Strong winds downed trees and caused structural damage across portions of eastern Kentucky on December 24, 2014. A round of severe thunderstorms also caused wind damage during the early evening hours of Christmas Eve across portions of the area.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Strong winds downed trees and caused structural damage across portions of eastern Kentucky on December 24, 2014. A round of severe thunderstorms also caused wind damage during the early evening hours of Christmas Eve across portions of the area. Pike county suffered the most during the event, with several reports of downed trees coming from around the county.
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 Dec 24, 1:58 PM EST, 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 158 PM EST WED DEC 24 2014 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 158 PM EST WED DEC 24 2014 THE COLD FRONT IS MOVING INTO OUR AREA...NOW LOCATED NEAR KEKQ AND JUST WEST OF KLEX. TEMPERATURES HAVE SOARED INTO THE UPPER 60S OUT AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY...THANKS TO SOME HOLES IN THE PRECEDING MID AND HIGH LEVEL CLOUD DECK. A NICE BAND OF SHOWERS HAVE CONTINUED TO DEVELOP ALONG AND BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. HAVE TAKEN POPS UP TO CATEGORICAL IN THE WEST...AND THEN ALLOWED FOR A GRADUAL DIMINISHMENT AS THE LINE COMES EAST AS THE FRONT STARTS TO SHEAR OUT WITH TIME. UPDATES HAVE BEEN SENT. UPDATE ISSUED AT 1103 AM EST WED DEC 24 2014 THE COLD FRONT IS CURRENTLY ALIGNED FROM IN/OH BORDER DOWN THROUGH NEAR CENTRAL KENTUCKY...HAVING JUST PASSED THROUGH BWG...BUT STILL SLIGHTLY WEST OF SDF. PLENTY OF SHOWER ACTIVITY IS FILLING IN ALONG AND BEHIND THE FRONT...AND HAVE BEEFED UP POPS TO LIKELY FOR MOST AS IT MAKES IT WAY TOWARDS EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS AFTERNOON. ALSO ADDED A FEW MORE COUNTIES TO THE WIND ADVISORY...MAINLY HIGHLIGHTING ELEVATIONS ABOVE 1500 FEET...CLOSER TO THE STRONGER WINDS OCCURRING ALOFT. SPC STILL HIGHLIGHTS A MARGINAL THREAT OF STRONGER WIND GUSTS ASSOCIATED WITH MORE INTENSE SHOWERS OR ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS...SO WILL CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE THIS POSSIBILITY ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA AS WELL IN THE HWO. UPDATES HAVE BEEN SENT. UPDATE ISSUED AT 648 AM EST WED DEC 24 2014 UPDATED TO LOWER POPS THIS MORNING AS SOUTHEAST FLOW CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN WITH CLOUD HEIGHTS CONTINUING TO GO UP. THEY ARE NOW OVER 10KFT. THUS...CHANCES FOR MEASURABLE RAIN ARE DECREASING THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. BEST CHANCE OF RAIN STILL LOOKS TO COME WITH THE COLD FRONT AS IT CROSSES THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. LATEST HI-RES MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW THE POSSIBILITY OF A FEW THUNDERSTORMS AS THE FRONT PUSHES ACROSS OUR AREA. SHOULD WARM UP NICELY GIVEN THE SOUTHEAST FLOW AND LIMITED LOW CEILINGS THIS MORNING. WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED TO SEE US GET EVEN WARMER THAN THE FORECAST CURRENTLY REFLECTS. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 316 AM EST WED DEC 24 2014 AREA OF LOW PRESSURE IS NOW STARTING TO MAKE ITS MOVE NORTH ACROSS CENTRAL KENTUCKY...AND WILL END UP OVER SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN BY THIS EVENING. STRONG LIFT ASSOCIATED WITH THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA THROUGH DAYBREAK WITH RAIN BECOMING WIDESPREAD ONCE AGAIN AFTER A BRIEF LULL OVER THE PAST FEW HOURS. HRRR AND RAP ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THAT THIS LIFT WILL EXIT TO THE NORTH BY 9 OR 10 AM...WITH ANOTHER LULL IN PRECIPITATION EXPECTED THROUGH MIDDAY. WITH THE MIDDAY LULL IN PRECIPITATION...HIGHS WILL WARM INTO THE 60S FOR ONE MORE DAY. FINALLY AS THE LOW SHIFTS NORTH THOUGH...A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL PUSH EAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. WITH THE MILD TEMPERATURES...WE MAY GENERATE SOME WEAK INSTABILITY TO SUPPORT CONVECTIVE SHOWERS DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT AS IT PUSHES ACROSS THE AREA. WHILE THUNDER CHANCES REMAIN LOW...CANNOT RULE OUT SOME THUNDER WITH THE STRONGER CELLS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTHERN KENTUCKY. GIVEN THE ABUNDANCE OF MID LEVEL DRY AIR...AND STRONG 850MB WINDS AROUND 45 KNOTS...WE COULD SEE THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME HIGHER WINDS TO GET MIXED DOWN WITH THE SHOWERS. HOWEVER...EVEN WITHOUT THE CONVECTIVE SUPPORT FOR WINDS...THE SYNOPTIC SETUP BEHIND THE FRONT SHOULD SUPPORT 40+ MPH WINDS...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA. THUS...WILL GO AHEAD WITH A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE AREA. CONDITIONS ARE MORE MARGINAL FARTHER SOUTH...BUT A WIND ADVISORY FOR THE HIGH TERRAIN NEAR THE VIRGINIA BORDER ALSO SEEMS IN ORDER GIVEN THE STRONG WINDS AT 850MB. BEST THREAT FOR THE HIGHER WINDS WILL BE AFTER 17Z AND BEFORE 03Z TONIGHT. CONDITIONS WILL QUITE DOWN SOME THIS EVENING AS SUBSIDENCE SPREADS IN BEHIND THE DEPARTING FRONT. HOWEVER...A SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL PUSH EAST ACROSS THE AREA LATE TONIGHT...WITH THE MOISTURE DEPTH INCREASING TO SUPPORT SOME LIGHT RAIN/DRIZZLE. COLDER AIR WILL ALSO BE SPILLING INTO THE AREA TONIGHT BEHIND THE FRONT. WHILE MOST AREAS WILL STAY MILD ENOUGH FOR JUST RAIN...THE HIGHER TERRAIN IN THE SOUTHEAST WILL SUPPORT SOME SNOW CHANCES. IN FACT...CONDITIONS ALIGN GOOD ENOUGH TONIGHT WE COULD SEE A LIGHT COATING OF SNOW ON THE HIGH TERRAIN ABOVE 2500 FEET LATE TONIGHT. HEIGHTS WILL BE QUICK TO BUILD BACK ACROSS THE AREA ON CHRISTMAS. CLOUDS MAY BE STUBBORN THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY...BUT WE SHOULD DEFINITELY SEE A DECREASING TREND THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS THE RIDGE CENTERS ITSELF OVER THE REGION. HIGHS WILL STRUGGLE TO WARM GIVEN THE ABUNDANCE OF CLOUDS THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY...SO PLAN TO KEEP HIGHS LIMITED TO THE LOW TO MID 40S WITH 30S ON THE HIGHER TERRAIN IN THE SOUTHEAST. .LONG TERM...(THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY) ISSUED AT 420 AM EST WED DEC 24 2014 THE PERIOD IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN WITH A CLOSED UPPER LOW CONTINUING TO DEPART TO THE NORTHEAST OF THE REGION WITH UPPER LEVEL RIDGING BUILDING ACROSS THE AREA AT THE START OF THE PERIOD. FURTHER TO THE WEST A TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO EXTEND FROM THE NORTHERN PLAINS SOUTH INTO THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES AND NORTHERN MEXICO. SFC AND UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL GRADUALLY WORK ACROSS THE AREA FOR THU NIGHT INTO FRIDAY AND THEN DEPART TO THE EAST FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY. MEANWHILE A SHORTWAVE TROUGH IS ANTICIPATED TO EJECT FROM THE WESTERN TROUGH ACROSS THE PLAINS TOWARD THE GREAT LAKES FROM FRIDAY INTO SATURDAY. THIS WILL LEAD TO GRADUALLY LOWERING HEIGHTS ACROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND OH VALLEY AND A COLD FRONT DROPPING TOWARD THE REGION TO START THE WEEKEND. THIS SHOULD BEGIN THE START OF AN UNSETTLED PERIOD. OVER TIME...A RATHER BROAD TROUGH IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP FROM CENTRAL CANADA SOUTH INTO THE ROCKIES AND THEN EAST INTO THE EASTERN CONUS. MODELS VARY FROM RUN TO RUN AND MODEL TO MODEL WITH THE HANDLING OF INDIVIDUAL SHORTWAVES IN WEST SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST FLOW DURING THIS PERIOD AND THE INTERACTION WITH A BAROCLINIC ZONE...THE FRONT THAT MOVES INTO THE AREA EARLY IN THE WEEKEND...RESULTING IN SFC WAVES DEVELOPING ALONG THE FRONT. THE ECMWF IS GENERALLY SLOWER BRINGING THIS FRONT ACROSS THE AREA AND IS ALSO STRONGER AND FURTHER SOUTHEAST WITH A SFC WAVE SUN NIGHT INTO MONDAY. AS THIS LAST SYSTEM DEPARTS AN ARCTIC BOUNDARY SHOULD APPROACH THE AREA TUE OR WED. DUE TO AN OVERALL LACK OF COLDER AIR FOR MOST OF THE PERIOD...MUCH OF THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD FALL AS RAIN...ALTHOUGH SOME SNOW MAY MIX IN ON SUNDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY ON MONDAY IN THE HIGHEST TERRAIN AND NORTH OF THE MTN PARKWAY. A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE INTO THE DAY ON TUESDAY AS WE HELD ONTO SLIGHT CHANCE POPS TO ACCOUNT FOR THE ECMWF RUN. BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF RUNS SUPPORT A WET END TO THE WEEKEND. AS FOR TEMPERATURES...THE PATTERN FAVORS A RIDGE VALLEY TEMPERATURE SPLIT ON THU NIGHT AS SKIES WILL HAVE CLEARED OR SHOULD BE CLEARING AS SFC AND UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WORK INTO THE AREA. A RELATIVELY DRY AIR MASS AND A DOWNSLOPE COMPONENT SHOULD LEAD TO A RATHER MILD DAY ON FRIDAY...ESPECIALLY FOR VALLEYS NEAR THE VA BORDER. THE DEPARTING RIDGE SHOULD AGAIN FAVOR MILDER LOWS ON FRI NIGHT...BUT YET ANOTHER RIDGE/VALLEY SPLIT. SATURDAY SHOULD AGAIN BE MILD AHEAD OF THE BOUNDARY. WITH THE BAROCLINIC ZONE OVER OR NEAR THE REGION A GENERALLY NW TO SOUTH OR SOUTHEAST GRADIENT IN TEMPERATURES IS ANTICIPATED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE PERIOD. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 158 PM EST WED DEC 24 2014 VFR CONDITIONS OUT AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT WILL QUICKLY CRASH TO MVFR AND EVENTUALLY IFR FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON...WITH A 2-3 HOUR PERIOD OF SHOWERS. SUSTAINED SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS OF 10 TO 15 KTS...WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 KTS...WILL TURN TO THE WEST AT 10 TO 25 KTS...WITH GUSTS IN THE 25 TO KTS RANGE. THESE HIGHER WINDS WILL LAST AN HOUR OR SO BEFORE THE GUSTS SETTLE BACK DOWN TO AROUND 20 KTS THROUGH THIS EVENING. ONCE THE FRONTAL SHOWERS EXIT OFF TO THE EAST THIS EVENING...SOME LIGHTER PRECIPTATION WILL BE POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT. WSW WINDS WILL DIMINISH TOWARDS DAWN...WITH IFR CEILINGS LIKELY IMPROVING TOWARDS MVFR AS WELL. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR KYZ044-050>052- 058>060-068-069-088-104-106>120. && UPDATE...GEOGERIAN SHORT TERM...KAS LONG TERM...JP AVIATION...GEOGERIAN
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 1049 AM EST WED DEC 24 2014 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-088-104-106>120-251200- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE- JACKSON-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...HARLAN...SANDY HOOK...WEST LIBERTY... PAINTSVILLE...CAMPTON...SALYERSVILLE...PRESTONSBURG...BEATTYVILLE... JACKSON...HINDMAN...BOONEVILLE...HAZARD...MANCHESTER...HYDEN... WHITESBURG...INEZ...PIKEVILLE 1049 AM EST WED DEC 24 2014 ...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. ANY THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTAIN STRONG WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH. ADDITIONALLY...STRONG WINDS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON ALONG AND BEHIND A COLD FRONT AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING HOURS. WINDS COULD GUST UP TO 45 MPH AT TIMES. THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW...ESPECIALLY ON RIDGES ABOVE 2500 FEET...LATE TONIGHT. LITTLE OR NO SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. A CHANCE OF SNOW WILL LINGER INTO CHRISTMAS MORNING...MAINLY FOR RIDGES ABOVE 2500 FEET. LITTLE OR NO SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED. THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING...MAINLY NORTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY. SNOW IS POSSIBLE AGAIN FROM MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. KYZ079-080-083>087-251200- PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX-BELL- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SOMERSET...LONDON...MONTICELLO... WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG...BARBOURVILLE...MIDDLESBORO... PINEVILLE 1049 AM EST WED DEC 24 2014 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON. ANY THUNDERSTORMS COULD CONTAIN STRONG WINDS GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. SNOW IS POSSIBLE FROM MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. KAS/GEOGERIAN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
205 PM EST WED DEC 24 2014
KYZ068-079-083-084-242000-
MCCREARY-PULASKI-ROCKCASTLE-WAYNE-
205 PM EST WED DEC 24 2014
...A LINE OF SHOWERS CONTAINING STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS TO
AFFECT THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES THROUGH 300 PM EST WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON...
MCCREARY...
PULASKI...
ROCKCASTLE AND
WAYNE.
AT 203 PM EST...A LINE OF INTENSE SHOWERS WAS LOCATED ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM 16 MILES NORTHWEST OF GUM SULPHUR TO 11 MILES SOUTH
OF MOUNT PISGAH...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 21 MILES WEST OF
BEREA TO 16 MILES EAST OF BYRDSTOWN...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
LOCATIONS AFFECTED INCLUDE...BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO...PULASKI COUNTY
PARK AROUND 210 PM EST...SCIENCE HILL AROUND 215 PM EST...KIDDS
CROSSING AROUND 220 PM EST...SOMERSET PULASKI AIRPORT AROUND 225 PM
EST...TATEVILLE AROUND 230 PM EST...
RESIDENTS SHOULD BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS OF 40 TO 45 MPH
IN THESE AREAS.
&&
LAT...LON 3661 8494 3716 8484 3736 8456 3734 8450
3749 8445 3748 8438 3754 8435 3753 8421
3737 8414 3730 8415 3722 8427 3709 8428
3706 8433 3700 8432 3695 8437 3695 8430
3684 8434 3683 8432 3681 8436 3659 8428
TIME...MOT...LOC 1903Z 283DEG 18KT 3759 8465 3650 8484
GEOGERIANThe Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 124 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:18 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 4 strong wind, 2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down on KY Hwy 1247 and another tree was blown down along Freedom Church Rd in Eubank.
A 61 mph wind gust was measured by the AWOS unit 2 miles south of Somerset.
Shingles were blown off the roof of a house in Beattyville.
A tree was blown down and onto a truck in Ewing.
A trailer was blown off it's foundation and one tree was blown down along Highway 80.
A wind gust of 55 mph was measured at the mesonet site 5 miles north of Hindman.
Trees were blown down on Hwy 979 in Harold.
One tree was blown down on Hwy 1428 between Allen and Martin on Betsy Clark Branch Rd.
Trees were blown down on Old KY Route 3.
A tree was blown down near Hwy 460 1 mile west of Shelbiana.
A tree was blown down on Hwy 194 E in Freeburn.
A tree was blown down on KY 1056 on Ball Fork in Belfry.
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, December 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: 552884, 552885, 552886, 552887, 554851, 552889, 552878, 552879, 552880, 552881, 552882, 552883.