Numerous strong and slow moving thunderstorms brought repeated rounds of heavy rain and flooding to eastern Kentucky during the morning hours of April 30th.
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.
Numerous strong and slow moving thunderstorms brought repeated rounds of heavy rain and flooding to eastern Kentucky during the morning hours of April 30th.
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 Apr 30, 2:48 AM EST, 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 348 AM EDT WED APR 30 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM EDT WED APR 30 2014 CURRENT CONDITIONS ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY FEATURE ANOTHER SOAKING NIGHT OF RAIN...UNFORTUNATELY OVER AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED QUITE A BIT OF RAIN OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS. MOISTURE CONTINUES TO STREAM NORTHWARD THROUGH EASTERN KENTUCKY WITH A FEW EMBEDDED STORMS. TO THE WEST OVER WESTERN KENTUCKY A WEAKENING COLD FRONT SLOWLY PROGRESSES EASTWARD THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS AND IS EXPECTED TO EVENTUALLY PUSH THROUGH EAST KENTUCKY LATER TODAY. IN THE UPPER LEVELS...THE STALLED LOW CONTINUES TO SIT OVER THE UPPER MS RIVER VALLEY AND WILL MOVE OVER THE GREAT LAKES BY THE END OF THE SHORT TERM FORECAST PERIOD...OR THURSDAY EVENING. THIS IS GENERALLY A GOOD CONSENSUS BETWEEN THE SHORT TERM MODELS. CONCERNING TODAY...THE EASTWARD MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL BE SLOW THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS AND WILL KEEP CAT POPS IN THE WESTERN CWA AND GRADUALLY TREND DOWNWARD THROUGH THE MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON TO LIKELY AND HIGH CHANCE POPS. MODEL SOUNDINGS HINT AS SOME INCREASED INSTABILITY BY THIS AFTERNOON WITH SOME DAYTIME HEATING WHICH WILL SPARK A FEW MORE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY BUT NOTHING LIKE THE BOUT OF SEVERE WEATHER OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS. WILL PUT CHANCE THUNDER IN BY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ESPECIALLY WITH SOME LINGERING UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT. AS SUCH WITH THE FRONT PUSHING THROUGH AND RAINFALL OVER THE AREA...HIGH TEMPS TODAY STRUGGLE TO GET INTO THE LOW 70S AND WILL GO WITH THIS STAYING A DEGREE OR TWO ABOVE MOS. THE THUNDER THREAT WILL ALL BUT DIMINISH BY 00Z TONIGHT WITH JUST ABOUT ALL INSTABILITY TAPPED AND WILL GO WITH JUST SHOWERS FOR TONIGHT. ALSO THE CONVECTION HAS NOW MORE OF A DIURNALLY DRIVEN OCCURRENCE...ESPECIALLY WITH THE GREAT UPPER LEVEL SUPPORT MOVING EAST. WITH THE UPPER LOW LINGERING TO THE NORTH AND WEAK WAVES TRACKING THROUGH THE BASE OF THE UPPER TROUGH...THERE WILL BE A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SOME LOW TOPPED SHOWERS BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND WILL KEEP THE CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN FOR THURSDAY AFTERNOON. PROBABLY THE ONLY FORECAST CONCERN HERE IS IF THERE WILL BE ENOUGH INSTABILITY FOR A STRAY THUNDERSTORM. OTHERWISE...THE GENERAL TREND FOR THE SHORT TERM WILL IMPROVING CONDITIONS THROUGH THE NEXT 36 HOURS AFTER GETTING THROUGH THE MINOR FLOODING POSSIBILITIES TODAY. WILL CONTINUE TO HANDLE THE FLOODING THREATS THIS MORNING WITH A COUPLE OF FLOOD ADVISORIES. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 350 AM EDT WED APR 30 2014 THE LONG TERM DISCUSSION WILL BE ISSUED SHORTLY. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 248 AM EDT WED APR 30 2014 SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE ACROSS THE TAF SITES DURING THE FIRST 6 HOURS OF THE PERIOD. DURING HEAVIER RAIN IN SHRA AND TSRA AND AS THE ATMOSPHERE GRADUALLY SATURATES IN THE LOW LEVELS...SOME MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS ARE ANTICIPATED...AT LEAST AT TIMES. WINDS WILL BE GENERALLY OUT OF THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE FIRST PART OF THE FORECAST. WINDS WILL INCREASE BY THIS AFTERNOON OUT OF THE WEST AS THE FRONT SLOWLY MOVES THROUGH THE AREA LATER TODAY WITH GUSTS REACHING UP TO 25 KNOTS. SHOWERS AND A THUNDERSTORM WILL STILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY SO WILL KEEP SOME MVFR CONDITIONS THROUGH THE MORNING AND GRADUALLY IMPROVE CONDITIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...SHALLENBERGER LONG TERM...JJ AVIATION...SHALLENBERGER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 1049 PM EDT TUE APR 29 2014 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-301200- 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- 1049 PM EDT TUE APR 29 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE TONIGHT. HEAVIER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM COULD MOVE REPEATEDLY OVER THE SAME AREAS LEADING TO A THREAT OF LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN. FROM THIS...LOCALIZED HIGH WATER OR FLASH FLOODING COULD DEVELOP. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN ANY REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER THAT MAY HAVE OCCURRED ON TUESDAY EVENING AND ANY HEAVY RAIN OR FLOODING TONIGHT. GREIF/JP
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
1000 PM EDT TUE APR 29 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0957 PM HAIL OIL SPRINGS 37.81N 82.94W
04/29/2014 E0.25 INCH JOHNSON KY TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
JPSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 1000 PM EDT TUE APR 29 2014 KYZ110-119-120-300245- MARTIN-PIKE-FLOYD- 1000 PM EDT TUE APR 29 2014 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 1045 PM EDT TUESDAY EVENING... EASTERN MARTIN... NORTHWESTERN PIKE AND EAST CENTRAL FLOYD. AT 1000 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR CRAYNOR...OR 10 MILES WEST OF PIKEVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...HAROLD AROUND 1005 PM EDT...IVEL AROUND 1010 PM EDT...GULNARE AROUND 1020 PM EDT... HEENAN AROUND 1025 PM EDT...THREEFORKS AROUND 1030 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. RICHEY
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
1039 PM EDT TUE APR 29 2014
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0715 PM HAIL SHOPVILLE 37.16N 84.48W
04/29/2014 E0.25 INCH PULASKI KY TRAINED SPOTTER
0800 PM HAIL 2 N STANTON 37.88N 83.86W
04/29/2014 E0.50 INCH POWELL KY PUBLIC
PEA TO HALF INCH HAIL REPORTED IN THE MORRIS CREEK
COURTNEY AREA.
0813 PM HAIL SHOPVILLE 37.16N 84.48W
04/29/2014 E0.50 INCH PULASKI KY TRAINED SPOTTER
0821 PM HAIL PONGO 37.22N 84.32W
04/29/2014 E0.75 INCH ROCKCASTLE KY EMERGENCY MNGR
EMERGENCY MANAGER RELAYED A FIRE DEPT REPORT OF PENNY
SIZE HAIL AND HIGH WINDS. SPEED OF WINDS IS UNKNOWN. NO
REPORTS OF WIND DAMAGE AT THIS TIME.
0830 PM HAIL 1 S MOUNT VERNON 37.35N 84.34W
04/29/2014 E1.00 INCH ROCKCASTLE KY PUBLIC
0853 PM HAIL 5 NW MCKEE 37.48N 84.08W
04/29/2014 M1.00 INCH JACKSON KY PUBLIC
THE TIME OF THE EVENT IS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
0925 PM HAIL LITTCARR 37.24N 82.95W
04/29/2014 E1.00 INCH KNOTT KY PUBLIC
THIS IS A PUBLIC REPORT VIA TWITTER.
0952 PM HAIL THORNTON 37.16N 82.74W
04/29/2014 E1.00 INCH LETCHER KY PUBLIC
THIS IS A PUBLIC REPORT VIA TWITTER.
0957 PM HAIL OIL SPRINGS 37.81N 82.94W
04/29/2014 E0.25 INCH JOHNSON KY TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
ARSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 1117 PM EDT TUE APR 29 2014 KYZ107-110-113-119-120-300400- JOHNSON-MARTIN-KNOTT-PIKE-FLOYD- 1117 PM EDT TUE APR 29 2014 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH MIDNIGHT EDT WEDNESDAY MORNING... SOUTHEASTERN JOHNSON... NORTHEASTERN KNOTT... MARTIN... NORTHWESTERN PIKE AND FLOYD. AT 1117 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR GARRET...OR 13 MILES SOUTH OF PRESTONSBURG...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH. LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...ALLEN AROUND 1125 PM EDT...DICKS CREEK AROUND 1130 PM EDT...ODDS AROUND 1135 PM EDT...DAVISPORT AROUND 1140 PM EDT...INEZ AROUND 1145 PM EDT... RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...WITH RAINFALL RATES OF UP TO AN INCH PER HOUR...GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. SHALLENBERGER
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
7 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
A temporary bridge on Highway 1505 was reported as being under water.
Eight inches of water was reported over the road at Slate Branch and Madira Road. The road was closed.
Minor flooding occurred on Lakewood Drive off Highway 89.
Highway 3328 and Red Lick Road is closed due to high water.
Old Clay City Road is closed due to high water.
Highway 599 Cane Creek Road closed due to high water.
Highway 3303 closed due to high water.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, April 2014
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: 514064, 514065, 514066, 514068, 514077, 514079, 514087.