A line of strong to severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours ahead of a cold front and associated upper level disturbance. Portions of this line periodically contained severe winds, most notably across Laurel County east of London where substantial damage was sustained to multiple structures and trees.
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.
A line of strong to severe thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours ahead of a cold front and associated upper level disturbance. Portions of this line periodically contained severe winds, most notably across Laurel County east of London where substantial damage was sustained to multiple structures and trees.
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 Mar 1, 1:11 PM EST, 1 hour 39 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 111 PM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 .UPDATE... ISSUED AT 105 PM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 LINE OF CONVECTION HAS BEEN WEAKENING AS IT APPROACHES THE FORECAST AREA WITH A REDUCTION OF LIGHTNING STRIKES. SPC HAS ALSO REDUCED THE CONVECTIVE THREAT TO MARGINAL WITH A NOON UPDATE. THIS IS DUE TO THE LIMITED LOW LEVEL MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY...EVEN THROUGH SHEAR IS MORE THAN ADEQUATE. UPDATE ISSUED AT 938 AM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 TEMPERATURES AND DEW POINTS ARE NOW RESPONDING TO THE SOUTHERLY WINDS WITH OBSERVATIONS SHOWING A 10 DEGREE JUMP IN AN HOUR. EXPECT THIS WARMING TREND TO CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS SOUTHERLY WINDS INCREASE. ALSO ADJUSTED POPS FOR A SLIGHTLY QUICKER ARRIVAL OF THE RAIN AND THUNDERSTORMS PER RECENT HRRR TRENDS. SENT UPDATED GRIDS TO NDFD AND WEB SERVERS. UPDATE ISSUED AT 718 AM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 ISSUED AN UPDATE TO ADJUST FOR HOURLY TEMPS AND DEW POINTS. TEMPS ACROSS THE AREA ARE SLOW TO RESPOND TO SOUTHERLY WINDS BEGINNING THIS MORNING. FRESHENED UP THE GRIDS AND SENT THEM TO NDFD AND WEB SERVERS. && .SHORT TERM...(TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY) ISSUED AT 338 AM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 CURRENT CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA FEATURE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE CAROLINAS SHIFTING TO THE EAST AS SURFACE LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPS OVER THE WEST IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND BEGINS TO MOVE EAST. CLOUD COVER STILL REMAINS FAR TO THE WEST SO CLEAR SKIES REMAIN OVER EASTERN KENTUCKY WITH THE RIDGE TO VALLEY TEMPERATURE SPLIT WELL UNDERWAY INTO THE MORNING HOURS. IN FACT THE SOUTHERLY FLOW AHEAD OF THIS DEVELOPING FEATURE TO THE WEST IS QUITE SLOW TO ENGAGE HEADING INTO THE MORNING HOURS. HAD TO ADJUST DEW POINTS A BIT LOWER ACROSS THE AREA AND HAVE A SLOWER RESPONSE TO THE SOUTHERLY FLOW LATER INTO THE DAY. THIS SLOW MOISTENING UP OF THE LOWER LEVELS MAY IMPACT CONVECTION LATER INTO THE DAY AS THE LINE DEVELOPS AND MOVES EAST THROUGH KENTUCKY. HI-RES MODELS AND THE NAM TIME THE LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MAKING IT INTO EASTERN KENTUCKY BETWEEN 19Z AND 21Z. SOME SHOWERS AND A POSSIBLE STORM MAY DEVELOP AND SNEAK INTO THE SOUTHWESTERN COUNTIES A BIT EARLIER. AS WHAT USUALLY HAPPENS IN THESE SITUATIONS...WILL BE DEALING WITH A HIGH SHEAR LOW INSTABILITY SITUATION AS THIS SCENARIO TAKES SHAPE TODAY. ONE ELEMENT THAT SUPPORTS THIS SITUATION IS THAT...WHILE THE SUN ANGLE IS NOT AS HIGH AS WHAT WOULD BE NEEDED ON A SPRING DAY...THE LINE LOOKS TO BE ARRIVING INTO EASTERN KENTUCKY DURING OR AN HOUR AFTER PEAK HEATING. THIS AT LEAST PROVIDES SOME CONFIDENCE AS TO THE 500 TO 700 J/KG CAPE DISPLAYED BY THE NAM AND GFS. THIS COUPLE WITH THE 300 TO 400 HELICITY WILL MAKE FOR A FEW CONCERNS AS THE CONVECTION DEVELOPS AND MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. HAVE UPPED THE THUNDER CHANCE FOR THIS EVENT TO CHANCE. WHILE NOT THE BEST SIGNALS...A SLIGHT SEVERE THREAT DOES EXIST AND WILL MENTION THIS IN AN SPS AS WELL AS HIGHLIGHTING THE GUSTY ENVIRONMENTAL WINDS. THE MAIN THREAT FROM CONVECTIVE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS. WHILE A 50 TO 55 KNOT 850MB WIND DOES EXISTS WITH THIS FEATURE...IT WILL TAKE CONVECTION OR THE FRONT ITSELF TO MIX THIS WIND TO THE SURFACE. DUE TO THIS...WILL HIGHLIGHT THE GUSTY WINDS WITH THE SPS AND THEN ALLOW SHORT FUSED PRODUCTS FOR THE WINDS WITH CONVECTION. TONIGHT...THE DYNAMIC FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA BY 02Z WITH COLDER AIR QUICKLY FILTERING IN BEHIND THE FRONT. CAA IS PRETTY AGGRESSIVE BEHIND THIS FEATURE AND LEFTOVER INSTABILITY WILL ALLOW FOR A SNOW SHOWERS TO DEVELOP. HOWEVER...AS MENTIONED THE QUICK EXIT OF THE FEATURE WILL BRING AN END TO THE SNOW SHOWERS BY MIDDAY WEDNESDAY. THUS...WILL ONLY EXPECT A TENTH OF AN INCH OF SNOW ACCUMULATION ON RIDGES WITH SLIGHTLY MORE ON LOCATIONS SUCH AS BLACK MOUNTAIN. CLOUDS SLOW TO CLEAR OUT ON WEDNESDAY WILL ONLY ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO WARM INTO THE UPPER 30S AND LOW 40S. STILL...THIS IS IMPRESSIVE COMPARED TO EARLIER IN THE WINTER. A SIGN OF THE SLIGHTLY HIGHER SUN ANGLE AND WARMER TEMPERATURES AHEAD. .LONG TERM...(WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY) ISSUED AT 355 AM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 THE MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH A PROGRESSIVE LONG WAVE FLOW PATTERN TO CONTROL THROUGH THE MAJORITY OF THE PERIOD...BEFORE AMPLIFICATION TAKES PLACE TOWARDS EARLY NEXT WEEK. MULTIPLE SHORT WAVE TROUGHS WILL BE MOVING THROUGH THE FLOW AND AFFECTING OUR REGION. STUCK CLOSE TO THE BLENDED GUIDANCE GIVEN THE LOWER CONFIDENCE IN NAILING DOWN THE TIMING OF THE SMALLER SCALE FEATURES. THE FIRST WAVE WILL MOVE IN ON THURSDAY...WITH LOW PRESSURE PASSING NEAR OR JUST TO OUR SOUTH DEPENDING ON THE MODEL SOLUTION. THIS WILL YIELD MAINLY RAIN FOR THURSDAY...WITH PERHAPS A FEW STRAY FLAKES AT ONSET THURSDAY MORNING. COLDER AIR WILL BE PULLED IN ON NORTHWEST WINDS THURSDAY NIGHT AS THE LOW DEPARTS...HOWEVER THE MID-LEVELS ALSO DRY OUT QUICKLY...CUTTING OFF THE ICE. AS SUCH...ANY ACCUMULATING LIGHT SNOW WILL MOST LIKELY BE RESTRICTED TO THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST. DRIER WEATHER IS EXPECTED BY LATE FRIDAY AND CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...BEFORE A WEAKER CLIPPER TYPE SYSTEM SKIRTS BY TO OUR NORTH. THIS WILL BRING SMALL RAIN CHANCES TO THE AREA SATURDAY AFTERNOON/NIGHT...BEFORE DRY WEATHER MOVES BACK IN TO CONCLUDE THE WEEK. ANOTHER RETURN OF MOISTURE ON MONDAY YIELDS JUST A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SHOWERS...HOWEVER CONFIDENCE IN THE FORCING IS PARTICULARLY LOW THIS FAR OUT...ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE TRANSITIONING LONG WAVE PATTERN. FOR TEMPERATURES...BELOW NORMAL READINGS WILL BE THE RULE THROUGH THE END OF THE WORK WEEK...BEFORE MODIFYING TO NEAR AND EVENTUALLY ABOVE NORMAL THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 110 PM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 CLOUD COVER WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE AFTERNOON AS A LINE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVES INTO EASTERN KENTUCKY. CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY DROP TO MVFR AND IFR AS THE RAIN AND STORMS PASS THROUGH. LOW CIGS WILL THEN CONTINUE THROUGH MUCH OF THE NIGHT. WINDS WILL BE FROM THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST GUSTING UP TO 25 KNOTS THROUGH THIS EVENING. AFTER THE COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE...WINDS WILL TURN TO THE WEST AND GRADUALLY LIGHTEN BY DAWN AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS INTO THE REGION. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && UPDATE...JVM SHORT TERM...SHALLENBERGER LONG TERM...GEOGERIAN AVIATION...JVM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 419 AM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-021200- 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 419 AM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS MAY GUST UP TO 35 MPH AT TIMES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY FOR SOME LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY...MAINLY IN THE HIGH ELEVATIONS BORDERING VIRGINIA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT ANY INSTANCES OF WIND DAMAGE THIS AFTERNOON. SHALLENBERGER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 1157 AM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-020300- 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 1157 AM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 ...STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON... ...GUSTY WINDS CONTINUE THROUGH THIS EVENING... A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS KENTUCKY TODAY BRINGING A LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TO EASTERN KENTUCKY THIS AFTERNOON. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...HOWEVER AN ISOLATED TORNADO CAN NOT BE RULED OUT. THE STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM THREAT WILL COME TO AN END BY 9PM TONIGHT. SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WINDS GUSTING UP TO 35 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND THE ASSOCIATED LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS. WINDS WILL SHIFT TO THE WEST AND CONTINUE TO GUST BEHIND THE FRONT BEFORE DISSIPATING BY MIDNIGHT. WINDS THIS STRONG WILL CAUSE DRIVING DIFFICULTIES FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES AND ALSO LIKELY RESULT IN SMALL LIMB AND TWIG DEBRIS ON AREA ROADS. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE LATEST UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION. SHALLENBERGER/JVM
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 233 PM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 KYZ068-079-080-083>085-012000- WAYNE-ROCKCASTLE-LAUREL-WHITLEY-MCCREARY-PULASKI- 233 PM EST TUE MAR 1 2016 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT WAYNE...ROCKCASTLE...LAUREL... WHITLEY...MCCREARY...PULASKI... AT 233 PM EST...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER FRAZER...OR 10 MILES SOUTH OF SOMERSET...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... SOMERSET...BURNSIDE...PULASKI COUNTY PARK...VOX...NAOMI...FABER...BENT... MILL SPRINGS...CLIO...KIDDER...GENERAL BURNSIDE S.P....DENNEY...HUXLEY... BARK CAMP...STEUBENVILLE...ELIHU...ROCKCASTLE SPRINGS...SHOPVILLE...RUTH AND GROVE. THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS... INTERSTATE 75 IN EAST CENTRAL KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 16 AND 23. KENTUCKY HIGHWAY 80 IN LAUREL COUNTY NEAR MILE MARKER 1. KENTUCKY HIGHWAY 80 IN PULASKI COUNTY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 18 AND 40. THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. && LAT...LON 3677 8480 3697 8485 3731 8434 3680 8409 TIME...MOT...LOC 1933Z 241DEG 47KT 3694 8468 KAS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
244 PM EST TUE MAR 1 2016
KYZ083-084-012000-
WAYNE-MCCREARY-
244 PM EST TUE MAR 1 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT WAYNE...MCCREARY...
AT 243 PM EST...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR MOUNT PISGAH...OR 13
MILES NORTHEAST OF JAMESTOWN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
CO-OPERATIVE...PINE KNOT...GREAT MEADOWS CAMPSITES...BLUE HERON...KIDDS
CROSSING...BARRIER...MOUNT PISGAH...ROCKEYBRANCH...PARMLEYSVILLE...
GRIFFIN...COOPERSVILLE...SLAVENS...STRUNK...BURFIELD AND STEARNS.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
&&
LAT...LON 3660 8479 3661 8491 3661 8493 3664 8494
3682 8472 3661 8434 3660 8438
TIME...MOT...LOC 1943Z 241DEG 46KT 3660 8480
KASThe Knoxville radar (KMRX), 127 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:48 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter reported several trees snapped and uprooted across McCreary County.
Local dispatch relayed a report of a large tree down near the intersection of Highways 25 and 90 southwest of Corbin.
A swath of thunderstorm wind damage was observed east of London. An NWS storm survey revealed that mobile home damage off of Sasser School Road near Highway 229 was caused by approximately 60 mph winds that hit the trailer perpendicular and lifted the roof off. A few injuries were reported. Just to the east over the ridge along Highway 80 near Bush Elementary School, there was more substantial damage in a narrow path. Several large pine trees up to 2.5 feet in diameter were snapped with several others uprooted. Three homes were damaged in this area when trees fell on their roofs and another home was damaged when a sturdy built carport was uplifted by the winds. Estimated wind gusts of 90 mph are indicative of this degree of damage. No evidence of rotation was found amid any of the surveyed damage.
County dispatch relayed reports of multiple trees down from Stinnett to Cutshin.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, March 2016
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: 614629, 614671, 614672, 614673.