A squall line with embedded small bow echoes moved eastward from southeast Missouri across western Kentucky. A few damaging wind events occurred in association with the bow echoes.
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 squall line with embedded small bow echoes moved eastward from southeast Missouri across western Kentucky. A few damaging wind events occurred in association with the bow echoes. The storms occurred in a region of strong southerly low-level wind flow ahead of a cold front crossing Missouri.
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 May 21, 1:36 AM CST, 34 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 236 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 215 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 NEAREST TERM IS DEALING WITH REMAINING CONVECTION/TOR WATCH BOX. IN GENERAL...THE TREND IS DIMINISHING IN STRENGTH/INTENSITY AS THE LINE SINKS SOUTHWARD AND EASTWARD. A FEW HEALTHY CELLS MAY CONTINUE TO PULSE...HOWEVER...AND WITH A COUPLE OF OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES WORKING OUT OF THE NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE CONVECTIVE LINE...WE'LL ONLY DROP WATCH BOX COUNTIES BEHIND THE LINE. THE MODELS SHOW THE CONVECTION MOVING EAST...WEAKENING...AND THEN REFIRING THIS PM/EVENING AS THE UPPER LEVEL JET ENTERS THE PICTURE. BEST LIFT/INSTABILITY WILL BE TO OUR SOUTH...BUT A SLGT RISK OF SVR WILL CONTINUE. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED TO SEE A PTN OF THE CWA/ESP SEMO/SWKY/SWIL...INCLUDED IN A LATE DAY-EARLY EVENING WATCH BOX. ASSOCIATED SURFACE WAVE OPENS UP AND LIFTS ACROSS MO/IL/IN TONIGHT. THIS WILL DRIVE THE FRONT AND ASSOCIATED CONVECTION THRU THE AREA. INSTABILITY LESSENS WITH TIME/OVERNIGHT BUT ACTIVE CONVECTION EARLY IN THE PERIOD MAY EXTEND THRU THE NIGHT...SOMETHING TO WATCH AND A HIGH POP/CATEGORICAL MENTION IS WARRANTED EITHER WAY. THE UPPER TROF/BEST HEIGHT FALLS OCCUR WEDNESDAY AND DRIVE THE SYSTEM THRU/TO THE EAST OF US THRU WEDNESDAY NIGHT. POPS MAY EVEN LINGER THRU THURSAY AS 2NDARY UPPER TROF PASSAGE ALLOWS SOME DIURNAL INSTABILITY SHOWERS/STORMS TO DEVELOP...PARTICULARLY NRN/ERN PTNS FA. THE SYSTEM DEPARTS TO THE EAST BY THU NIGHT...WHEN PLEASANTLY COOLER/DRIER AIR STARTS TO OVERTAKE THE COLUMN. 80S AND 60S COOL TO 70S AND 50S THEREAFTER. .LONG TERM...(FRIDAY THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 236 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 DRY AND TRANQUIL WEATHER IS EXPECTED LATE IN THE WEEK WITH HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING AT THE SURFACE AND ALOFT. TEMPERATURES ARE LIKELY TO REMAIN IN THE 70S ON FRIDAY...AND REACH JUST SHY OF THE SEASONAL 80 DEGREE MARK ON SATURDAY. A WARMING TREND WILL TAKE PLACE OVER THE WEEKEND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK AS LOW LEVEL FLOW BECOMES SOUTHERLY ON THE BACK SIDE OF DEPARTING HIGH PRESSURE. MODELS CONTINUE TO DIFFER IN THEIR HANDLING OF A BAROCLINIC ZONE FORECAST TO DEVELOP JUST NORTH OF THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK...AND THUS WITH REGARD TO PRECIPITATION CHANCES AS WELL. BOTH THE GEM AND ESPECIALLY THE GFS HAVE BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENT IN KEEPING THE BOUNDARY AND CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL MAINLY NORTH OF THE REGION AS A MID LEVEL RIDGE REMAINS IN PLACE LOCALLY. ON THE OTHER HAND...THE ECMWF SEEMS TO SUGGEST THE BOUNDARY AND ASSOCIATED PRECIPITATION WILL MEANDER SOUTH INTO THE REGION BY MONDAY. GIVEN THE RATHER POOR RUN TO RUN CONSISTENCY OF THE ECMWF AND THE PRESENCE OF THE MID LEVEL RIDGE...PREFER TO STEER THE FORECAST IN THE DIRECTION OF THE DRIER GFS AT THIS TIME. WILL ALSO KEEP TEMPERATURES ABOVE THE INITIALIZED GUIDANCE BLEND LATE IN THE PERIOD. THIS YIELDS HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 80S BOTH SUNDAY AND MONDAY...WITH LOWS IN THE LOWER TO MID 60S. && .AVIATION... ISSUED AT 215 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 ACTIVE ONGOING CONVECTION AT THIS WRITING. GUST FRONTS PRODUCING WINDS/GUSTS TO 35 KTS PRECEDE MAIN LINE OF CONVECTION ROUGHLY 30-60 MINUTES WHERE STORM GUSTS MAY LIKEWISE REACH 35 KTS OR BETTER. EXPECT MOST INTENSE ACTIVITY NEXT 2-3 HOURS TO THEN DETERIORATE TO MORE MODERATE SHOWER ACTIVITY WITH MVFR CONDITIONS IMPROVING TO VFR BY MID MORNING. PM REDEVELOPMENT WILL HAVE HIGHEST POPS WEST TO LOWEST EAST...WITH RETURN TO MVFR CONDTIONS BY EVENING EXPECTED AS ANOTHER ROUND HITS TERMINALS/FLIGHT PATHS. IN BOTH INSTANCES A STRONG STORM MAY PRODUCE IFR CIGS/VSBYS ALBEIT SHORT- LIVED. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. MO...NONE. IN...NONE. KY...NONE. &&
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1050 PM CDT MON MAY 20 2013 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-211000- 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- 1050 PM CDT MON MAY 20 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...OVERNIGHT THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW POSSIBLY SEVERE...WILL BE LIKELY OVER ALL EXCEPT THE PENNYRILE REGION OF WESTERN KENTUCKY. THE MAIN STORM RISK WILL COME WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...THOUGH A TORNADO OR TWO AND DIME TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL CANNOT BE RULED OUT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND TUESDAY NIGHT. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS WILL BE THE PRIMARY HAZARDS...ALONG WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES. THE SEVERE RISK WILL INCREASE MARKEDLY IF TEMPERATURES MANAGE TO WARM INTO THE 80S TUESDAY AFTERNOON. WIDELY SCATTERED TO SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY...THEN AGAIN SUNDAY AND MONDAY. AT THIS TIME...ANY STORMS THAT DEVELOP ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN BELOW SEVERE LIMITS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT OR EARLY WEDNESDAY.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
1255 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1225 AM HAIL MOUNT VERNON 38.32N 88.91W
05/21/2013 M1.00 INCH JEFFERSON IL TRAINED SPOTTER
LATE REPORT...QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED.
&&
SMITTYSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 107 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 ILZ075>078-081>083-085>087-INZ081-082-085-086-210645- EDWARDS IL-FRANKLIN IL-GALLATIN IL-GIBSON IN-HAMILTON IL-JEFFERSON IL-PIKE IN-POSEY IN-SALINE IL-VANDERBURGH IN-WABASH IL-WAYNE IL-WHITE IL-WILLIAMSON IL- 107 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR HAMILTON...EASTERN FRANKLIN... SOUTHERN WAYNE AND SOUTHEASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTIES IN SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AND EDWARDS...WHITE...WABASH...NORTHWESTERN GALLATIN...EASTERN WILLIAMSON AND NORTHERN SALINE COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...AND GIBSON...PIKE...NORTHERN POSEY AND NORTHWESTERN VANDERBURGH COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA UNTIL 145 AM CDT... AT 1253 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM LANCASTER TO 5 MILES EAST OF THOMPSONVILLE...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. WIND EQUIPMENT IN WAYNE CITY ILLINOIS MEASURED SUSTAINED WINDS AROUND 35 MPH WITH THIS LINE. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... CARMI...PRINCETON...FORT BRANCH...OAKLAND CITY...NORRIS CITY... CROSSVILLE...PATOKA...NEW HARMONY...OWENSVILLE...POSEYVILLE... CYNTHIANA...AND RALEIGH. 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. MY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 116 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 ILZ080-084-MOZ076-210700- JACKSON IL-PERRY MO-PERRY IL- 116 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN PERRY COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...AND JACKSON COUNTY IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...AND PERRY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNTIL 200 AM CDT... AT 101 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR PERRYVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF NICKELS AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... MURPHYSBORO...CARBONDALE...PINCKNEYVILLE...DU QUOIN... WILLISVILLE...AVA...CEDAR LAKE AREA...DE SOTO...ELKVILLE... TAMAROA...CAMPBELL HILL...MAKANDA...VERGENNES...DOWELL AND ST. JOHNS. THIS STORM 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. MY
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 145 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 ILZ083-087-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ014-018-210730- GALLATIN IL-GIBSON IN-HENDERSON KY-PIKE IN-POSEY IN-SPENCER IN-UNION KY-VANDERBURGH IN-WARRICK IN-WHITE IL- 145 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHEASTERN WHITE AND NORTHERN GALLATIN COUNTY IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...AND WARRICK...EASTERN GIBSON...PIKE...SOUTHERN POSEY...NORTHWESTERN SPENCER AND VANDERBURGH COUNTIES IN SOUTHWEST INDIANA...AND NORTHERN HENDERSON AND NORTHEASTERN UNION COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST KENTUCKY UNTIL 230 AM CDT... AT 139 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM PETERSBURG INDIANA TO POSEYVILLE INDIANA TO HARRISBURG ILLINOIS...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED ALONG A LINE THAT IS MOVING OUT AHEAD OF THESE DISSIPATING SHOWERS AND STORMS. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... OAKLAND CITY...MOUNT VERNON...MELODY HILL...EVANSVILLE... CHANDLER...BOONVILLE...NEWBURGH...HENDERSON...RIDGWAY... DARMSTADT...WINSLOW...KASSON...LYNNVILLE...UNIONTOWN... FOLSOMVILLE...DALE...SOMERVILLE...MACKEY...ELBERFELD AND SPURGEON. 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.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
152 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0150 AM TSTM WND GST BERNIE 36.67N 89.97W
05/21/2013 E50 MPH STODDARD MO TRAINED SPOTTER
WIND GUST ESTIMATED AT 50 MPH.
&&
SMITTYSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 225 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 ILZ092>094-KYZ001>006-MOZ111-112-114-210815- ALEXANDER IL-BALLARD KY-CARLISLE KY-FULTON KY-GRAVES KY-HICKMAN KY-MASSAC IL-MCCRACKEN KY-MISSISSIPPI MO-NEW MADRID MO-PULASKI IL-SCOTT MO- 225 AM CDT TUE MAY 21 2013 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTHERN ALEXANDER...PULASKI AND WESTERN MASSAC COUNTIES IN SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...AND HICKMAN...WESTERN GRAVES...CARLISLE...BALLARD...FULTON AND WESTERN MCCRACKEN COUNTIES IN WESTERN KENTUCKY...AND EASTERN SCOTT...EASTERN NEW MADRID AND MISSISSIPPI COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNTIL 315 AM CDT... AT 223 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM SCOTT CITY MISSOURI TO CHARLESTON MISSOURI TO NEW MADRID MISSOURI...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE IMPACTED INCLUDE... CAIRO... HICKMAN...WICKLIFFE...BARDWELL...CLINTON...LA CENTER...FULTON...MOUNDS...MOUND CITY...AND BARLOW. 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. MY
The Paducah radar (KPAH), 12 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 08:09 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Two large trees were blown down near U.S. Highway 62. Utility companies cleared the debris, which affected power lines.
Five to six trees were snapped and uprooted near the intersection of U.S. Highway 62 and Highway 724, which is a few miles south of Barkley Regional Airport.
A 1000-pound factory awning was blown off, carried by the wind approximately 70 yards, and landed on top of several vehicles. A few of the vehicles were destroyed.
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, May 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: 447444, 450028, 447446.