Thunderstorms slowly increased during the midday hours in advance of a mesoscale convective vortex approaching from southeast Missouri. Partial sunshine resulted in moderate instability, with mixed-layer cape values near 1000 j/kg.
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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 PAH wrote it up.
Thunderstorms slowly increased during the midday hours in advance of a mesoscale convective vortex approaching from southeast Missouri. Partial sunshine resulted in moderate instability, with mixed-layer cape values near 1000 j/kg. Winds aloft were unfavorable for organized storm structures, with deep-layer shear only near 20 knots. The combination of moderate instability and relatively high precipitable water values resulted in an isolated wet microburst.
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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 8, 1:55 PM CST, 59 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 255 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 .SHORT TERM...(THIS EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 158 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...MANY ASSOCIATED WITH AN MCV IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI...WILL CONTINUE TO PUSH ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON. HRRR MODEL HANDLED THIS SITUATION VERY WELL AND WILL BE FOLLOWED INTO THE NIGHTTIME HOURS. THE MCV MAY ASSIST IN AIDING STORMS TO PRODUCE ISOLATED SEVERE WIND GUSTS THIS AFTERNOON. GFS SEEMS TO HAVE A DECENT AND CONSISTENT HANDLE ON THINGS OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. ECMWF IS SIMILAR IN CHARACTER. AFTER THE MAIN ROUND THIS AFTERNOON...ONLY SCATTERED CONVECTION EXPECTED UNTIL LATER SATURDAY MORNING WHEN THE NEXT PIECE OF ENERGY MOVES INTO SEMO. HOWEVER...LOOKS LIKE MOST OF THAT WILL MOVE MORE INTO ILLINOIS AND POSSIBLY SOUTHWEST INDIANA. A LULL THEN SETS IN FOR SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY WITH SOME SCATTERED STORMS POSSIBLE. CAP IS NEVER TOO STRONG DURING THIS PERIOD. LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THE MAIN TROUGH BEGINS TO LIFT OUT AND WILL BRING A BETTER STORM COVERAGE INTO SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. SEVERE CHANCES ARE SOMEWHAT LIMITED THROUGH THIS PERIOD. ISOLATED SEVERE IS POSSIBLE DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENINGS BUT ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. .LONG TERM...(MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 158 PM CDT MAY 8 2015 THE BEGINNING OF THE EXTENDED PERIOD WILL START WITH THE PASSAGE OF A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE PAH FORECAST AREA...TRAILING FROM A CYCLONE MOVING INTO THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THIS SHOULD RESULT IN RAPID CESSATION OF PCPN (SHOWERS/TSTMS) BY EVENING WEST TO EAST ACROSS OUR REGION...AND A TURN OF THE LOW LEVEL WINDS TO THE WEST. UNDER QUASI-ZONAL FLOW ALOFT...AND A RIDGE OF HIGH SFC PRESSURE... MOST OF THE PAH FORECAST AREA SHOULD BE RAIN-FREE THROUGH WED... EXCEPT PERHAPS THE FAR WEST. FROM MID WEEK ON...THE 00Z ECMWF SEEMED TO BE THE ODD MODEL OUT...IN DISAGREEMENT WITH ITS ENSEMBLE MEAN (AND THE GEFS/NAEFS). IT SHOWED A TENDENCY TOWARD A QUICKER RETURN FLOW DUE TO EXTRA MID LEVEL SHRTWV ENERGY TO THE SE OF A WRN CONUS TROF. THE 12Z RUN CAME IN LOOKING QUITE SIMILAR TO THE MORE CONSISTENT GFS...WHICH SHOWED MORE OF AN ERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW AND DRIER CONDITIONS INTO PART OF THU. THUS...A SLOW RAMPING UP OF (LIMITED) POPS FROM WEST TO EAST WAS LEFT IN THE FORECAST WED NIGHT/THU/THU NIGHT. BY FRI...PCPN SEEMS A BIT MORE PROBABLE WITH A SFC WARM FRONT SOMEWHERE IN THE VICINITY. OVERALL...CONFIDENCE IN WHERE AND WHEN IT WILL BE RAINING FROM MID WEEK ON IS IFFY. TEMPS DURING THE EXTENDED PERIOD CAN BE EXPECTED TO BE NEAR SEASONABLE LEVELS. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SATURDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1224 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 ON-GOING CONVECTION OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EASTWARD AND AFFECT KPAH AND KEVV BUT SHOULD WEAKEN BY KOWB. MVFR CONDITIONS IN STORMS. MAIN WAVE WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA BY EARLY EVENING WITH ISOLATED/SCATTERED CONVECTION OVERNIGHT. TOWARDS DAYBREAK EXPECT IFR CONDITIONS AT SEVERAL SITES WITH LINGERING LOW LEVEL MOISTURE IN THE AREA.PS && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...NONE. MO...NONE. IN...NONE. KY...NONE. && SHORT TERM...PS LONG TERM...DB AVIATION...PS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 344 AM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-090845- JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON- WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE- HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH- WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES- LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL- UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN- MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER- RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID- 344 AM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TODAY AND TONIGHT...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS COULD BRIEFLY REACH SEVERE LEVELS. THE BEST CHANCE OF ANY STRONG OR SEVERE STORMS IS OVER SOUTHEAST MISSOURI AND SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY. A FEW STORMS COULD REACH SEVERE LEVELS...MAINLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS EACH DAY. THE PRIMARY HAZARDS IN ANY SEVERE STORMS WILL BE LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. HOWEVER...AN ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK IS NOT ANTICIPATED. A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS OUR REGION BY MONDAY NIGHT...BRINGING AN END TO THE THUNDERSTORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. MY/DRS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 136 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-085-086-KYZ001>018-MOZ076-086-087-100- 107>112-114-082200- JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON- WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE- HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-POSEY-VANDERBURGH-FULTON- HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES-LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL- CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL-UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS- CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO- CARTER-RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MOUNT VERNON...FAIRFIELD...ALBION... MOUNT CARMEL...PINCKNEYVILLE...WEST FRANKFORT...MCLEANSBORO... CARMI...CARBONDALE...HERRIN...HARRISBURG...SHAWNEETOWN... JONESBORO...VIENNA...GOLCONDA...ELIZABETHTOWN...CAIRO... MOUND CITY...METROPOLIS...FORT BRANCH...POSEYVILLE...EVANSVILLE... HICKMAN...CLINTON...BARDWELL...WICKLIFFE...PADUCAH...MAYFIELD... SMITHLAND...BENTON...MURRAY...MARION...EDDYVILLE...CADIZ... PRINCETON...MORGANFIELD...DIXON...MADISONVILLE...HOPKINSVILLE... HENDERSON...PERRYVILLE...MARBLE HILL...CAPE GIRARDEAU... PIEDMONT...VAN BUREN...DONIPHAN...POPLAR BLUFF...BLOOMFIELD... SIKESTON...CHARLESTON...NEW MADRID 136 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 ...GUSTY WINDS THIS AFTERNOON OVER MOST AREAS... THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND SEVERAL OF THEM WILL PRODUCE WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH. IN ADDITION...GUSTY WINDS WILL SPREAD FROM SOUTHEAST MISSOURI INTO WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS AFTER THE FIRST LINE OF STORMS MOVE THROUGH. SMALL LIMBS MAY COME DOWN WITH THE GUSTY WINDS. LAWN FURNITURE AND GARBAGE CANS MAY ALSO BLOW AROUND IF NOT SECURED. PS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
223 PM CDT FRI MAY 08 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0155 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 N MARION 37.76N 88.94W
05/08/2015 WILLIAMSON IL UTILITY COMPANY
SEVERAL TREES AND UTILITY CABLE TELEVISION LINES DOWN
NEAR ROUTE 37.
&&
BP2PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
306 PM CDT FRI MAY 08 2015
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0250 PM TSTM WND GST CARRIER MILLS 37.69N 88.63W
05/08/2015 E60 MPH SALINE IL LAW ENFORCEMENT
ESTIMATED GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH WITH HEAVY RAIN.
&&
BP2SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 343 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 ILZ076>078-083-087-091-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ010>022-082200- WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-WHITE-GALLATIN-HARDIN-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY- VANDERBURGH-WARRICK-SPENCER-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL- UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN- MUHLENBERG-TODD- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FAIRFIELD...ALBION...MOUNT CARMEL... CARMI...SHAWNEETOWN...ELIZABETHTOWN...FORT BRANCH...PETERSBURG... POSEYVILLE...EVANSVILLE...BOONVILLE...ROCKPORT...MARION... EDDYVILLE...CADIZ...PRINCETON...MORGANFIELD...DIXON... MADISONVILLE...HOPKINSVILLE...HENDERSON...OWENSBORO...CALHOUN... GREENVILLE...ELKTON 343 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 A BROKEN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR FAIRFIELD ILLINOIS TO MARION AND CADIZ IN WEST KENTUCKY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE TO MOVE NORTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND THE PENNYRILE REGION OF WEST KENTUCKY THROUGH 5 PM. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH AND BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN. A BRIEF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TWO CAPABLE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 57 MPH CANNOT BE RULED OUT COMPLETELY. CONTINUE TO MONITOR FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 343 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 ILZ076>078-083-087-091-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ010>022-082200- WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-WHITE-GALLATIN-HARDIN-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY- VANDERBURGH-WARRICK-SPENCER-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL- UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN- MUHLENBERG-TODD- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FAIRFIELD...ALBION...MOUNT CARMEL... CARMI...SHAWNEETOWN...ELIZABETHTOWN...FORT BRANCH...PETERSBURG... POSEYVILLE...EVANSVILLE...BOONVILLE...ROCKPORT...MARION... EDDYVILLE...CADIZ...PRINCETON...MORGANFIELD...DIXON... MADISONVILLE...HOPKINSVILLE...HENDERSON...OWENSBORO...CALHOUN... GREENVILLE...ELKTON 343 PM CDT FRI MAY 8 2015 A BROKEN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR FAIRFIELD ILLINOIS TO MARION AND CADIZ IN WEST KENTUCKY WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE NORTHEAST AROUND 30 MPH THIS AFTERNOON. THE STORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS SOUTHWEST INDIANA AND THE PENNYRILE REGION OF WEST KENTUCKY THROUGH 5 PM. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS MAY PRODUCE STRONG WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH AND BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN. A BRIEF SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OR TWO CAPABLE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 57 MPH CANNOT BE RULED OUT COMPLETELY. CONTINUE TO MONITOR FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
The Ft Campbell radar (KHPX), 51 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:51 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A few metal panels were blown off a small garage. Power lines were blown down.
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, May 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: 569207.