Widespread strong to severe thunderstorms formed along and ahead of an advancing cold front on this day, bringing severe weather and flooding to eastern Kentucky. Numerous reports of downed trees were received at the weather office, along with numerous reports of flooding and some mudslides across the area.
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.
Widespread strong to severe thunderstorms formed along and ahead of an advancing cold front on this day, bringing severe weather and flooding to eastern Kentucky. Numerous reports of downed trees were received at the weather office, along with numerous reports of flooding and some mudslides across the area.
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 20, 1:15 PM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 215 PM EDT WED AUG 20 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 1143 AM EDT WED AUG 20 2014 A RATHER CHALLENGING FORECAST THIS MORNING. TAIL END OF FRONTAL ZONE...BOUNDARY IS EVIDENT ACROSS THE MID WEST THIS MORNING AND WILL PLAY A MAJOR ROLE IN OUR WEATHER OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. BUILDING RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT AND TO OUR WEST WILL FORCE THIS BOUNDARY TO THE EAST OVER THE NEXT 24 HOURS. THIS BOUNDARY WILL BECOME INCREASINGLY ALIGNED WITH MID AND UPPER LEVEL FLOW PATTERNS AND BECOME STATIONARY ACROSS THE MID OHIO VALLEY REGION. THEREAFTER IT SERVES AS A FOCUS FOR CONVECTION AND THE OCCASIONAL CONVECTIVE COMPLEX OF STORMS. ATTM IT APPEARS AT LEAST PART OF OUR AREA WILL FEEL THE EFFECTS OF WEAK IMPULSES OF ENERGY RIDING OVER AND DROPPING DOWN ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF THE RIDGE AXIS. IMMEDIATE QUESTION IS WILL CURRENT UPSTREAM ACTIVITY OVER IA/IL MANAGE TO MAKE IT INTO OUR AREA. MOST LIKELY ANSWER LIES WITHIN THE SYNOPTIC PATTERN THAT IS TAKING SHAPE...BEST DESCRIBED AS AN ALMOST IDEAL MCS GENERATOR. MODELS SEEM TO HAVE PICKED UP ON THIS AS WELL... DEPICTING THE SOURCE OF MOISTURE/ENERGY...NAMELY BOUNDARY LAYER H925 TO H850 FLOW INTO THESE STORM COMPLEXES WEAKENING THROUGH THE DAY DUE TO DIURNAL MIXING...THE INCREASING AGAIN AT NIGHT. THESE COMPLEXES ONCE GENERATED THEN RIDE SOUTHEAST ALONG THE BOUNDARY. THAT BEING SAID EXPECT THE CURRENT ACTIVITY ACROSS IA/IL TO WEAKEN A BIT THROUGH THE DAY. BUT CONFIDENCE IS LOW THAT ACTIVITY WILL COME TO A COMPLETE END. MOST RECENT RUNS OF THE RAP AND HRRR SUPPORT THIS LINE OF THOUGHT AND REGIONAL SATELLITE DOES SHOW A DEFINITE WARMING TREND TO CLOUD TOPS ATTM. DECIDED TO TRIM POPS DOWN JUST A BIT THROUGH THE AFTERNOON BUT LEAVING ENOUGH TO TO ACCOUNT FOR ISOLD TO SCATTERED CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH DIURNAL HEATING AND ACTIVITY THAT MAY FIRE ALONG ANY RESIDUAL OUTFLOW BOUNDARIES. PREVIOUS FORECAST HAS POPS INCREASING AGAIN TONIGHT WHICH IS IN LINE WITH CURRENT THOUGHTS AS WELL...ESPECIALLY WITH THE SURFACE BOUNDARY SHIFTING TO THE EAST ACROSS OUR AREA. ALSO TWEAKED HOURLY TEMPS AND WINDS TO BRING THE GRIDS IN LINE WITH LATEST HOURLY OBS. FINALLY FRESHENED UP ZONES TO REMOVE MORNING FOG WORDING. UPDATE ISSUED AT 800 AM EDT WED AUG 20 2014 SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL EXIT SOUTHEASTERN KENTUCKY IN THE NEXT ONE TO TWO HOURS. ONCE THESE STORMS CLEAR THE AREA...THERE MAY BE SOME ISOLATED TO SCATTERED CONVECTION RE- DEVELOPING ACROSS EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS AFTERNOON DURING PEAK HEATING. WILL STAY THE COURSE AND CONTINUE TO MENTION THE POPS...HOWEVER SOME OF THE GUIDANCE HAS TRENDED DRIER...AND GIVEN THE SUBSIDENCE FOLLOWING THE DEPARTING WAVE...WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF CONVECTION IS EVEN MORE ISOLATED. UPDATES HAVE BEEN SENT. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 357 AM EDT WED AUG 20 2014 A COMPLEX OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS CURRENTLY SLIDING EAST ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY ASSOCIATED WITH A PASSING SHORT WAVE TROUGH. THE MORE ORGANIZED PORTION OF THIS COMPLEX HAS BEEN CONFINED TO ALONG AND NORTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY. THE HRRR MODEL HAS NOT BEEN HANDLING THIS FEATURE WELL THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT...OVERPLAYING THE DEVELOPMENT TO THE SOUTH THAT HAS BEEN WEAK IN REALITY...WHILE UNDERPLAYING WHERE CONVECTION HAS BEEN MORE ORGANIZED AND SUSTAINED. EXPECT THIS COMPLEX TO KEEP MOVING EAST...AFFECTING LOCATIONS ALONG AND NORTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY FOR THE NEXT FEW HOURS...BEFORE EXITING THE AREA BY 12Z. THERE WILL BE SOME SUBSIDENCE FOLLOWING THIS DEPARTING SHORT WAVE FOR TODAY WORKING IN FROM WEST TO EAST...SO HAVE TRIMMED THE POPS BACK A BIT...PEAKING IN THE 20 TO 30 RANGE FOR MOST LOCATIONS DURING THE HOTTER PART OF THE DAY. HIGHS TODAY WILL RANGE FROM 85 TO 90 DEGREES. AS WE HEAD INTO TONIGHT...CONVECTION WILL BE ON THE DOWNWARD TREND THROUGH 06Z...BUT THEN LOOKS TO INCREASE BETWEEN 06 AND 12Z...AS ANOTHER SHORT WAVE TROUGH APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST. POP CHANCES WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH THE DAY ON THURSDAY WITH HEATING AIDING THE MODEST FORCING FROM THE PASSING SHORT WAVE. HAVE MAINTAINED THE BETTER POPS IN THE NORTHEAST...AND LESSER VALUES IN THE SOUTHWEST...FURTHER REMOVED FROM THE BETTER FORCING. HIGHS WILL RETURN TO THE 85 TO 90 DEGREE RANGE IN THE SOUTHWEST...WITH MID 80S IN THE NORTHEAST...WHERE MORE PERSISTENT CLOUD COVER WILL RESIDE. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 335 AM EDT WED AUG 20 2014 THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE FORECAST BEGINS ON THURSDAY NIGHT WITH A SLOWLY BUILDING RIDGE OVER THE CENTRAL CONUS AND DIGGING TROUGHS OVER THE NORTHWEST AND NORTHEAST. THIS GENERAL TREND CONTINUES THROUGH THE ENTIRE EXTENDED PERIOD. DURING THIS PERIOD...QUITE A FEW STRONG SHORTWAVES TRAVEL OVER THE BUILDING RIDGE IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND INTO THE OH VALLEY AND GREAT LAKES REGION. THE FIRST WAVE OF NOTE WILL BE THE SHORTWAVE MOVING THROUGH AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EXTENDED. AFTER THIS...THE PATTERN TURNS INTO A MORE MCS DRIVEN PATTERN FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY WITH ACTIVITY CENTERED AROUND WHAT THE DAYS CONVECTION BRINGS AND IS DIURNALLY AFFECTED. THROUGH THE PERIOD THE UPPER RIDGE SLOWLY WEAKENS AND DRIFTS EAST. CONCERNING THE MODELS DURING THE EXTENDED...THE GFS AND EURO LOOK TO BE RIGHT ON TRACK AND IN GOOD AGREEMENT. THOUGH...THE EURO LOOKS TO CUT OFF ANY CONVECTION BY THE END OF THE EXTENDED AS THE RIDGE AXIS SETS UP RIGHT OVER EASTERN KENTUCKY LEADING TO AN END TO ALL DIURNALLY DRIVEN CONVECTION AND DISPLACING THE TRACK OF THE MCS MORE TO THE NORTHEAST. BASED ON THE GOOD AGREEMENT...IT SEEMS TO BE A GOOD CONSENSUS TO STAY CLOSE TO THE SOLUTION OF THE ALL BLEND MODEL. THOUGH DEPENDING ON WHAT THE 00Z EURO DOES ON THE MONDAY AND TUESDAY TIME FRAME FOR THE RIDGE AXIS RIGHT OVER THE AREA...MAY DROP POPS BELOW THE ALL MODEL BLEND SOLUTION. WITH THE SOLUTION OF THE ALL MODEL BLEND...THE BEST CHANCE OF POPS WILL BE DURING THE FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY TIME FRAME AND LESS DURING THE MONDAY AND TUESDAY TIME FRAME WHERE THE RIDGE WILL BE OVER EASTERN KENTUCKY AND HAVE LEFT SLIGHT CHANCE MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY. IN ADDITION TO THIS PATTERN...TEMPERATURES WILL BE ON THE INCREASE IN EARNEST AS SOME OF THE WARMEST WEATHER OF THE ENTIRE SUMMER WILL BEGIN TO SET IN FROM FRIDAY THROUGH THE REST OF THE EXTENDED. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL SURPASS 90 DEGREES IN SOME AREAS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY AND HUMIDITY WILL BE ON THE INCREASE AS WELL. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 215 PM EDT WED AUG 20 2014 VERY JUICY AIR IN THE BOUNDARY LAYER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR LOW SC FIELD IN PLACE ACROSS THE AREA. CIGS HAVE GENERALLY BEEN WITHIN THE MVFR THRESHOLDS. WITH MIXING AND INCREASED HEATING...CLOUD BASE OF CU/SC FIELD SHOULD RISE JUST A BIT THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. OTHERWISE CONFIDENCE IS LOW ON EXACTLY HOW UPSTREAM STORM COMPLEX OVER IL/IN WILL AFFECT OUR AREA. MODEL GUIDANCE SUGGEST THE SYSTEM WILL FALL APART BEFORE ACTIVITY REDEVELOPS LATER TONIGHT ALONG A SURFACE FRONTAL BOUNDARY THAT WILL TRANSIT OUR AREA. FOLLOWED THIS TRAIN OF THOUGHT PRETTY CLOSELY FOR THE FORECAST. IN ADDITION...GUIDANCE IS HITTING FOG ACROSS THE AREA PRETTY HARD TONIGHT. BUT WITH EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER MOVING BACK INTO THE AREA TENDENCY WAS TO GO MORE OPTIMISTIC. VERY WEAK UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL APPROACH BETWEEN 06 AND 12Z...AND BE THE CATALYST FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED RENEWED CONVECTIVE THREAT. THEREAFTER...THE SURFACE FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL BECOME STATIONARY TO OUR EAST AND BECOME THE FOCUS OF ADDITIONAL SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS. WINDS WILL BE LIGHT AND GENERALLY FROM THE WEST SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...NONE. && UPDATE...RAY SHORT TERM...GEOGERIAN LONG TERM...SHALLENBERGER AVIATION...GEOGERIAN/RAY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 608 AM EDT WED AUG 20 2014 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-211100- 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 608 AM EDT WED AUG 20 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AT TIMES WEDNESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. GEOGERIAN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 259 PM EDT WED AUG 20 2014 KYZ080-086-116-201945- LAUREL-KNOX-CLAY- 259 PM EDT WED AUG 20 2014 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 345 PM EDT WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON... NORTH CENTRAL KNOX... WEST CENTRAL CLAY AND NORTHEASTERN LAUREL. AT 259 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR CRAWFORD...OR 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF LONDON...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. RESIDENTS SHOULD EXPECT VERY HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL IN THESE AREAS. ABE
The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:17 UTC.
20 thunderstorm wind, 4 flash flood, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down along Hwy 1305 between mile markers 3 and 4.
A tree was blown down on Tom Cat Trail or Hwy 1305.
A tree was blown down and onto the top of a trailer at the Browning Trailer park loop on Hwy 119.
A tree was blown down on South Wilderness Rd.
Seven or eight trees were blown down on Harris Ferry Rd.
A tree was blown down on Piney Branch.
Trees were blown down on Red Hill Rd near the Livingston area.
The roof of a boat storage building was completely blown away by thunderstorm winds. Other portions of the building also collapsed. This damage was likely due to straight line winds. The building is located west of Hwy 82.
Two trees were blown down on Stinking Creek Rd.
Trees were blown down on Hwy 638 between mile markers 4 and 12.
Three trees were blown down on Lodge Rd.
Trees were blown down along Hwy 578 between mile markers 5 and 9.
A tree was blown down along Hwy 472 between mile markers 7 and 8.
Two trees were blown down on Hwy 3346.
A tree was blown down on Maces Creek Rd.
A trained spotter reported that multiple trees had been blown down all over the county. There were also some power outages reported that could have been caused by either thunderstorm wind gusts or lightning strikes.
A couple of trees were blown down.
Water was reported flowing over Main Street in Monticello. Multiple vehicles were stalled with water reported up to the tops of their tires.
Trees were blown down on Airport Rd.
Several trees were blown down in Williamsburg.
Three feet of water was observed flowing over Hwy 80 near Grace Community Health Care and Highway 1807 was closed due to high water from Wooton Creek covering the road.
A tree was blown down on Hwy 119 at the 2 mile marker.
Heavy rainfall from slow moving thunderstorms on saturated ground produced several areas of flash flooding across Perry County, including along Big Willard Road where several people were trapped in the Big Willard School. Grapevine Creek also flooded the Davidson Church along Highway 28 and flash flooding was reported along Bulan Hiner Road and along Old Highway 80 West near Combs. Several mudslides were also reported in Grapevine and Chavies.
Troublesome creek was reported to have come out of its banks in the Carrie area shortly after a public report of 1.78 inches of rain fell in 35 minutes. A trailer on Lick Branch Road was flooded. A foot of flowing water was reported over Highway 1102. Also, the Ball Creek Volunteer Fire Dept assisted several families that were trapped by flood waters in their homes near Highway 550 in Hindman between 730 pm EST and 800 pm EST.
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: 531285, 531276, 531277, 531278, 531279, 531282, 531280, 531286, 531281, 531283, 531288, 531284, 531289, 531290, 531295, 531297, 531291, 531294, 531248, 531292, 531293, 531249, 531296, 536035, 531258.