBUTES TO THE PERTINENT GRIDS AND ZONES. ALSO BUILT UP THE WIND GUSTS IN THE NORTHEAST AND KICKED DOWN TEMPS WITH THE LIKELY RAIN/GUST FRONT. UPDATES HAVE BEEN SENT. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 315 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 THE HEAT WAVE WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND WITH HIGH PRESSURE STAYING IN PLACE. THE MAIN FORECAST ISSUES ARE TO TRY AND FORECAST THE SHORT WAVES MOVING AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE UPPER HIGH AND TRY AND DETERMINE IF THEY WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO INITIATE CONVECTION. THE HRRR WAS SHOWING A MCS TYPE OF SYSTEM BARELY EFFECTING THE AREA NORTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY. CONSIDERING THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS JUST NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA...THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WISE TO INCLUDE SOME THUNDER IN THE FORECAST. IT IS THE SAME SITUATION FOR TOMORROW...WITH ANOTHER WAVE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA. THE HEAT IS PRETTY MUCH A SLAM DUNK. WE BROKE THE THE ALL TIME RECORD FOR JACKSON AT 102 TODAY AND IT MIGHT EVEN GO UP IN THE NEXT HOUR. WILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE. LONDON ALSO HIT 102 TIED THE ALL TIME RECORD FOR THE YEAR. .LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 315 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 THE EXTENDED FORECAST PERIOD CONTINUES TO FEATURE AND BROAD AND STRENGTHENING RIDGE OVER MUCH OF THE CONUS STRETCHING FROM THE FRONT RANGE OF THE ROCKIES AND EAST OVER THE NORTHERN TIER OF THE TN VALLEY AS WELL AS THE SOUTHEAST. THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION...OR THE FORECAST CHALLENGE OF THE EXTENDED IS...WITH A PROMINENT TROUGH OVER THE NEW ENGLAND AREA AND A SERIES OF RIDGE RUNNERS DIVING SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE WESTERN FRINGE OF THE GREAT LAKES AND INTO THE OHIO VALLEY...WILL AN MCS BE ABLE TO OVERCOME OUR DROUGHT AND MAKE IT A BIT FURTHER SOUTH INTO THE EASTERN KENTUCKY AREA. AT THIS POINT...THE MODELS HANDLE THE OVERALL LONG WAVE PATTERN QUITE WELL BUT JUDGING PREVIOUS RUNS COMPARED HOW THE PATTERN HAS PANNED OUT IN THE SYNOPTIC AND MESOSCALE...AREAS THAT WOULD HAVE RECEIVED RAIN ACCORDING TO THE PAST RUNS HAVE NOT COME TO PASS. THIS PROVIDES A LOWER CONFIDENCE THAT RAINFALL WILL OCCUR IN THE EXTENDED AND GIVEN THE FACT THAT A STRONG TO DECENT CAP WILL BE IN PLACE OVER MUCH OF THE AREA. DESPITE BOTH THE EURO AND GFS SHOWING CONVECTION UNDER THE CAP...WILL LEAN TOWARDS A DRIER FORECAST. WILL RUN THE ALL MODEL BLEND AND COORDINATE WITH NEIGHBORING OFFICES TO GO ON THE DRY SIDE OF THE RESULT. AFTER THE PRODUCING THE MODEL ALL BLEND AND COORDINATION WITH NEIGHBORING FORECAST OFFICES...DECIDED TO GO WITH A DRY EXTENDED FORECAST. THE LACK OF CONFIDENCE IN MODELS PRODUCING QPF IN THE EXTENDED UNDER THE CAP AND THE WORSENING DROUGHT CONDITIONS AIDED IN THIS DECISION. BETTER INTERROGATION WILL BE NEEDED IN LATER RUNS IF EASTERN KENTUCKY IS TO GET MEASURABLE RAIN BUT SOME BETTER SUPPORT ARRIVES THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY ON THU INTO THU NIGHT THAT MAY PUT DOWN SOME MUCH NEEDED RAIN BUT AT THIS POINT...FELT A DRY FORECAST WOULD BE A BETTER REPRESENTATION. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 12Z TAFS THROUGH 12Z SATURDAY MORNING) ISSUED AT 1031 AM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 VFR WILL PREVAIL THROUGH THE PERIOD AS HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS IN CONTROL LOCALLY...WITH LIGHT WLY WINDS AROUND 5 KTS OR LESS. SOME ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY FORM NORTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY THIS AFTERNOON. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT SATURDAY NIGHT FOR KYZ044- 050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120. && UPDATE...GREIF SHORT TERM...JJ LONG TERM....SHALLENBERGER AVIATION...JJ
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 233 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-302145- 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 233 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT SATURDAY NIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. TEMPERATURES WILL CLIMB TO AROUND 100 DEGREES AGAIN TODAY RESULTING IN VERY LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES THIS AFTERNOON. WITH ONGOING DROUGHT CONDITIONS ACROSS MOST OF EASTERN KENTUCKY...THIS WILL CREATE A HEIGHTENED RISK FOR WILDFIRES TO SPREAD RAPIDLY. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM TO FORM LATE THIS AFTERNOON NORTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY. IF A STORM FORMS...IT MAY BECOME STRONG AND PRODUCE WIND GUST UP TO 45 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO CLIMB TO NEAR 100 THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK AS A LARGE RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER THE COMMONWEALTH. WITH ONGOING DROUGHT CONDITIONS PRESENT ACROSS MOST OF EASTERN KENTUCKY AND LITTLE TO NO RAIN FORECAST THROUGH THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS...THE ELEVATED THREAT FOR WILDFIRES IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. MB/JJ
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 559 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 KYZ044-050>052-059-060-104-106-292300- MENIFEE-MONTGOMERY-POWELL-ROWAN-BATH-ELLIOTT-FLEMING-MORGAN- 559 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 ...A LINE OF GUSTY THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 700 PM EDT FRIDAY EVENING... MENIFEE... NORTHEASTERN MONTGOMERY... NORTHERN MORGAN... EXTREME NORTH CENTRAL POWELL... ROWAN... BATH... ELLIOTT AND FLEMING. AT 556 PM EDT...A LINE OF GUSTY THUNDERSTORM WINDS WAS LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR FALMOUTH TO MAYSVILLE TO NEAR MANCHESTER OHIO...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 65 MPH. RESIDENTS IN ADVANCE OF THIS LINE CAN EXPECT GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH...TO BE FOLLOWED BY THUNDERSTORMS WITH BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL. ABE
The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:18 UTC.
33 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees and power lines were blown down countywide.
Numerous trees were blown down on Rock Fork Road and Highway 377.
A couple trees were blown down.
Power lines were blown down.
Numerous trees were blown down.
Trees and power lines were blown down on US 460.
A wind gust was measured on a home weather station. Also, trees were blown down at the residence.
There were trees down and power outages countywide.
The deputy director reported trees and power lines blown down throughout Menifee county. The first reports came in shortly after 7PM from around the Wellington and Big Woods area.
There was roof damage on a house in Stanton and trees and power lines down county wide.
Several trees were blown down on Highways 172 and 3214 with the initial gust front.
Numerous trees were blown down in and around Ezel.
Trees were blown down in and around town.
Trees were blown down countywide.
A tree was blown down on Miller Ridge Road.
One tree was blown down.
A tree was blown down at the junction of Hiram Branch Road and Highway 746.
The wind rolled and demolished a shed.
There were trees blown down in town and throughout the county.
There were trees down in downtown Paintsville.
Several trees blown down and power outages.
There were numerous calls of trees and power lines down.
A wind gust measured by a home weather station with an anemometer 18 feet above the ground registered as 93 mph. Several large trees up to 36 inches in diameter were blown down.
There were trees down on Highway 52.
Trees were blown with one tree holding three others back about to fall on road and homes.
A tree fell on a house causing minor damage.
The hail was the size of quarters.
Trees were blown down on Pond Creek Road.
Trees and power lines were blown down and on fire on Maynard Drive.
A power line was blown down and on fire on Chloe Road.
The roof was partially torn from a home in Mouthcard.
The hail was the size of quarters.
The wind was measured at 68 mph using a home weather station. Several trees were blown down.
A tree was blown down. The spotter estimated winds sustained at 50mph with gusts to 70mph.
There were several trees blown down.
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, June 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: 381973, 381978, 381982, 381983, 381984, 381986, 382029, 382003, 382004, 382005, 382006, 382007, 382008, 382010, 382011, 382012, 382013, 382014, 382015, 382016, 382017, 382019, 382083, 382020, 382049, 382052, 381965, 382050, 382051, 382042, 382709, 381966, 382060, 382038, 382053.