Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms fired up in a warm and moist air mass during the afternoon and evening hours of July 17.
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.
Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms fired up in a warm and moist air mass during the afternoon and evening hours of July 17.
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 Jul 17, 3:00 PM EST, 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 400 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 400 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 THE TRADEWINDS HAVE SET UP OVER THE LOCAL AREA...WITH WIND FLOW CARRYING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND STORMS WEST SOUTHWESTWARD OVER THE AREA TODAY. THIS WAS OCCURING DUE TO AN EXTREMELY STRONG SUBTROPICAL RIDGE CENTERED OVER INDIANA. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ERUPTED IN THE TROPICAL AIR MASS...AND WERE HANDLED FAIRLY WELL IN TIMING AND PLACEMENT BY THE NAM. HAVE USED THE NAM FOR PRECIP TRENDS IN THE SHORT TERM. IN TERMS OF FEATURES...THE RIDGE IS EXPECTED TO WEAKEN AND DRIFT TO THE SOUTH DURING THE PERIOD. THIS MAY ALLOW FOR MORE CONVECTION...WITH A PREFERENCE FOR THE AFTERNOON HOURS. WINDS WILL BE WEAK...MEANING CONVECTION SHOULD AGAIN BE PULSY AND SLOW MOVING. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 400 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 THERE IS GOOD MODEL AGREEMENT THAT THE UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL BE IN THE PROCESS OF BREAKING DOWN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE LONG TERM FORECAST PERIOD. THIS WEEKEND...A STRONG UPPPER LEVEL LOW WILL BE SWINGING THROUGH EASTERN CANADA...SOLIDIFYING A BROAD TROUGH ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND OHIO VALLEY REGIONS...WHICH SHOULD THEN PERSIST INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. HEAT AND HUMIDITY WILL CONTINUE ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY ON FRIDAY...ALTHOUGH WITH AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING CONVECTION... WIDESPREAD 90 DEGREE TEMPERATURES WILL BE HELD IN CHECK. STILL...WITH DEW POINTS IN THE LOWER 70S...THE AIR MASS WILL CONTINUE TO BE SULTRY...AND HEAT INDICES WILL STILL MAKE IT INTO THE MID 90S. BY SATURDAY...A WEAK COLD FRONT WILL BE APPROACHING FROM THE NORTH. IT APPEARS THE FRONT WILL MAKE ITS WAY INTO EASTERN KY SUNDAY...BUT WILL LIKELY LINGER ACROSS KY OR NORTHERN TN INTO THE EARLY TO MIDDLE PART OF NEXT WEEK. WITH APPROACH OF THE FRONT...THE THREAT FOR MORE ORGANIZED CONVECTION WILL INCREASE THIS WEEKEND. WHILE OVERALL RAIN PROBABILITIES SHOULD THEN DECREASE EARLY NEXT WEEK A SERIES OF SHORT WAVE TROUGHS MOVING ACROSS THE OH VALLEY IN THE MEAN FLOW WILL CONTINUE THE THREAT FOR DAILY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 157 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE ONGOING OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA AT TAF ISSUANCE...WITH DEVELOPMENT AND MOVEMENT TO THE WEST SOUTHWEST. A STORM HAS ALREADY HIT KJKL AND STABILIZED THE ATMOSPHERE...LIKELY LIMITING THE POTENTIAL FOR ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON. WOULD NOT RULE OUT SOMETHING AT KLOZ OR KSME...BUT THE PROBABILITY IS LOW. WILL LOOK FOR A DECREASE IN COVERAGE OF ACTIVITY LATE THIS AFTERNOON...AND DYING OUT THIS EVENING. VALLEY FOG IS ANTICIPATED LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. THE FOG WILL LIKELY AVOID TAF SITES AGAIN. THE SHOWERS/STORMS AND FOG WILL BRING LOCALIZED IFR. OTHERWISE...MOSTLY VFR IS EXPECTED. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...HAL LONG TERM...SBH/GEOGERIAN AVIATION...HAL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 515 AM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-181215- 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 515 AM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS WILL AFFECT EAST KENTUCKY AGAIN TODAY WITH HEAT INDEX VALUES REACHING THE 95 TO 100 DEGREE RANGE. THE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TODAY FROM MIDDAY INTO THE FIRST PART OF THE EVENING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING HOURS. HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED AGAIN ON THURSDAY...WITH HEAT INDEX VALUES REACHING THE 95 TO 100 DEGREE RANGE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. GREIF
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 259 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 KYZ106-109-171930- MAGOFFIN-MORGAN- 259 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 330 PM EDT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... NORTHWESTERN MAGOFFIN AND EASTERN MORGAN. AT 258 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR JEPTHA...OR 9 MILES EAST OF WEST LIBERTY...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 20 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...ORIENT AROUND 305 PM EDT...FLORRESS AROUND 310 PM EDT...WHITE OAK AROUND 315 PM EDT...WELL STATION AROUND 320 PM EDT...LEWIS AROUND 325 PM EDT... PEOPLE IN THESE AREA CAN EXPECT BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...INTENSE LIGHTNING...AND POSSIBLY SMALL HAIL. HAL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 310 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 KYZ115-117-171945- LESLIE-PERRY- 310 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 345 PM EDT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... LESLIE AND CENTRAL PERRY. AT 309 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR STINNETT...OR NEAR HYDEN...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 15 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...ASHER AROUND 315 PM EDT...ESSIE AROUND 320 PM EDT...CREEKVILLE AROUND 330 PM EDT...WARBRANCH AROUND 335 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. JMW
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 322 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 KYZ109-110-113-171945- KNOTT-MAGOFFIN-FLOYD- 322 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 345 PM EDT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... NORTHERN KNOTT... EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN MAGOFFIN AND WEST CENTRAL FLOYD. AT 321 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR BETTY...OR 11 MILES NORTHEAST OF HINDMAN...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 20 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...MOUSIE AROUND 330 PM EDT...LARKSLANE AROUND 335 PM EDT...GARNER AROUND 340 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO ONE INCH PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. JMW
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 351 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 KYZ080-086-172030- LAUREL-KNOX- 351 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 430 PM EDT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... KNOX AND SOUTHEASTERN LAUREL. AT 351 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR HAVEN...OR 10 MILES SOUTH OF MANCHESTER...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 20 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...CRANES NEST AROUND 400 PM EDT...JARVIS AROUND 405 PM EDT...YEAGER AROUND 410 PM EDT...GARRICH AROUND 415 PM EDT...ARKLE AROUND 420 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES BETWEEN ONE AND TWO INCHES PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. JACOBSON
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 359 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 KYZ113-115-117-118-172030- KNOTT-LESLIE-LETCHER-PERRY- 359 PM EDT WED JUL 17 2013 ...A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 430 PM EDT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... SOUTHWESTERN KNOTT... EAST CENTRAL LESLIE... WEST CENTRAL LETCHER AND EASTERN PERRY. AT 359 PM EDT...A CLUSTER OF SHOWERS AND STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED NEAR ARMINTA...OR 11 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HAZARD...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 15 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...BLUEFIELD AROUND 405 PM EDT...HALLIE AROUND 410 PM EDT...CORNETTSVILLE AROUND 415 PM EDT...DIABLOCK AROUND 420 PM EDT...DAISY AROUND 425 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO ONE INCH PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. JMW
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 69 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:05 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
The hail was so intense that local visibility was greatly reduced. The hail lasted for at least 5 minutes.
A large tree was blown down.
Several trees were blown down on Hwy 119 between mile markers 0 and 5.
Several trees were blown down.
Flood waters entered a home on Left Fork Barenshee Creek Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, July 2013
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: 463968, 463969, 463970, 463971, 463972.