A slow-moving cluster of thunderstorms produced heavy rain and isolated road flooding. The storms occurred in a moist southwest wind flow, with surface dew points approaching 70 degrees.
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 PAH wrote it up.
A slow-moving cluster of thunderstorms produced heavy rain and isolated road flooding. The storms occurred in a moist southwest wind flow, with surface dew points approaching 70 degrees. A weak 500 mb shortwave trough embedded in southwest flow aloft helped to trigger the storms.
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 25, 11:40 AM CST, 35 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Paducah KY 1240 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2016 .UPDATE... Updated aviation forecast discussion for 18z tafs && .SHORT TERM...(Today through Friday night) Issued at 222 AM CDT Wed May 25 2016 Still wading through the myriad of differing model solutions to try to figure out convection initiation and potential movement of ongoing systems. Several rounds of convection can be expected for the remainder of the work week with west southwest flow continuing with shortwaves moving through, coupled with persistent warm, moist and unstable southerly low level flow. Several of the short term models are hinting at the current MCS over Kansas and convection over OK to eventually head in our direction (or maybe remnant outflow boundaries) by later this morning or this afternoon. We'll see. To go ahead and trust any one model solution at this point would probably not be too smart given how all over the place their solutions have been. Keeping lower end POPs and maintaining a watchful eye and remaining vigilant for signs of incoming or developing batches of convection looks to be the way to go here at least in the short term. Most of the better upper level support for convection is going to pass us by to the north. So whatever passes overhead today that might aid in any local storm development will be rather weak, hence the smaller type POPs. With hardly any flow aloft, any storms may be slow movers, like yesterday and could produce some heavy rainfall/flooding issues. Looking at instability parameters and lapse rates...would think that any convection that could develop early today would be in our western counties. However, that changes during the afternoon, when the entire area is fairly primed. Dewpoints climb to near 70 this afternoon. There are some signs that tonight may be like last tonight was, fairly dry. But there are hints that another complex of storms might take aim on us again on late tonight and into Thursday. Models have just so much noise at times though, it is hard to really discern what is real. However, we will be watching the evolution and progress of an upper level low currently over southern CA. Chances for convection will continue Thursday night into Friday as the mid level flow backs as this upper low digs into the four corners region and eventually into the central Plains. Again, with no synoptic scale features to latch onto, precipitation chances will be dependent on small disturbances not resolved by models or outflow boundaries or MCV type circulations. So, unfortunately, those will plans this week will have to make sure they keep a close eye on the weather, as specific forecast details will not be nailed down too far out in time. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Tuesday) Issued at 222 AM CDT Wed May 25 2016 Above average confidence in the long term due to little change in the synoptic pattern through the period. Unsettled weather continues in the long term. With some exception, the surface and upper air patterns show very little change through the period. Synoptically, upper level low pressure remains over the southwest US putting our region in southwest flow aloft with a series of upper level disturbances ejecting from the low and passing across or just north and west of the mid Mississippi valley. In addition, surface high pressure over the southeast US will keep a southerly wind component in the lower levels producing a moisture rich environment (dewpoints in the low to mid 60s), thus increasing boundary level instability. The combination of moisture, instability, and the lift caused by the impulses of upper level energy will no doubt produce multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms. Although there is mention of precipitation over all or part of our CWA every period, probabilities for the most part will decrease each night due to lack of heating and lowered instability, especially Saturday night and Sunday night. High temperatures in the long term period will generally top out in the mid 80s with overnight lows bottoming out in the low to mid 60s. && .AVIATION... Issued at 1240 PM CDT Wed May 25 2016 Areas of showers and thunderstorms continue to plague the taf sites. Coverage has been somewhat higher than most of the computer model guidance indicated. Therefore, will keep tempo groups for shra or tsra through much of the afternoon. There should be a drying trend by sunset as the atmosphere stabilizes from a combination of previous convection and loss of solar heating. Late tonight, there will likely be areas of mvfr conditions in fog and low clouds due to very moist ground from recent rainfall. This should burn off by late morning, giving way to mainly vfr conditions at the taf sites. Winds through the period will be mainly south to southwest, but variable winds are expected in and near thunderstorm complexes. && .PAH Watches/Warnings/Advisories... IL...None. MO...None. IN...None. KY...None. && Aviation...MY
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 319 AM CDT WED MAY 25 2016 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-261000- JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON- WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION-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- 319 AM CDT WED MAY 25 2016 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 POSSIBLE TODAY. EVEN THOUGH NO WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED, A FEW STRONG STORMS COULD OCCUR. HEAVY RAINFALL IS ALSO A CONCERN. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY ALMOST DAILY CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST FOR ALL OR PART OF THE AREA THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. HEAVY RAIN AND LIGHTNING SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY STORM HAZARDS. HOWEVER...AN ISOLATED STRONG OR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CANNOT BE RULED OUT. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME BUT SPOTTERS SHOULD STAY TUNED FOR ANY UPDATES TO THE FORECAST.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
804 AM CDT WED MAY 25 2016
ILZ084-088-092-093-KYZ001>006-MOZ076-087-111-112-251345-
JACKSON IL-ALEXANDER IL-UNION IL-PULASKI IL-FULTON KY-HICKMAN KY-
CARLISLE KY-GRAVES KY-BALLARD KY-MCCRACKEN KY-SCOTT MO-
CAPE GIRARDEAU MO-MISSISSIPPI MO-PERRY MO-
804 AM CDT WED MAY 25 2016
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EXTREME SOUTHWEST
ILLINOIS...EXTREME WESTERN KENTUCKY...AND THE MISSISSIPPI
RIVER COUNTIES OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI UNTIL 845 AM CDT...
AT 801 AM CDT...DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR PERRYVILLE MISSOURI...SOUTH ALONG
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER...TO NEAR UNION CITY TENNESSEE.
MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 35 MPH.
DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS IN EXCESS OF 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE
WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS IN THIS LINE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS ALSO OCCURRING WITH THESE STORMS...AND MAY LEAD
TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOODED
ROADWAYS.
&&
LAT...LON 3651 8919 3692 8932 3758 8986 3760 8986
3762 8990 3779 8941 3734 8904 3730 8905
3731 8902 3703 8879 3650 8863
TIME...MOT...LOC 1301Z 255DEG 29KT 3758 8978 3695 8925 3643 8909SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 1117 AM CDT WED MAY 25 2016 KYZ007>013-251730- LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SMITHLAND...BENTON...HARRIS GROVE... KIRKSEY...MURRAY...NEW CONCORD...MARION...EDDYVILLE...CADIZ... CANTON...LINTON...ROCKCASTLE...PRINCETON...FRYER 1117 AM CDT WED MAY 25 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY... A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DRIFT EAST ACROSS THE LAKES REGION OF WESTERN KENTUCKY THROUGH MIDDAY. THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL ON THE ORDER OF 1 TO 1.5 INCHES AN HOUR. DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO PROBABLE. THOSE OUT ON THE LAKES THIS MORNING SHOULD EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION. SEEK SAFE HARBOR BEFORE STORMS OCCUR. MEFFERT
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 103 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2016 KYZ002-003-006-008-009-011>013-252000- HICKMAN-CARLISLE-GRAVES-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CLINTON...BARDWELL...MAYFIELD... SYMSONIA...LOWES...BENTON...HARRIS GROVE...KIRKSEY...MURRAY... NEW CONCORD...EDDYVILLE...CADIZ...CANTON...LINTON...ROCKCASTLE... PRINCETON...FRYER 103 PM CDT WED MAY 25 2016 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY... CLUSTERS OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DRIFT EAST ACROSS FAR WESTERN KENTUCKY THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS. THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL ON THE ORDER OF 1 TO 2 INCHES AN HOUR AND LOCALIZED FLOODING OF SOME ROADWAYS. DEADLY CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS ALSO PROBABLE. THOSE OUT ON LAKES THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION. SEEK SAFE HARBOR BEFORE STORMS OCCUR.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Just north of the Mayfield city limits, there were three locations on U.S. Highway 45 with eight to ten inches of water over the road.
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, May 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: 630222.