On the second day of a developing heat wave, under a sunny sky, afternoon temperatures reached above 100 degrees across most of northeast Kentucky. For example, Warnock in Greenup County had 104 degrees.
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 RLX wrote it up.
On the second day of a developing heat wave, under a sunny sky, afternoon temperatures reached above 100 degrees across most of northeast Kentucky. For example, Warnock in Greenup County had 104 degrees. Both Grayson and Ashland reached 103 degrees that Friday afternoon. Meanwhile, an area of multi-cellular convection had moved out of northern Illinois that morning. It continued to organize and strengthen, as it propagated east and southeast across northern Indiana into western Ohio during the afternoon. As it moved toward southeast Ohio, it had already formed into a large arch of storms, or bow, with a developing cool pool in its wake. The temperature contrast between the air ahead of the developing derecho, compared to that in its wake was reaching 30 to 35 degrees. The resultant wind shift in the cool pool resulted in strong moisture convergence on the leading edge of the complex. This in turn, helped drive the storms further southeast, away from the mid and upper level wind support. However, the complex was diving right into that hot air that had obtained large convective available potential energy, on the order of 4000 to 5000 j/kg.
The complex crossed the Ohio River into northeast Kentucky just after the hottest time of the day. The outflow, or gust front, had already outraced the rain. There were even brush fires ahead of the gust front. The wind with the gust front picked up dust and debris in some areas. The mature system caused the strong gusts to be longer in duration than found in most severe thunderstorms. In some cases the strong wind gusts lasted around 10 minutes.
Wind gusts of 55 to 70 mph were likely with the leading gust front across portions of northeast Kentucky. In the wake of these stronger winds gusts, the storms only provided around a third of an inch of rain or less. Warnock had around a third of an inch of rain, while Ashland measured only 0.14 inches. Grayson had a meager 0.08 inches.
The wind caused trees and large branches to fall in scattered locations. Roads were temporarily blocked. However, the largest impact was on the electric power grid. Prolong power outages occurred. The lack of electricity in the midst of the heat wave, disrupted the daily routines of many citizens for several days. On the order of 25 to 30 thousand customers were without electricity in these 4 northeast Kentucky counties. It took some 4 to 7 days to restored electricity in some areas. Workers trying to restore the electricity had to take frequent breaks due to the heat and the safety equipment they had to wear. Water and ice were in high demand. Refrigerated food spoiled.
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 Charleston, WV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 29, 4:21 PM EST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
521 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012
.SYNOPSIS...
EVEN WITH A WEAK FRONT IN THE VICINITY THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO
NEXT WEEK...THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE...AND THE HEAT
HOLDS WITH HEAT ADVISORY AGAIN SATURDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH SATURDAY/...
515 PM UPDATE...MADE A FEW TWEAKS...MAINLY JUST TO THE CLOUD
FORECAST...OTHERWISE CURRENT TIMING OF MCS MOVING THROUGH AREA
LOOKS GOOD IN THE GRIDS. SEVERAL REPORTS OF 70-80MPH PLUS WINDS
ALONG WITH DAMAGE HAVE BEEN RECEIVED...TO THE WEST OF OUR CWA.
RADAR ALSO INDICATES 60-70KT VELOCITY SIGNATURES.
PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS...
VERY TRICKY FORECAST IN ALL ASPECTS AS MESOSCALE FEATURES WILL
DOMINATE OUR WEATHER THROUGH SATURDAY...EVEN WITH A WEAK FRONT
VICINITY OF OUR CWA. IN THIS SCENARIO...THE HI RES MODELS WILL BE
USED EXCLUSIVELY TO DETERMINE WHAT OUR MAIN PLAYER WILL BE FOR
TONIGHT AND AGAIN SATURDAY.
THE MAIN PLAYER TONIGHT IS AN IMPRESSIVE MCS COMING ACROSS NORTHERN
INDIANA AT TIME. ALL INDICATIONS ARE THAT THIS MCS WILL ROLL THRU AT
LEAST THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA EARLY TONIGHT...WILL HAVE HIGH
POPS NORTH WITH LITTLE FAR SOUTH...DUE TO CAP BEING STRONGER SOUTH.
POPS SHOULD END QUICKLY REMINDER OF NIGHT BEHIND THE EARLY MCS.
FOR SATURDAY...WILL CONCENTRATE LOWER AFTERNOON POPS UP NORTH CLOSER
TO THE FRONT...BUT AGAIN MESOSCALE INFLUENCES WILL BE THE KEY SUCH
AS LINGERING OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES AND POOLED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE LEFT
BEHIND THE MCS.
WILL CONTINUE TO GO WITH A GOOD DEAL OF SUNSHINE SATURDAY...AND
COMBINED WITH THE HIGHER DEWPOINTS...WILL HAVE ANOTHER HEAT ADVISORY
FOR THE LOW LANDS SIMILAR TO TODAY. TEMPS QUITE WARM TONIGHT AND
SIMILAR HIGH TEMPS SATURDAY AS TODAY.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
NORTHWEST FLOW ALOFT IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE PERIOD...WITH A WEAK
FRONTAL BOUNDARY HANGING AROUND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK. HARD TO
DETERMINE THE EXACT TIME AND LOCATION OF CONVECTION THROUGH THE
PERIOD...WITH MODEL VARIABILITY IN MESOSCALE FEATURES. SO HAVE
GENERAL SLIGHT CHANCE TO CHANCE POPS...WITH MAX POPS DIURNALLY
DRIVEN...THEN DROPPING OFF SOME OVERNIGHT. IF AN MCS FORMS
UPSTREAM...HIGHER POPS MAY BE NEEDED AS DETAILS ARE RESOLVED. HIGH
AND LOW TEMPERATURES COULD GREATLY VARY DEPENDING ON WHEN AND WHERE
CONVECTION AND CLOUD DEBRIS MOVE THROUGH. NO CONFIDENCE TO DETAIL
THIS AT THIS POINT...SO STAYED MORE WITH THE SYNOPTIC TEMPERATURE
PATTERN OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPS. IN GENERAL...HIGHS IN THE 90S AND
LOWS IN THE UPPER 60S AND LOWER 70S ARE EXPECTED ACROSS THE
LOWLANDS. HIGHER ELEVATIONS WILL SEE HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S AND
80S...WITH LOWS IN THE 60S.
&&
.LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/...
RIDGE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE BUILDING OVER THE CENTRAL US...WITH HOT
WEATHER STICKING AROUND. WITH UPPER LEVEL NORTHWEST FLOW ON THE
EASTERN SIDE OF THE RIDGE THE GFS SHOWS A TRAIN OF UPPER LEVEL
IMPULSES/CONVECTIVE COMPLEXES SLIDING ACROSS THE REGION...MIXED WITH
SOME POTENTIAL DIURNAL ENHANCEMENT AS WELL. THE 00Z ECMWF KEEPS
THINGS MUCH MORE DIURNAL. WITH THE NORTHWEST FLOW...THINK THAT THE
GFS IS REASONABLE IN HINTING AT MCS/S...BUT OF COURSE TIMING AND
LOCATION ARE HARD TO PIN DOWN AT THIS POINT.
&&
.AVIATION /21Z FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
18Z FRIDAY THRU 18Z SATURDAY...
MAIN FEATURE WILL BE AN MCS TO ROLL ACROSS MAINLY THE NORTHERN HALF
OF THE CWA BETWEEN 23Z AND 06Z TONIGHT...AFFECTING PKB...CKB AND
EKN....WITH CRW ON THE SOUTHERN EDGE. GUSTY WINDS LIKELY WITH SOME
OF THE STORMS. OUTSIDE CONVECTION...VFR. ONCE CONVECTION
PASSES...EXPECT AT LEAST MVFR FOG AT THESE TERMINALS UNTIL 13Z.
AFTER 13Z...VFR WITH GENERALLY SCT050.
FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY...
FORECAST CONFIDENCE: HIGH.
ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: CONVECTION MAY DROP A BIT FURTHER SOUTH THAN
CURRENTLY FORECAST TO AFFECT CRW...HTS AND BKW TERMINALS TONIGHT.
EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY
OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION:
H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.
M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS.
L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL.
UTC 1HRLY 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07
EDT 1HRLY 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03
CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H
HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H
BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H
EKN CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H M M H H
PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H M M H M M
CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H M M M M M
AFTER 18Z SATURDAY...
NO WIDESPREAD IFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
&&
.RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WV...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR WVZ005>011-
013>020-024>032.
HEAT ADVISORY FROM NOON TO 8 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR WVZ005>011-
013>020-024>032.
OH...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR OHZ066-067-075-
076-083>087.
HEAT ADVISORY FROM NOON TO 8 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR OHZ066-067-
075-076-083>087.
KY...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR KYZ101>103-105.
HEAT ADVISORY FROM NOON TO 8 PM EDT SATURDAY FOR KYZ101>103-
105.
VA...NONE.
&&
SYNOPSIS...JMV/MZ
NEAR TERM...JMV/SL
SHORT TERM...MZ
LONG TERM...MZ
AVIATION...JMVHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV 320 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 VAZ003-004-WVZ033>035-301930- DICKENSON-BUCHANAN-MCDOWELL-WYOMING-RALEIGH- 320 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. KYZ101>103-OHZ066-067-075-076-083>087-WVZ006>011-014>020-027>029- 301930- GREENUP-CARTER-BOYD-PERRY-MORGAN-ATHENS-WASHINGTON-JACKSON OH-VINTON- MEIGS-GALLIA-LAWRENCE OH-CABELL-MASON-JACKSON WV-WOOD-PLEASANTS- TYLER-PUTNAM-KANAWHA-ROANE-WIRT-CALHOUN-RITCHIE-DODDRIDGE-CLAY- BRAXTON-GILMER- 320 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 436 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM EDT SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...SOUTHEAST OHIO AND MUCH OF WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HEAT ADVISORY. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. STRONG WIND GUSTS...CONSIDERABLE LIGHTNING...AND LOCAL DOWNPOURS WERE MOST LIKELY WITH THE STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HEAT ADVISORY. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR OVERNIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT. STRONG WIND GUSTS AND CONSIDERABLE LIGHTNING WERE MOST LIKELY WITH THE STORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. KYZ105-WVZ005-013-024>026-030>032-301930- LAWRENCE KY-WAYNE-LINCOLN-MINGO-LOGAN-BOONE-LEWIS-HARRISON-TAYLOR- 320 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON TO 8 PM EDT SATURDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA...SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HEAT ADVISORY. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. STRONG WIND GUSTS...CONSIDERABLE LIGHTNING...AND LOCAL DOWNPOURS WERE MOST LIKELY WITH THE STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. HEAT ADVISORY. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR OVERNIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT. STRONG WIND GUSTS AND CONSIDERABLE LIGHTNING WERE MOST LIKELY WITH THE STORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. WVZ036-038>040-046-047-301930- FAYETTE-WEBSTER-UPSHUR-BARBOUR-POCAHONTAS-RANDOLPH- 320 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA...NORTHERN WEST VIRGINIA AND SOUTHERN WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT. STRONG WIND GUSTS...CONSIDERABLE LIGHTNING...AND LOCAL DOWNPOURS WERE MOST LIKELY WITH THE STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR OVERNIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT. STRONG WIND GUSTS...CONSIDERABLE LIGHTNING...AND LOCAL DOWNPOURS WERE MOST LIKELY WITH THE STORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. WVZ037-301930- NICHOLAS- 320 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 436 IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT. STRONG WIND GUSTS...CONSIDERABLE LIGHTNING...AND LOCAL DOWNPOURS WERE MOST LIKELY WITH THE STORMS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS SATURDAY AFTERNOON OR OVERNIGHT SATURDAY NIGHT. STRONG WIND GUSTS...CONSIDERABLE LIGHTNING...AND LOCAL DOWNPOURS WERE MOST LIKELY WITH THE STORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES. TRM
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
605 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0550 PM TSTM WND DMG NEW LEXINGTON 39.71N 82.21W
06/29/2012 PERRY OH LAW ENFORCEMENT
LOTS OF TREES DOWN IN AND AROUND TOWN. TIME ESTIMATED
BY RADAR.
&&
EVENT NUMBER RLX1200308
JSHPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
624 PM EDT FRI JUN 29 2012
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0623 PM TSTM WND DMG NELSONVILLE 39.46N 82.23W
06/29/2012 ATHENS OH PUBLIC
LARGE TREE DOWN IN NELSONVILLE OHIO. POWER IS OUT.
&&
EVENT NUMBER RLX1200309
SLThe Cincinnati radar (KILN), 107 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:26 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees and large branches fell in scattered locations throughout the county. The county had around 250 computer-aided dispatches, a majority of which were weather related.
Large trees and branches fell in scattered locations throughout the county.
Trees were blown down.
Large trees were blown down. Vehicles were damaged.
A hanger roof and door were damaged at the airport.
Trees fell onto utility wires, causing downed poles. Route 23 was blocked.
Trees were blown onto utility wires and blocked roads.
Large trees and branches fell in scattered locations throughout the county.
Large trees and branches were blown down, some fell onto vehicles. In the aftermath, due to the lack of electricity, several citizens in town used charcoal grills to cook donated food before it spoiled.
Large trees and branches fell in scattered locations throughout the county.
Large trees were 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: 394640, 394643, 394633, 394634, 394639, 394632, 394636, 394647, 394638, 394645, 394635.