Severe thunderstorms dived southeast into the Gateway Region downing numerous trees and power lines and causing flash flooding during the late evening hours of August 3, 2015. The hardest areas were Bath and Montgomery counties where numerous instances of downed trees and flooding were reported.
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.
Severe thunderstorms dived southeast into the Gateway Region downing numerous trees and power lines and causing flash flooding during the late evening hours of August 3, 2015. The hardest areas were Bath and Montgomery counties where numerous instances of downed trees and flooding were reported. Rainfall amounts of over 5 were received from the Judy area of Montgomery County for the event.
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 3, 6:30 PM EST, 1 hour 7 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 730 PM EDT MON AUG 3 2015 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 729 PM EDT MON AUG 3 2015 NO MAJOR CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE FORECAST AT THIS TIME. WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR SHOWER AND STORM ACTIVITY THAT IS ONGOING ACROSS SOUTHERN OHIO AND NORTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY TO SEE HOW MUCH OF THIS MAKES IT INTO EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS EVENING. WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR NEWLY FORMED SHOWERS AND STORMS AS OUTFLOW FROM EXISTING STORMS PROPAGATE SOUTH INTO OUR AREA. AT THE VERY LEAST WILL EVENTUALLY NEED TO REMOVE SOME OUTDATED WORDING FROM THE ZONE FORECAST TEXT PRODUCT. && .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 319 PM EDT MON AUG 3 2015 THE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM THE EARLY MORNING MCS TO OUR NORTH MOVED ACROSS AND OUT OF THE FORECAST AREA HELPING TO STABILIZE MUCH OF EASTERN KY. DESTABILIZATION HAS BEEN OCCURRING SLOWLY...BUT TO THIS POINT THE INSTABILITY AXIS HAS REMAINED WELL TO THE NORTHWEST OF THE AREA. THE 18Z MESOANALYSIS SHOWS MLCAPE FROM 2500 TO 3000 J/KG FROM WESTERN KY INTO CENTRAL INDIANA. AT THIS TIME CONVECTION IS BEGINNING TO DEVELOP OVER CENTRAL INDIANA OUT AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THAT IS OVER NW INDIANA. THIS CONVECTION SHOULD DEVELOP FURTHER OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF HOURS AND IT IS POSSIBLE THAT AT LEAST THE NORTHERN PART OF THE FORECAST AREA COULD SEE A FEW THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING. HOWEVER LATEST SHORT RANGE GUIDANCE TRENDS MAKE THIS A LOW CONFIDENCE PRECIPITATION FORECAST...AND THUS WILL KEEP PROBABILITIES FOR ANY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LOW FOR THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. THE BEST CHANCE...BUT STILL ONLY A 30 PERCENT PROBABILITY WILL BE PLACED IN THE NORTHEAST TWO THIRDS OF THE FORECAST AREA. THE WEAK COLD FRONT WHICH EXTENDS FROM LAKE HURON TO NORTHWEST INDIANA WILL MAKE SLOW SOUTHEAST PROGRESS TONIGHT...AND THE FRONT WILL MOVE INTO KY ON TUESDAY. HOWEVER ANY FORCING WILL REMAIN MARGINAL...AND WILL ONCE AGAIN CARRY ONLY 20 TO 30 PERCENT PROBABILITIES OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ON TUESDAY...BUT WITH THE SLIGHTLY HIGHER CHANCE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE FORECAST AREA. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 319 PM EDT MON AUG 3 2015 MODELS ARE SHOWING SOME SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES NOW IN THE STRENGTH AND TIMING OF SYSTEMS THROUGH THE REGION. IN GENERAL WE CAN EXPECT WEST SOUTHWEST FLOW THROUGH ROUGHLY THE FIRST HALF OF THE PERIOD... BEFORE UPPER LEVEL PATTERN BECOME MORE NORTHWESTERLY FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE EXTENDED. MODELS SUGGEST TWO MAIN DISTURBANCES THROUGH THE OHIO VALLEY...THE FIRST WED NIGHT...OR MORE LIKELY THU AND THE SECOND AT THE VERY END OF THE WEEK...OR POSSIBLY INTO THE WEEKEND. WHILE TIMING IS SIMILAR THE 12Z GFS IS MUCH LESS AMPLIFIED AND MORE DISORGANIZED WITH THE MID WEEK STORM SYSTEM WHEN COMPARED WITH THE 0Z ECMWF TO START OUT THE EXTENDED. A QUICK PEAK AT THE 12Z ECMWF SHOWS THAT IT HAS TRENDED TOWARDS THE GFS A BIT BUT REMAINS AMPLIFIED ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN A MORE ORGANIZED SFC SYSTEM WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THU. THE GFS IS CONSIDERABLY FASTER THAN THE 0Z ECMWF WITH THE SECOND MAIN DISTURBANCE TARGETING OUR AREA WITHIN THE EXTENDED WINDOW...BY 12 HOURS OR MORE AT THE END OF THE WEEK...BEGINNING OF THE WEEKEND. THE 12Z ECMWF HAS TRENDED WEAKER WITH THIS SECOND DISTURBANCE. A LOW CONFIDENCE FORECAST SUGGESTS THE BEST APPROACH IS TO RELY HEAVILY ON MODEL CONSENSUS AND GUIDANCE BLENDS UNTIL MODELS COME INTO BETTER AGREEMENT. AT THE SURFACE...UNTIL THE FIRST DISTURBANCE HAS PUSHED OFF TO OUR EAST LATE IN THE WEEK A LINGERING QUASI/STATIONARY SURFACE BOUNDARY DRAPED ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY REGION WILL TEND TO KEEP OUR WEATHER MORE ACTIVE THAN THE PAST SEVERAL DAYS. MAIN CHALLENGE IS WHERE THIS BOUNDARY ACTUALLY SETS UP AS MODELS CONTINUE TO DISAGREE WITH SOUTHERN EXTENT OF THIS SFC FRONTAL ZONE. OVERALL CONFIDENCE IS LOW IN THE DETAILS OF SENSIBLE WEATHER THOUGH TEMPERATURES WILL MOST LIKELY BE NEAR TO SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL IN GENERAL...WITH A SLIGHTLY ELEVATED RISK OF POPS WHEN COMPARED WITH NORMS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY EVENING) ISSUED AT 729 PM EDT MON AUG 3 2015 FEATURED VFR CONDITIONS IN THE TAFS THROUGHOUT THE PERIOD FOR ALL SITES EXCEPT SME...WHICH EXPERIENCED IFR FOG LATE LAST NIGHT INTO EARLY THIS MORNING. WITH SO MUCH UNCERTAINTY REGARDING THE COVERAGE OF SHOWERS AND SHOWERS AND STORMS TONIGHT AND TOMORROW...FELT IT UNNECESSARY TO INCLUDE TS IN THE TAFS AT THIS TIME. THIS SITUATION WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED OF COURSE...BUT BASED ON ALL THE LATEST MODEL DATA...IT APPEARS THAT SHOWER AND STORM COVERAGE TONIGHT AND TOMORROW WILL BE SPARSE. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && UPDATE...AR SHORT TERM...SBH LONG TERM...RAY AVIATION...AR
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 357 PM EDT MON AUG 3 2015 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-041200- 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...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...MIDDLESBORO...PINEVILLE...CUMBERLAND...HARLAN... SANDY HOOK...WEST LIBERTY...PAINTSVILLE...CAMPTON... SALYERSVILLE...PRESTONSBURG...WHEELWRIGHT...BEATTYVILLE... JACKSON...HINDMAN...PIPPA PASSES...BOONEVILLE...HAZARD... MANCHESTER...HYDEN...JENKINS...WHITESBURG...INEZ...COAL RUN... ELKHORN CITY...PIKEVILLE...SOUTH WILLIAMSON 357 PM EDT MON AUG 3 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE TONIGHT. ANY STORMS THIS EVENING COULD BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY CONCERNS...MAINLY NORTH OF THE MOUNTAIN PARKWAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE AT TIMES FROM TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY DAMAGING WINDS OR HAIL THAT OCCUR THIS EVENING. GREIF/SBH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
835 PM EDT MON AUG 3 2015
KYZ044-052-040115-
ROWAN-FLEMING-
835 PM EDT MON AUG 3 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT ROWAN...FLEMING...
AT 834 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR FLEMINGSBURG...MOVING
EAST AT 40 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL
HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL THAT COULD
LEAD TO MINOR FLOODING AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...WALLINGFORD...MOUNT CARMEL...FOXPORT
AND FLEMINGSBURG JUNCTION.
&&
LAT...LON 3852 8363 3850 8362 3850 8361 3849 8359
3843 8358 3841 8352 3840 8348 3838 8345
3840 8341 3834 8336 3846 8384 3852 8364
TIME...MOT...LOC 0034Z 287DEG 35KT 3848 8376
ARThe Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 99 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:35 UTC.
20 thunderstorm wind, 5 flash flood, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown down on Mount Carmel Ave near the courthouse.
Trees were blown down on Hwy 32 inside Flemingsburg city limits.
A report of 5.10 inches of rain was received by broadcast media near Judy. One-half inch diameter hail was also observed in this location.
Trees were blown down on Green Bend Road.
Trees were blown down on South Mill Branch Rd and Lambert Hollow Rd.
Trees were blown down throughout Mount Sterling and the northern part of the county in general.
Trees were blown down on Bratton Branch Road.
A tree was blown down on Baldwin Road.
Trees were blown down on Bunker Hill Road.
Trees were blown down on the 1700 block of Hwy 36 West.
Trees were blown down on Hwy 60 at Salt Lick.
Trees were blown down through out Sharpsburg.
Trees were blown down on Wyoming Road.
Trees were blown down on Thompson Road.
Trees were blown down on Nichols Branch Road.
A National Weather Service storm damage survey team and Bath county emergency management surveyed damage at a farm off Hwy 1198. It was determined that a microburst occurred, destroying a barn and uprooting and snapping the trunks of several trees. Debris from the barn was scattered in a northeasterly direction up to 400 yards away from where the barn originally stood. It is estimated that winds reach upwards of 90 mph in the microburst.
Water of unknown depth was observed flowing across Hwy 60 in Morehead.
Trees were blown down in downtown Mount Sterling. One tree fell on a car.
Trees were blown down and across the west bound lanes of I64.
Trees were blown down on Turley road.
Several roads were impassable due to flooding including the following: Quesenberry Road, Bunker Hill Road, Cecil Pike, Stepstone Road, Howards Mill Road, and Rogers Mill Road. Interstate 64 was covered with flowing water of unknown depth. The 3700 block of Stepstone Rd had waist deep water flowing across it and a person became stranded in their vehicle in swift flowing flood waters near Quesenberry and Stepstone Roads. A portion of Quesenberry Road under the I64 bridge was washed out.
Trees were blown down on Hwy 706 and in the Bruin Hill area.
Numerous trees were blown down throughout Owingsville.
Low water bridges on Bald Eagle Road were flooded.
Portions of Saltwell and Stepstone Roads were washed out.
An estimated two feet of flowing water was present on a curve on Hwy US60 near Flat Creek. There were a couple of swift water rescues that needed to be performed involving vehicles getting stuck in flood waters.
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, August 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: 586784, 586803, 597601, 586785, 586786, 586787, 586788, 586789, 586790, 586791, 586792, 586793, 586794, 586795, 586796, 586797, 586776, 586798, 586799, 586800, 586777, 586801, 586802, 586778, 586779, 586780.