Clusters of showers and thunderstorms began affecting central and eastern Kentucky during the pre-dawn hours of Friday April 3rd. The initial complex of thunderstorms targeted areas from Louisville across the Bluegrass Region in parts of east-central Kentucky, including the Natural Bridge State Park 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.
Clusters of showers and thunderstorms began affecting central and eastern Kentucky during the pre-dawn hours of Friday April 3rd. The initial complex of thunderstorms targeted areas from Louisville across the Bluegrass Region in parts of east-central Kentucky, including the Natural Bridge State Park area. While these storms were not severe, they did produce gusty winds which downed a dead tree onto a camping site in the Middle Fork Campground killing a female camper and severely injuring another person.
Torrential rainfall occurred with the storms, with many locations in a stripe from Estill, Powell, Lee, Wolfe and Breathitt Counties seeing from three to four inches of rain during the morning storms. This caused widespread flash flooding and a Lee County woman was killed as she tried to drive through flood waters.
After a brief break, additional showers and thunderstorms targeted locations from Lexington eastward along I-64 into the Gateway Region Friday evening. This again caused widespread flash flooding in a stripe from Montgomery, Bath, Rowan and Elliott Counties.
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 3, 2:03 AM EST, 7 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 303 AM EDT FRI APR 3 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 303 AM EDT FRI APR 3 2015 MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO FORECAST GRIDS OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS BASED ON RECENT RADAR TRENDS AS CONVECTIVE LINE MOVES SOUTHEAST AND STALLS. THE BOWING SEGMENT WAS PRODUCING WINDS UP TO ABOUT 40 MPH. THE STALLED SEGMENT OF THE LINE WAS PRODUCING FLOODING IN THE LMK FORECAST AREA...AND THERE ARE CONCERNS FOR A SIMILAR OUTCOME HERE. WILL MONITOR RAINFALL AMOUNTS FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. UPDATE ISSUED AT 1057 PM EDT THU APR 2 2015 WSR-88D RADAR CONTINUES TO INDICATE SEVERAL BANDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING EAST ACROSS PORTION OF EASTERN KENTUCKY TONIGHT. OVERNIGHT EXPECT MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO MOVE ACROSS THE REGION GENERALLY FROM WEST TO EAST. THE MESOSCALE MODELS HAVE CONTINUED TO GIVE THE BETTER CHANCES OF POPS ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE CWA...HOWEVER CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOWER ON EXACT TIMING AND MOVEMENT OVERNIGHT. REISSUED FLASH FLOOD WATCH EARLIER THIS EVENING...WITH LITTLE CHANGE NEEDED AT THIS TIME. CONFIDENCE REMAINS LOW ON EXACTLY WHERE THE HIGHER AREA OF QPF SETS UP AND WILL HAVE TO BE FURTHER ASSESSED IN SUBSEQUENT SHIFTS. OTHERWISE DID UPDATE GRIDS TO BETTER MATCH THE OBS AND TRENDS INCLUDING RADAR TRENDS. UPDATE ISSUED AT 820 PM EDT THU APR 2 2015 WSR-88D RADAR CONTINUES TO SHOW A BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PROGRESSING ACROSS PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS EVENING. THE STRONGER STORMS THIS HOUR HAVE BEEN OCCURRING ACROSS THE SW PORTIONS OF THE CWA FROM ROCKCASTLE SOUTH TO MCCREARY COUNTIES. UPDATED GRIDS TO BETTER MATCH THE RADAR AND ALSO CURRENT OBS/TRENDS. UPDATE ISSUED AT 631 PM EDT THU APR 2 2015 WSR-88D RADAR CONTINUES TO SHOW STRONG STORMS MOVING EAST INTO PORTIONS OF THE BLUEGRASS THIS EVENING. DID UPDATE POP GRIDS TO DEVELOP BETTER TIMING WITH THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. OTHERWISE NO OTHER CHANGES NEEDED AT THIS TIME. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 354 PM EDT THU APR 2 2015 MULTIPLE CONCERNS THIS FORECAST PERIOD WITH A FLASH FLOOD AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THREAT EXISTING ACROSS THE AREA. A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT TO OUR NORTHWEST WILL NOT PASS SOUTHEAST OF OUR AREA UNTIL FRIDAY NIGHT AFTER A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES UP THE OH RIVER VALLEY FRIDAY AFTERNOON. AS NOTED EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON HAVE ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL BUT THE VA BORDER COUNTIES FOR TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY EVENING. THE CURRENT FLASH FLOOD WATCH EXPIRES AT 11 PM EDT FRIDAY. IN GENERAL THE LATEST MODEL QPF GUIDANCE DOES NOT SEEM TO BE HANDLING THE FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL VERY WELL...WITH MOST MODEL QPF GIVING STORM TOTALS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY. HOWEVER MODELS HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT WITH INCREASING PRECIPITABLE WATER...WITH AMOUNTS INCREASING TO 1.25 INCHES OR GREATER ON FRIDAY. THIS WILL BE ABOUT 2 STANDARD DEVIATIONS ABOVE THE MEAN FOR EARLY APRIL. LOW LEVEL JET AT 85H OR BELOW WILL IMPINGE ON THE AREA TONIGHT...WITH SPEEDS OF 40 TO 50 KNOTS. THE LOW LEVEL JET MAY RELAX SOMEWHAT FRIDAY MORNING...BUT LOOKS TO INCREASE AGAIN FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS THE COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST. THE UPPER LEVEL JET STRUCTURE WILL BRING THE BEST UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS TO AREAS MAINLY NORTH OF OUR AREA. HOWEVER...WITH THE LOW LEVEL JET AND INCREASING MOISTURE...AND A SURFACE LOW LIFTING NE TOWARDS THE AREA ON FRIDAY ENOUGH INGREDIENTS ARE IN PLACE FOR EXCESSIVE RAINS. WPC HAS EXPANDED THE MODERATE RISK FOR EXCESSIVE RAINS INTO THE NORTHERN PART OF OUR AREA AND THE SLIGHT RISK COVERS THE ENTIRE STATE. HAVE FOLLOWED WPC QPF CLOSELY IN OUR FORECAST...WITH HIGHEST QPF NORTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY FROM TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. AS FOR THE SEVERE THREAT...THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN SOME SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS IN CENTRAL KY THIS AFTERNOON...AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT JUST TO OUR WEST. SOME CLEARING IN CENTRAL KY HAS LED TO INCREASED DESTABILIZATION. EXPECT THAT WITH SUNSET THE SEVERE THREAT WILL DIMINISH AND DO NOT EXPECT THE AFTERNOON SEVERE THREAT IN CENTRAL KY TO TRANSLATE INTO EASTERN KY TONIGHT. FRIDAY WILL BE A DIFFERENT STORY HOWEVER. CONVECTION...THOUGH NOT SEVERE...WILL LIKELY BE ONGOING ACROSS THE AREA AT DAYBREAK ON FRIDAY. CURRENTLY EXPECT A BREAK IN MOST ACTIVITY FROM LATE MORNING INTO EARLY AFTERNOON...ALLOWING FOR DESTABILIZATION. AS THE FRONTAL WAVE PASSES TO OUR NORTH NEAR THE OH RIVER ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND THEN OFF TO THE NORTHEAST...THE COLD FRONT WILL FINALLY PUSH INTO THE AREA AND MOVE SE OF THE AREA FRIDAY NIGHT. AT THIS TIME THE GREATEST SEVERE THREAT LOOKS TO BE FROM FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO FRIDAY EVENING. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY) ISSUED AT 354 PM EDT THU APR 2 2015 AFTER ALL THE RAIN TO END THE WEEK...DRY WEATHER LOOKS TO RETURN FOR THE WEEKEND. IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT...HIGHS SATURDAY WILL BE BACK INTO THE 50S...WITH LOWS SATURDAY NIGHT FALLING BELOW FREEZING IN MOST VALLEY LOCATIONS AS THE HIGH SETTLES IN OVERHEAD AND SKIES REMAIN CLEAR. WILL GO WITH SOME FROST FOR SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. A PLEASANT RECOVERY IS ANTICIPATED FOR EASTER AS HIGHS RETURN TO THE 60S...APPROACHING 70 WITH ANOTHER DAY OF RH UNDER 25 PERCENT. FIRST OF MANY RAIN CHANCES WILL RETURN TO THE AREA LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY AS A SHORTWAVE CROSSES THE DEEP SOUTH. MOISTURE MAY BE PULLED NORTHWARD INTO OUR AREA...BUT OVERALL RAINFALL TOTALS SHOULD BE FAIRLY LIGHT WITH THIS SYSTEM. RAIN FREE WEATHER WILL RETURN MONDAY AFTERNOON INTO MONDAY NIGHT...BUT THE WEATHER THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK WILL BE VERY UNSETTLED WITH SEVERAL WAVES TAKING AIM ON THE REGION. THIS WILL KEEP AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF HIGHER POPS FROM TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. WHILE IT MAY NOT RAIN MOST OF THE TIME THROUGH THIS PERIOD...THERE IS A GOOD LIKELIHOOD WE WILL SEE SEVERAL WET PERIODS FROM TUESDAY ONWARD. THE COMMON THEME FOR NEXT WEEK WILL BE VERY MILD WITH UNSETTLED WEATHER. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 303 AM EDT FRI APR 3 2015 A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS PUSHING SOUTHEAST TOWARD I-64 AT THE START OF THE PERIOD. OTHER ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING ELSEWHERE IN THE REGION. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LIKELY PRODUCING LOCALIZED IFR CONDITIONS. OTHERWISE...CONDITIONS WERE MAINLY VFR OUTSIDE OF PRECIPITATION. THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE FURTHER SOUTHEAST BEFORE STALLING...PROBABLY SOMEWHERE NEAR OR A LITTLE NORTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY. MORE LOCALIZED SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO THE SOUTH OF THE LINE DURING THE NIGHT. THIS AREA OF PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY EXIT TO THE EAST AND DISSIPATE ON FRIDAY MORNING. A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL PERSIST NEAR THE OHIO RIVER...AND A WAVE OF LOW PRESSURE WILL TRAVEL ALONG THE FRONT ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THIS WILL BRING ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENT OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF WHICH MAY BE SEVERE. POOR CONDITIONS WILL EXIST AT TIMES...BUT THE THERE IS NOT ENOUGH CERTAINTY IN TIMING TO WARRANT MORE THAN MVFR AND SHRA/VCTS IN TAFS FOR FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AT THIS POINT. AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM DEPARTS...IT WILL SEND THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE REGION BETWEEN ABOUT 01Z AND 04Z...PUTTING AN END TO DEEP CONVECTION. AN AREA OF LOW CLOUDS AND DRIZZLE WITH MVFR OR IFR SHOULD FOLLOW BEHIND THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. WINDS WILL PICK UP OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST ON FRIDAY...WITH GUSTS OF 15-20 KTS. GUSTS OF AT LEAST 20-30 KTS CAN BE EXPECTED AS WINDS SHIFT TO THE WEST OF NORTHWEST BEHIND THE COLD FRONT. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR KYZ044-050>052- 058>060-068-069-079-080-083>086-104-106>117-119. && UPDATE...HAL SHORT TERM...SBH LONG TERM...KAS AVIATION...HAL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 356 PM EDT THU APR 2 2015 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>086-104-106>117-119- 031200- FLEMING-MONTGOMERY-BATH-ROWAN-ESTILL-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROCKCASTLE- JACKSON-PULASKI-LAUREL-WAYNE-MCCREARY-WHITLEY-KNOX-ELLIOTT-MORGAN- JOHNSON-WOLFE-MAGOFFIN-FLOYD-LEE-BREATHITT-KNOTT-OWSLEY-PERRY- CLAY-LESLIE-MARTIN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FLEMINGSBURG...CAMARGO... JEFFERSONVILLE...MOUNT STERLING...OWINGSVILLE...MOREHEAD... IRVINE...RAVENNA...CLAY CITY...STANTON...FRENCHBURG...BRODHEAD... MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE...ANNVILLE...BURNSIDE...SOMERSET...LONDON... MONTICELLO...STEARNS...WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG... BARBOURVILLE...SANDY HOOK...WEST LIBERTY...PAINTSVILLE... CAMPTON...SALYERSVILLE...PRESTONSBURG...WHEELWRIGHT... BEATTYVILLE...JACKSON...HINDMAN...PIPPA PASSES...BOONEVILLE... HAZARD...MANCHESTER...HYDEN...INEZ 356 PM EDT THU APR 2 2015 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS TONIGHT MAY CONTAIN STRONG WINDS AND SMALL HAIL. TORRENTIAL RAINS ARE ALSO ANTICIPATED WHICH COULD LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS MAY CONTAIN DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL. THE THREAT OF TORRENTIAL RAINFALL WILL ALSO CONTINUE WHICH COULD LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR FROST AND A FREEZE LATE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN ANY TORRENTIAL RAINFALL OR FLOODING REPORTS FROM TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. SPOTTERS MAY ALSO BE REQUESTED TO REPORT ANY INSTANCES OF DAMAGING WINDS OR HAIL ON FRIDAY. KYZ087-088-118-120-031200- BELL-HARLAN-LETCHER-PIKE- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MIDDLESBORO...PINEVILLE...CUMBERLAND... HARLAN...JENKINS...WHITESBURG...COAL RUN...ELKHORN CITY... PIKEVILLE...SOUTH WILLIAMSON 356 PM EDT THU APR 2 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS TONIGHT MAY CONTAIN STRONG WINDS...SMALL HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT. THE MOST INTENSE STORMS MAY CONTAIN DAMAGING WINDS...HAIL...AND HEAVY RAIN. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR FROST AND A FREEZE LATE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE FROM TUESDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CALL IN ANY TORRENTIAL RAINFALL REPORTS FROM TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY EVENING. SPOTTERS MAY ALSO BE REQUESTED TO REPORT ANY INSTANCES OF DAMAGING WINDS OR HAIL ON FRIDAY. SBH/KAS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
912 PM EDT THU APR 02 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 PM TSTM WND GST 2 NW RAMEY 38.20N 83.59W
04/02/2015 M61 MPH ROWAN KY AWOS
61 MPH WIND GUST MEASURED AT MOOREHEAD AIRPORT
&&
DMJSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
205 AM EDT FRI APR 3 2015
KYZ044-050>052-058>060-104-106-030630-
ESTILL-BATH-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROWAN-MORGAN-ELLIOTT-MONTGOMERY-FLEMING-
205 AM EDT FRI APR 3 2015
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT ESTILL...BATH...
POWELL...MENIFEE...ROWAN...MORGAN...ELLIOTT...MONTGOMERY...FLEMING...
AT 203 AM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM NEAR CAMP DIX TO SIDEVIEW TO 7 MILES SOUTH OF
VERSAILLES...AND MOVING EAST AT 60 MPH.
STRONG WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MOUNT STERLING...MOREHEAD...STANTON...OWINGSVILLE...FRENCHBURG...
MARSHALL...JEFFERSONVILLE...CAMARGO...CLAY CITY...SHARPSBURG...SALT
LICK...GRANGE CITY...VAUGHNS MILL...LOWER SPENCER...BETHEL...FLAT
CREEK...PRESTON...ODESSA...EWINGTON AND BRUIN.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
BERT T. COMBS MOUNTAIN PARKWAY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 13 AND 24.
INTERSTATE 64 IN EASTERN KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 105 AND 148.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...WHICH WILL
CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. LOCALIZED FLOODING IS ALSO
POSSIBLE. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3838 8345 3840 8341 3819 8327 3819 8324
3827 8317 3818 8305 3820 8304 3819 8299
3799 8338 3776 8406 3778 8411 3781 8408
3781 8412 3784 8411 3783 8400 3787 8403
3787 8402 3793 8397 3812 8408 3843 8358
TIME...MOT...LOC 0603Z 283DEG 53KT 3852 8337 3814 8404 3794 8471
JMWSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
241 AM EDT FRI APR 3 2015
KYZ050>052-058>060-104-106-108-111-030715-
ESTILL-BATH-WOLFE-POWELL-MENIFEE-ROWAN-MORGAN-ELLIOTT-MONTGOMERY-LEE-
241 AM EDT FRI APR 3 2015
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT ESTILL...BATH...
WOLFE...POWELL...MENIFEE...ROWAN...MORGAN...ELLIOTT...MONTGOMERY...
LEE...
AT 241 AM EDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM NEAR OLIVE HILL TO BIG WOODS TO ROGERS...AND MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
MOUNT STERLING...MOREHEAD...WEST LIBERTY...STANTON...OWINGSVILLE...
BEATTYVILLE...SANDY HOOK...FRENCHBURG...CAMPTON...MARSHALL...HENRY...
LEWIS...JEFFERSONVILLE...CAMARGO...CLAY CITY...WELLINGTON...SALT
LICK...GORDON FORD...LANE AND LOWER SPENCER.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
BERT T. COMBS MOUNTAIN PARKWAY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 12 AND 62.
INTERSTATE 64 IN EASTERN KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 117 AND 148.
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...WHICH WILL
CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS. LOCALIZED FLOODING IS ALSO
POSSIBLE. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS.
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS.
LIGHTNING CAN STRIKE MILES AWAY FROM A THUNDERSTORM. SEEK A SAFE
SHELTER INSIDE A BUILDING OR VEHICLE.
&&
LAT...LON 3819 8327 3827 8317 3816 8291 3811 8289
3800 8302 3789 8296 3786 8301 3790 8313
3777 8327 3767 8325 3769 8342 3764 8352
3751 8358 3781 8412 3784 8400 3799 8400
3820 8368 3817 8364 3821 8357 3840 8342
TIME...MOT...LOC 0641Z 311DEG 42KT 3827 8318 3799 8345 3775 8365
JMWThe Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 38 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 07:08 UTC.
30 flash flood, 10 flood, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A dead tree fell onto a tent at a campsite at the Middlefork campground, killing one person inside the tent and critically injuring a second person. No other tree damage was noted by first responders except for the dead tree.
Water was over the road on Hwy 460 near the Menifee/Montgomery county line. the road was not closed at the time of the report. There was also flooding reported in low spots on Sawmill Rd and Davis Rd in Jeffersonville.
A vehicle became stranded due to flash flooding on Adams Ridge Road. The drive had to be rescued.
A creek was out of its banks and water was also ponding on area roadways.
Standing water affecting Hwy 89 and Winchester Rd at Estill Springs was likely due to a stopped up culvert. Mudslides were reported in Spout Springs near the Powell county line and at the bottom of Barnes Mountain.
Highway 1261 was flooded and impassable at the intersection of Spring Branch Rd.
The intersection of Fitchburg and Cobb Hill Roads was flooded.
Highway 52 was impassable near Cathedrals Camp.
The intersection of White Oak Rd and Sun Valley was flooded.
The Middlefork Campground had to be evacuated due to flash flooding.
Blankey Branch Rd was flooded.
About a foot of water was flowing across Hwy 30, making the road impassable.
Three to four feet of water was flowing across Hwy 541 near the Kentucky Mountain Bible College.
Two feet of water was flowing across Hwy 541, possibly washing out part of the road.
Highway 1427 was under at least a foot and a half of swiftly moving water and the water was still rising.
Highway 1210 was flooded and impassable.
Highway 205 was flooded and impassable near Lee City.
Flood water entered the gym of the Estill Springs Elementary School. The following roads were also affected by flooding elsewhere around the county: Cow Creek Rd, Millers Creek Rd, Kirkland Ave, White Oak Rd at Sunrise, McKee Rd at the 9 mile marker, Winchester Rd at Patrick's Grocery, Winchester Rd at Dry Ridge, Walling Rd, and Red Lick Rd.
Flood water covered the intersection of Hwy 421 and Durham School road causing cars to stall out as they were driven into the water.
Highway 421 was closed near the intersection of Durham School Rd due to flooding.
An adult with four children were temporarily stranded in a car after the vehicle was drive into flood waters from Abbott Creek. They were able to escape without being rescued.
A vehicle attempted to drive through flash flood waters from a creek along KY Hwy 52 near the Estill and Lee county line. The vehicle was eventually swept downstream with the driver trapped inside. The person was alone in the car and ended up drowning inside the vehicle.
Highway 3346 at Sugar Camp was impassable due to flash flooding.
Chloe Road was impassable due to flash flooding near Pikeville Elementary School.
Hurricane Creek was impassable due to flooding.
Highway 367, Newman Rd, and Hwy 1200 were affected by high water but not closed. These are low spots that are flood prone.
Highway 321 was closed due a major rock and mudslide that had blocked both lanes of the road.
A foot of water was observed flowing across Hwy 550 near Mousie.
A mudslide knocked a double wide home off of its foundation on Gap Branch of Hurricane Creek.
Highway 205 was closed due to flooding at the intersection of Hwy 1094 in Lee City.
Three feet of water was covering Hwy 613 near Bowen.
Water from the left fork of Beaver Creek was over the Minnie Bridge off Hwy 122.
Meatscaffold Rd was underwater and impassable. There was also a mudslide blocking one lane of Hwy 30E.
Highway 15 had a foot of standing water over it and Hwy 613 had 5 feet of water over it.
McGulley Branch Rd was impassable due to flash flooding. The water was also rising rapidly on Hwy 211.
Multiple roads were flooded and impassable in Owingsville and throughout the county.
Multiple city and county roads were being impacted by flash flooding and impassable.
Multiple roads around the county were impassable including Open Fork, Dry Creek, and Big Perry.
Highway 7 was impassable due to flash flooding.
One hundred yards of six inch deep water was flowing over Spencer Rd on Rt 713. A lot of drive ways in the area were washed out.
Trees were damaged, causing a utility line to fall onto North Milo Rd.
Paint Creek rose considerably in 20 minutes. The creek was flowing swiftly across a property and was blocking access to a home.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thunderstorm Wind, Powell | 2015-04-03 | 45 | Female | Camping | Direct |
| Flash Flood, Estill | 2015-04-03 | 63 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, April 2015
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: 566722, 566723, 566660, 566744, 566724, 566661, 566663, 566664, 566666, 566669, 566673, 566675, 566683, 566685, 566698, 566699, 566700, 566701, 566703, 566704, 566706, 566747, 566707, 566716, 566717, 566732, 569334, 569325, 569329, 566734, 566736, 566740, 566738, 566742, 566719, 566720, 566721, 566725, 566726, 566727, and more.