Hail in Kentucky, May 1, 2012

Name: Hail in Kentucky, May 1, 2012
Start: 2012-05-01T16:05
End: 2012-05-01T16:55
Location: Kentucky

May 1, 2012 · NWS ILN · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

A warm front lifting across the Ohio Valley during the morning brought into the area a very unstable airmass. Numerous thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening.

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: $20,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 ILN wrote it up.

A warm front lifting across the Ohio Valley during the morning brought into the area a very unstable airmass. Numerous thunderstorms developed during the afternoon and evening. The environment was favorable for large hail and damaging winds. However, a few boundaries helped to produce localized favorable conditions for tornadoes. In addition, some storms occurred repeatedly over the same areas, causing an increased risk for flash flooding and flooding to occur.

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 Wilmington, OH wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 1, 3:54 PM EST, 11 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 1, 3:54 PM EST, 11 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
454 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012

.SYNOPSIS...
A DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE THROUGH THIS EVENING ALLOWING FOR SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS. ANOTHER SYSTEM WILL BRING THE CHANCE FOR
ADDITIONAL SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY TO THE AREA FOR
WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL ALLOW FOR DRY
CONDITIONS ON THURSDAY.

&&

.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING/...
AN MCV WILL CONTINUE TO TRACK TO THE EAST TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS HAVE DEVELOPED ACROSS INDIANA AND ARE BEGINNING TO
DEVELOP AND MOVE INTO OHIO AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY. THE BETTER
INSTABILITY IS LOCATED ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FA. SHEAR
IS FAVORABLE ACROSS THIS AREA AS WELL. DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE
HAIL...AND A FEW TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THIS AREA.
ADDED SEVERE WORDING TO THE FORECAST FOR THIS AREA AS WELL.

INSTABILITY IS NOT QUITE AS GOOD ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE
FA. THIS AREA HAS ALSO TAKEN LONGER TO WARM UP WITH THE WARM FRONT
LIFTING NORTH. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL STILL HAVE THE POSSIBILITY
TO REACH SEVERE LIMITS THIS EVENING ACROSS NORTHERN PORTIONS OF
THE FA. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS. MENTIONED THESE THREATS IN THE HWO FOR THIS EVENING.
ALTHOUGH THE MAIN SEVERE THREAT WILL BE THIS EVENING ACROSS THE
FA...SOME ADDITIONAL SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WILL BE
POSSIBLE FOR THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.

&&

.SHORT TERM /6 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO RISE INTO THE MIDDLE TO
UPPER 80S ON WEDNESDAY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE A FEW DEGREES COOLER
ACROSS THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FA WHERE MORE CLOUD COVER WILL
BE PRESENT.  A DISTURBANCE WILL WORK ACROSS MAINLY NORTHERN
PORTIONS OF THE FA WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THIS FEATURE
WILL ALLOW FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THIS AREA. A FEW
STORMS MAY REACH SEVERE LIMITS ACROSS EXTREME NORTHERN PORTIONS OF
THE FA HOWEVER WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS
TIME. TEMPERATURES WILL ONLY DROP DOWN INTO THE MIDDLE 60S
WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS SOUTHERLY FLOW CONTINUES ACROSS THE FA.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
MODELS INDICATE A PERIOD OF WARM BUT UNSETTLED WEATHER. OVERALL
PATTERN WILL FEATURE AN UPPER RIDGE WITH NUMEROUS DISTURBANCES
INTERACTING WITH AN UNSTABLE AIRMASS TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS FROM
TIME TO TIME.

DRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED THURSDAY WITH WEAK HIGH PRESSURE AT THE
SURFACE AND LACK OF UPPER SUPPORT. SHORT WAVES ALOFT COUPLED WITH A
WEAK SURFACE BOUNDARY WILL PROVIDE A GOOD CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS
FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...THE PRIMARY
THREAT FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL SHIFT SOUTH NEAR THE OHIO RIVER AS THE
BOUNDARY BECOMES NEARLY STATIONARY OVER KENTUCKY.

A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA BY LATE MONDAY AS
A STRONGER DISTURBANCE MOVES ALONG THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE
UPPER RIDGE. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE AND DRIER WEATHER MAY ENTER THE
PICTURE ON TUESDAY.

HIGHS UP IN THE 80S THURSDAY AND FRIDAY WILL SLIP BACK TOWARD NORMAL
READINGS AROUND 70 BY TUESDAY.

&&

.AVIATION /20Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/...
BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIFT NORTHEAST ACROSS THE
REGION AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD. THESE HAVE ALREADY PASSED
THE CINCINNATI TERMINALS. KDAY SHOULD BE IMPACTED WITH A
REASONABLE CHANCE AT KILN AND INTO COLUMBUS. APPEARS THAT IMPACTS
WILL BE LIMITED IN TIME AND REDUCTION IN FLIGHT CATEGORY.

HOWEVER GUIDANCE IS SUGGESTING THAT ADDITIONAL STORMS WILL DEVELOP
TO THE WEST AND SWEEP ACROSS THE TERMINALS BETWEEN 21Z AND 01Z.
THESE STORMS COULD BE STRONGER ALTHOUGH UNCERTAINTY PRECLUDES
LOWERING CONDITIONS TOO MUCH. AFTER THAT ROUND OF CONVECTION THERE
IS CONSIDERABLE UNCERTAINTY WHETHER THERE WILL BE ANY MORE
PRECIPITATION OVERNIGHT. SO HAVE JUST KEPT CONDITIONS VFR UNTIL
APPROACHING 12Z WHEN SOME MIST MIGHT REDUCE VISIBILITIES AT MOST
LOCATIONS.

SCATTERED CUMULUS WILL OCCUR LATE IN THE PERIOD WITH SOUTH
SOUTHWEST WINDS INCREASING WITH SOME GUSTS.

OUTLOOK...THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE FRIDAY INTO SUNDAY.

&&

.ILN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OH...NONE.
KY...NONE.
IN...NONE.

&&

SYNOPSIS...NOVAK
NEAR TERM...NOVAK
SHORT TERM...NOVAK
LONG TERM...CONIGLIO
AVIATION...

Hazardous weather outlook, May 1, 3:24 PM EST, 41 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
424 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012

OHZ026-034-035-022030-
HARDIN-MERCER-AUGLAIZE-
424 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR WEST CENTRAL OHIO.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION THROUGH THE
EARLY EVENING HOURS. SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED ALTHOUGH THERE
COULD BE SOME SMALL HAIL AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

OHZ042>046-051>056-065-074-022030-
DARKE-SHELBY-LOGAN-UNION OH-DELAWARE-MIAMI-CHAMPAIGN-CLARK-MADISON-
FRANKLIN OH-LICKING-FAIRFIELD-HOCKING-
424 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL OHIO AND MIAMI VALLEY
OF OHIO.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION THIS EVENING. A
FEW STORMS MAY PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THIS EVENING.
AN ISOLATED TORNADO AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS SHOULD REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS.

INZ050-058-059-066-073>075-080-KYZ089>100-OHZ060>064-070>073-077>082-
088-022030-
WAYNE-FAYETTE IN-UNION IN-FRANKLIN IN-RIPLEY-DEARBORN-OHIO-
SWITZERLAND-CARROLL-GALLATIN-BOONE-KENTON-CAMPBELL-OWEN-GRANT-
PENDLETON-BRACKEN-ROBERTSON-MASON-LEWIS-PREBLE-MONTGOMERY-GREENE-
FAYETTE OH-PICKAWAY-BUTLER-WARREN-CLINTON-ROSS-HAMILTON-CLERMONT-
BROWN-HIGHLAND-ADAMS-PIKE-SCIOTO-
424 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL
INDIANA...SOUTHEAST INDIANA...NORTHEAST KENTUCKY...NORTHERN
KENTUCKY...CENTRAL OHIO...MIAMI VALLEY OF OHIO...SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO
AND SOUTHWEST OHIO.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING.
DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...AND TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS. IN ADDITION... LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL MAY ALSO OCCUR.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY.

THE PROBABILITY FOR WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS LOW.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS SHOULD REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CONDITIONS.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 1, 2:50 PM EST, 1 hour 15 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
350 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012

INZ050-058-059-066-073-074-OHZ042-060-070-012045-
UNION IN-FRANKLIN IN-DEARBORN IN-FAYETTE IN-WAYNE IN-RIPLEY IN-
BUTLER OH-DARKE OH-PREBLE OH-
350 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012

...STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE WHITEWATER AND
MIAMI VALLEYS LATE THIS AFTERNOON...

AT 345 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSS CENTRAL INDIANA. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH
AND WILL TRACK INTO THE MIAMI AND WHITEWATER VALLEYS BETWEEN 445 PM
AND 6 PM.

DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.

IN ADDITION...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND HEAVY RAIN CAN
BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...BATESVILLE...
OLDENBURG...WEST COLLEGE CORNER...RICHMOND...LIBERTY...HAGERSTOWN...
FOUNTAIN CITY...DUBLIN...CONNERSVILLE...CENTERVILLE...CAMBRIDGE CITY
AND BROOKVILLE.

ALSO...HAMBURG...BUENA VISTA...ANDERSONVILLE...GLENWOOD...
PEPPERTOWN...PENNTOWN...LAUREL AND COLUMBIA ARE NEAR THE PATH OF
THESE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS.

DO NOT STAY IN THE OPEN NOR SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING
THREATENS. MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES. WATER WILL
POND ON ROADS AND MAY QUICKLY FILL ROADSIDE DITCHES AND SMALL
STREAMS.

IF YOU ARE LOCATED IN THIS REGION...STAYED TUNED TO LOCAL MEDIA OR
NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

LAT...LON 3927 8530 3979 8531 3980 8523 3989 8521
      4001 8503 4001 8482 4016 8480 3931 8477
      3930 8482 3926 8482 3920 8542

Special weather statement, May 1, 3:36 PM EST, 29 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
436 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012

INZ080-KYZ089>091-012130-
SWITZERLAND IN-BOONE KY-CARROLL KY-GALLATIN KY-
436 PM EDT TUE MAY 1 2012

...A RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT GALLATIN...
CARROLL...BOONE AND SWITZERLAND COUNTIES THROUGH 530 PM EDT...

AT 435 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED A THUNDERSTORM NEAR LOCUST...MOVING
EAST AT 35 MPH.

WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...CARROLLTON...VEVAY...
WARSAW...WALTON...UNION AND FLORENCE.

ALSO...LOCUST...PRESTONVILLE...GENERAL BUTLER STATE PARK...ENGLISH...
BRAYTOWN...LANGSTAFF...MOOREFIELD AND EASTERDAY ARE NEAR THE PATH OF
THIS RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORM.

LAT...LON 3874 8533 3874 8525 3870 8521 3880 8521
      3890 8492 3890 8487 3892 8488 3901 8463
      3888 8460 3881 8461 3877 8468 3877 8477
      3871 8480 3870 8487 3863 8499 3858 8522
      3863 8523 3873 8534

Local storm report, May 1, 3:55 PM EST, 10 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
455 PM EDT TUE MAY 01 2012

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

0451 PM     HAIL             5 NW LAWRENCEBURG       39.15N 84.94W
05/01/2012  M0.50 INCH       DEARBORN           IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

BC

Local storm report, May 1, 3:59 PM EST, 6 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
459 PM EDT TUE MAY 01 2012

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

0443 PM     HAIL             SUNMAN                  39.23N 85.10W
05/01/2012  M1.00 INCH       RIPLEY             IN   BROADCAST MEDIA

&&

ANOVAK

Local storm report, May 1, 4:02 PM EST, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
502 PM EDT TUE MAY 01 2012

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

0459 PM     HAIL             5 NW LAWRENCEBURG       39.15N 84.94W
05/01/2012  M1.00 INCH       DEARBORN           IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

BC

Local storm report, May 1, 4:05 PM EST, 0 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
505 PM EDT TUE MAY 01 2012

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

0503 PM     HAIL             GUILFORD                39.17N 84.91W
05/01/2012  M1.00 INCH       DEARBORN           IN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

BC

The radar

The Louisville radar (KLVX), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:04 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Carroll

When: May 1, 4:05 PM EST to 4:09 PM EST
Where: Carroll County, 3 mi E of Carrollton
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.670, -85.114

Hail, Carroll

When: May 1, 4:17 PM EST to 4:21 PM EST
Where: Carroll County, 4 mi W of Sanders
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.650, -85.004

Hail, Gallatin

When: May 1, 4:20 PM EST to 4:24 PM EST
Where: Gallatin County, Sparta
Measured: 2.75 in hail
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.680, -84.900

Hail damage occurred to cars and broke a sky light.

Hail, Gallatin

When: May 1, 4:33 PM EST to 4:37 PM EST
Where: Gallatin County, 3 mi SE of Warsaw
Measured: 2.5 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.749, -84.841

Hail, Grant

When: May 1, 4:51 PM EST to 4:55 PM EST
Where: Grant County, 3 mi N of Dry Ridge
Measured: 1 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 38.723, -84.580

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, May 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: 381314, 381315, 381316, 381328, 381329.