Showers and thunderstorms that formed ahead of an approaching area of low pressure produced heavy rainfall that caused flash flooding across portions of eastern Kentucky on August 18th. Most of the flooding occurred in Breathitt, Knott, and Perry counties during the morning hours.
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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.
Showers and thunderstorms that formed ahead of an approaching area of low pressure produced heavy rainfall that caused flash flooding across portions of eastern Kentucky on August 18th. Most of the flooding occurred in Breathitt, Knott, and Perry counties during the morning hours.
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 Aug 18, 4:00 AM EST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 500 AM EDT MON AUG 18 2014 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 315 AM EDT MON AUG 18 2014 FEATURES ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY CENTER AROUND A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM MOVING EAST INTO THE AREA THIS MORNING. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE IN A WELL MOIST AND UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT WITH INSTANCES OF HEAVY RAINFALL MAINLY OVER THE SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY HEADING INTO THE MORNING HOURS. THIS BEING WHERE THE BETTER LIFT AND FORCING ALONG AN APPROACHING SURFACE BOUNDARY. RAINFALL RATES HERE AS WELL AS WHAT IS ADVERTISED LATER IN THE MORNING AND INTO TODAY WILL FEATURE THE FLASH FLOODING THREAT MAINLY OVER THESE AREAS SOUTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY. WILL CONTINUE TO MENTION THIS THREAT IN THE HWO AS THANKFULLY...STORM MOTION IS QUITE QUICK AND RESIDENCE TIME OVER A CERTAIN LOCATION WILL NOT BE AN ISSUE. HOWEVER...A FEW INSTANCES OF CELLS MOVING OVER THE SAME LOCATION MAY BE ENOUGH FOR A FLASH FLOOD THREAT INTO THE PREDAWN HOURS. LATER ON INTO THIS AFTERNOON...A DRY LAYER BEGINS TO DEVELOP IN THE MID LEVELS. WITH THE SURFACE INSTABILITY ON THE INCREASE AND STILL SOME MOISTURE IN THE LOWER LEVELS PRESENT...SOME MORE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH LESS MOISTURE DEPTH A CHANCE OF A STORM THUNDERSTORM OR TWO. WILL CONTINUE WITH AREAL COVERAGE INTO THIS TONIGHT. WITH THE INCREASE IN STORM MOTION AND LACK OF ABUNDANT MOISTURE FROM THE PAST DAY...THE FLOODING THREAT WILL BEGIN TO DIMINISH BY TONIGHT. WILL EXPECT A MORE DIURNALLY DRIVEN THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT BY TUESDAY AS A WEAK DISTURBANCE FOLLOWS THE PREVIOUS WAVE ON MONDAY. WILL CONTINUE WITH SCATTERED POPS INTO THIS PERIOD AS WELL. OVERALL...THE CONCERN LIES WITH THE MESOSCALE FEATURES WITH THE REMNANT MCV TRACKING THROUGH CENTRAL KENTUCKY AND INTO EASTERN PORTIONS TODAY WITH A LOCALIZED FLOOD THREAT. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 500 AM EDT MON AUG 18 2014 THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT ABOUT THE GENERAL PATTERN ALOFT CONSISTING OF A GREAT LAKES CLOSED LOW EARLY ON BEING SHUNTED EAST BY A BURGEONING RIDGE OVER THE LOWER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY INTO THE DAY THURSDAY. THE CMC IS THE FIRST TO DROP OUT AS IT SHOWS A WEAKER RIDGE THROUGH THE MID SECTION OF THE NATION WHILE THE GFS AND ECMWF MAINTAIN HIGHER AMPLITUDES ACROSS THE MISSOURI VALLEY AND INTO THE WESTERN PORTION OF THE OHIO VALLEY TO CLOSE OUT THE WORK WEEK. THE SIMILARITIES OF THESE LATTER MODELS CONTINUED INTO THE WEEKEND WITH STRONG RIDGING CENTERED OVER ARKANSAS WHILE BROAD TROUGHING HOLDS TOUGH THROUGH THE NEW ENGLAND STATES. BETWEEN THESE TWO FEATURES...A STREAM OF SEASONABLY FAST FLOW WILL CARRY A STEADY BATCH OF SHORTWAVES FROM THE UPPER MIDWEST THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY AND INTO THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. THIS PATTERN REMAINS IN PLACE THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND...THOUGH THE CRUCIAL STREAM OF SHORTWAVE ENERGY WILL LIKELY WAVE BACK AND FORTH THROUGH THE WESTERN FOOTHILLS OF THE APPALACHIANS. GIVEN THE MODEL AGREEMENT AMONG THE GFS AND ECMWF HAVE FAVORED THEIR SOLUTION FOR THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST. SENSIBLE WEATHER WILL FEATURE A CONTINUATION OF OUR MOIST ENVIRONMENT AND POTENTIAL FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE RIDGING TO OUR SOUTHWEST WILL BE ENOUGH TO SEND TEMPERATURES INTO AND ABOVE SEASONABLE NORMS DESPITE THE INCREASED HUMIDITY. THIS WILL ALSO HELP TO ENHANCE THE DIURNALLY DRIVEN INSTABILITY THROUGH THE AREA RESULTING IN THE BEST CHANCES OF STORMS EACH AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HOWEVER...WITH THE ACTIVITY ALOFT AND THE NEARBY SFC BOUNDARIES THE THREAT OF CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE NIGHTS AS WELL. THIS WILL MEAN A WARM...WET...AND STORMY PERIOD FOR EAST KENTUCKY THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND. THE CAVEAT WILL BE SHOULD THE RIDGE TO THE SOUTHWEST TAKE OVER AND SHIFT JUST A BIT NORTHEAST WE MAY BE IN FOR A HOT AND HUMID TIME INSTEAD. THIS WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED...BUT AS OF NOW THE BEST BET IS FOR A CONTINUATION OF OUR MODERATE CHANCES FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH MOST PERIODS IN THE EXTENDED. THE HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT WILL HOLD THE TEMPERATURES UP AT NIGHT AND LIMIT RADIATIONAL COOLING. LIKEWISE...DAYTIME HIGHS COULD BE IMPACTED BY THE TIMING AND DURATION OF AFTERNOON CONVECTION...BUT THE POTENTIAL IS THERE FOR READINGS IN THE UPPER 80S EACH DAY. THE CR GRID LOAD PROVIDED A GOOD START TO THE FORECAST FOR THE EXTENDED...THOUGH DID GIVE THE POPS MORE OF A DIURNAL TREND. ALSO...ADJUSTED THE LOW TEMPERATURE GRIDS SLIGHTLY EACH NIGHT TO REFLECT MINOR RIDGE AND VALLEY DIFFERENCES. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 125 AM EDT MON AUG 18 2014 SHOWERS AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO ENTER EASTERN KENTUCKY THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THIS WILL EVENTUALLY BRING VISIBILITY AND CEILINGS DOWN TO FIELD MINS EVENTUALLY...MAINLY THOUGH WHERE HEAVIER SHOWERS MOVE OVER A POINT. WILL EXPECT TO KEEP THESE CONDITIONS THROUGH THE MORNING BEFORE LIFTING THE CEILINGS INTO THE AFTERNOON AS THE MAIN LIFT AND MOISTURE FINALLY MOVE OFF TO THE EAST. EXPECT MOST OF THE TAF SITES TO EXPERIENCE BELOW IFR IN 08Z TO 14Z PERIOD. WINDS WILL MAINLY BE LIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING BUT THEN PICKING UP OUR OF THE WEST INTO THE AFTERNOON WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE SURFACE FRONT. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...SHALLENBERGER LONG TERM...GREIF AVIATION...SHALLENBERGER
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 400 AM EDT MON AUG 18 2014 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-191100- 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 400 AM EDT MON AUG 18 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AND TONIGHT. SOME STORMS WILL HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO PRODUCE HEAVY RAINFALL MAINLY TODAY THROUGH THIS EVENING. BECAUSE OF THIS...A FEW INSTANCES OF LOCALIZED FLOODING ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY WHERE STORMS MOVE REPEATEDLY OVER THE SAME LOCATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AT TIMES TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY INSTANCES OF HEAVY RAINFALL OR FLOODING TODAY. SHALLENBERGER
The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 34 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:27 UTC.
3 flash flood, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flash flooding of Freeman Fork caused Freeman Fork Road to be impassable.
Over three inches of rain fell across northern Perry County. This amount of rain produced flash flooding which surrounded trailers in the Chavies Community, flooded a church near the intersection of Highway 15 and 28, and closed Highway 476 between Hardburly and Darfork.
Over three inches of rainfall from slow moving thunderstorms produced flash flooding across the county. Troublesome Creek was reported out of its banks from Hindman to Carrie, six inches of flowing water was reported over Highway 80, flooding at the junction of Highway 550 and 160 made the roads impassable, flood waters surrounded a house in Garner, the Hazard Community & Technical School campus was flooded in Hindman, and water was reported over the bumper of an SUV between Leburn and Hindman.
Water had backed up into several yards due to a clogged storm drain.
Standing water several inches deep was reported at a neighborhood in the Bevinsville area.
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, August 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: 536004, 536009, 536020, 531124, 536025.