A mesoscale convective system that originated over the Missouri Ozarks maintained strength as it moved through the middle Mississippi Valley during the overnight hours. The system slowed down and then stalled as it crossed the Lower Ohio Valley very early in the morning.
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 PAH wrote it up.
A mesoscale convective system that originated over the Missouri Ozarks maintained strength as it moved through the middle Mississippi Valley during the overnight hours. The system slowed down and then stalled as it crossed the Lower Ohio Valley very early in the morning. The stalled thunderstorm complex produced major flash flooding across parts of western Kentucky.
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 Jun 1, 2:02 AM CST, 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 302 AM CDT SAT JUN 1 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 225 AM CDT SAT JUN 1 2013 THE OVERALL SYNOPTIC PATTERN SHOULD BECOME A BIT MORE PROGRESSIVE TODAY...WITH THE H50 LOW AND ASSOCIATED SFC FRONT FINALLY MOVING EAST INTO THE FORECAST AREA. THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT MAY ACTUALLY OFFER THE HIGHEST CHANCE OF ORGANIZED SEVERE CONVECTION...AS MORE IN THE WAY OF LARGE SCALE LIFT WILL INTERACT WITH THE MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR MASS OVER OUR REGION. THERE IS SOME UNCERTAINTY AS TO THE AMOUNT OF CLOUD COVER THAT MAY HANG AROUND FROM MORNING CONVECTION. HOWEVER...THINKING IS THAT THERE WILL LIKELY BE A PERIOD OR TWO OF SUNSHINE SOMETIME DURING THE DAY. WITH SFC DEW POINTS RUNNING CLOSE TO 70 DEGREES...IT WILL NOT TAKE MUCH DIABATIC HEATING TO SIGNIFICANTLY DESTABILIZE THE ATMOSPHERE. LOOKING AT FORECAST WIND PROFILES...IT SEEMS THAT ALL TYPES OF SEVERE HAZARDS WOULD BE POSSIBLE...INCLUDING ISOLATED TORNADOES. COLD FRONT SHOULD CLEAR THE REGION BY AROUND SUNRISE ON SUNDAY...LEAVING MOST OF THE DAY DRIER AND COOLER. SHOULD BE A QUITE PLEASANT SUNDAY AND MONDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES IN. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 302 AM CDT SAT JUN 1 2013 THE EXTENDED PERIOD WILL START OFF DRY WITH HIGH PRESSURE SPRAWLED FROM CANADA SOUTHWARD INTO THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. THE HIGH WILL GRADUALLY SHIFT EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA...WHICH WILL ALLOW FOR A SLOW WARMING TREND THROUGH THE WEEK. HIGHS IN THE UPPER 70S TUESDAY WILL WARM BACK INTO THE 80S WEDNESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...AS LOWS MODERATE FROM THE 50S INTO THE 60S. AN UPPER LEVEL LOW OVER THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST AT THE START OF THE WEEK WILL MIGRATE EAST ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS INTO THE UPPER MIDWEST BY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. INCREASINGLY MOIST AND UNSTABLE SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THIS APPROACHING LOW WILL RESULT IN THE RETURN OF SHOWER AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. MODELS INDICATE A RATHER DISORGANIZED SURFACE PATTERN DURING THIS TIME...SO CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL IS LIKELY TO BE QUITE SPORADIC. WILL KEEP RAIN CHANCES BELOW 50 PERCENT THROUGH THE PERIOD...WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THURSDAY INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 302 AM CDT SAT JUN 1 2013 TRANSLATION OF DECAYING MCS THROUGH THE AREA MAY STILL YIELD WIND GUSTS OF 30 KTS OR SO WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE STORMS AT KPAH AND KOWB IN THE 08Z-10Z TIME FRAME ALONG WITH BRIEF IFR CONDITIONS. ONCE THE MAIN LINE MOVES THROUGH A SITE...A 2 TO 4 HOUR PERIOD OF RAIN/SHOWERS AND POSSIBLY A FEW STRAY LIGHTNING STRIKES CAN BE EXPECTED. THE AREA SHOULD BE DRYING OUT THROUGH THE LATE MORNING AND AFTERNOON HOURS...AND GUSTY SOUTH SOUTHWEST WINDS ARE LIKELY THROUGH THE DAY. WOULD BE SURPRISED TO SEE CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT NEAR THE TAF SITES BEFORE THE END OF THIS 00Z PERIOD. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH BEYOND THIS PERIOD...AND THERE MAY BE ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS ALONG IT. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. MO...NONE. IN...NONE. KY...NONE. && SHORT TERM...GM LONG TERM...RJP AVIATION...GM/DRS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 957 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-011000- 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- 957 PM CDT FRI MAY 31 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED THROUGH 4 AM FOR AREAS ALONG AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM POPLAR BLUFF MISSOURI TO PADUCAH AND CALHOUN KENTUCKY. A LARGE LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PUSH EASTWARD THROUGH THE AREA FROM AROUND MIDNIGHT THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS. DAMAGING WINDS AND TORNADOES WILL BE THE PRIMARY CONCERNS...BUT LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. SEVERE WEATHER POTENTIAL WILL BE MAXIMIZED IN SEGMENTS OF THE LINE THAT ARE ORIENTED NORTH TO SOUTH OR EVEN NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST. IN GENERAL...THE PROBABILITY OF SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE GREATEST OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS. FLOODING IS OCCURRING AND FORECAST TO WORSEN ON SOME AREA RIVERS. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A LARGE COMPLEX OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST OUT OF THE AREA SATURDAY MORNING. SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED...BUT HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE A CONCERN. LATER SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT...SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP ALONG A COLD FRONT. IF THEY DEVELOP...SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE VERY POSSIBLE. DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY CONCERN...BUT LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES CANNOT BE RULED OUT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL ALSO BE A CONCERN. SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IS FORECAST ALONG SOME AREA RIVERS. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST RIVER FLOOD WARNINGS AND STATEMENTS FOR DETAILS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS IN THE TORNADO WATCH AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR ACTIVATION OVERNIGHT TONIGHT. SPOTTERS THROUGHOUT THE AREA SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR ACTIVATION LATE SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND MAINLY SATURDAY NIGHT. DRS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 146 AM CDT SAT JUN 1 2013 ILZ088>094-010730- ALEXANDER IL-HARDIN IL-JOHNSON IL-MASSAC IL-POPE IL-PULASKI IL-UNION IL- 146 AM CDT SAT JUN 1 2013 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN HARDIN...NORTHERN ALEXANDER...SOUTHERN UNION...PULASKI...POPE...NORTHERN MASSAC AND JOHNSON COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNTIL 230 AM CDT... AT 144 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF CARRIERS MILLS TO CAPE GIRARDEAU...AND MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. SPOTTERS HAVE REPORTED POWER OUTAGES AND ESTIMATED 50 MPH WINDS WITH THIS LINE OF STORMS IN THE CARTERVILLE AREA. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... VIENNA...DONGOLA...TAMMS...KARNAK...DIXON SPRINGS...NEW COLUMBIA... ROSICLARE...GOLCONDA...NEW BURNSIDE...EAST CAPE GIRARDEAU... BUNCOMBE...MILL CREEK...CYPRESS...SIMPSON...ULLIN...EDDYVILLE... PULASKI...BELKNAP...NEW GRAND CHAIN AND GROSS. THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY....AND A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AREA. BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS....FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. 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.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
214 AM CDT SAT JUN 01 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0115 AM TSTM WND DMG HERRIN 37.80N 89.03W
06/01/2013 WILLIAMSON IL TRAINED SPOTTER
SHINGLES BLOWN OFF ROOFS. 3-6 INCH DIAMETER LIMBS BLOWN
OUT OF TREES AT NORTH END OF TOWN NEAR HERRIN ROAD.
&&
RYANPThe Evansville,IN radar (KVWX), 70 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:05 UTC.
3 flash flood, 3 heavy rain, 3 flood, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees and power lines were down in the Dixon and Poole areas. Highway 41A was down to one lane 1.5 miles south of Poole due to a power line down.
A roof was blown off a home, and there was other damage to the structure. Several trees and power lines were blown down in the same area.
A major flash flood produced millions of dollars in damage in McCracken County. The flooding started out as significant street flooding two to three feet deep in the usual problem spots in the city of Paducah. The railroad underpass at U.S. Highways 62 and 45 in Paducah was closed. The flooding steadily increased to include low-lying sections of numerous roads throughout the county, some of which were impassable. At least three vehicles drove into floodwaters, becoming completely submerged and requiring assistance from rescue boats. Numerous other vehicles stalled out in floodwaters. The swift water rescue team rescued about 30 people from flooded cars and buildings. Creeks and streams rose far outside of their banks, inundating homes and businesses. An apartment complex in Paducah was flooded by up to several feet from Crooked Creek, along with roads and parking lots. Twenty to thirty residents of the apartment complex were evacuated. Perkins Creek flooded the business strip near the Interstate 24 exit to U.S. 60. A couple of hotels were flooded, and restaurants were inaccessible. Seventy units of one hotel were damaged. Water rescue teams evacuated three residences that were surrounded by water, stranding the occupants. Street and road flooding became widespread across the county, making travel very difficult or impossible. Vehicles were flooded in parking lots on the south side of Paducah. Several county roads were washed out or heavily damaged. A rainfall amount of 4.68 inches was measured in just three hours at the National Weather Service office at Barkley Regional Airport.
A total of 3.70 inches of rainfall was measured in 5 hours at Rockcastle. Water was over various highways, including U.S. 68 between the 11 and 12 mile markers. This is near the entrance to Lake Barkley State Park.
Water was over the following highways in Livingston County: Kentucky Highway 937 between the 1 and 2 mile markers, Kentucky 1433 between the 4 and 5 mile markers, and Kentucky 723 between the 5 and 6 mile markers.
In La Center, flash flooding damaged three businesses along U.S. Highway 60. A storage building, propane company, and insurance company were flooded to a depth of approximately 5 to 8 inches. Water in parts of a parking lot was over four feet deep. Water at one point flooded over the top of a 500-gallon tank. Several vehicles were stranded in at least two feet of floodwater across U.S. Highway 62 near Lovelaceville. Highway 2532 near Kevil was closed due to at least one-half foot of flowing water across it.
Floodwater was up to 2.5 feet high on a secondary road in Gilbertsville. Another secondary road was also flooded.
South of Murray, water was running across U.S. Highway 641 in three different locations. One vehicle was in the ditch. Flooding occurred at the intersection of Kentucky Highways 94 and 1660 and at several spots along Kentucky 121 in the county.
Highway 80 was closed due to flooding in the community of Arlington. Water was approaching the front porches of many homes. There were unofficial reports of over six inches of rain in farmers' rain gages in Carlisle County. Carlisle County highway crews reported water over roadways in so many places that they were having difficulty getting signs up. U.S. Highway 62 was among the roads covered by water.
Kentucky Highway 58 was closed by floodwaters at the 10 mile marker near Clinton. Kentucky 1820 was closed by floodwaters at the Graves-Hickman County line.
Some street flooding and flooding of fields was reported in Gracey.
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, June 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: 457999, 451190, 453340, 453375, 457994, 453358, 453371, 453373, 453374, 457995, 455358.