Wildfire, Pike
- When
- November 3, 11:00 AM EST to 4:00 PM EST
- Where
- Pike forecast zone
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 37.469, -82.396 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Wildfire in Kentucky, November 3, 2016
Abnormally dry conditions led to several wildfires throughout Pike County on November 3rd. Shelby Valley High School, Valley Elementary School, and Dorton Elementary School were all forced to close for two days as smoke became thick and thus made breathing difficult.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
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.
What happened
The episode as NWS JKL wrote it up.
Abnormally dry conditions led to several wildfires throughout Pike County on November 3rd. Shelby Valley High School, Valley Elementary School, and Dorton Elementary School were all forced to close for two days as smoke became thick and thus made breathing difficult.
What forecasters said that day
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 Nov 3, 9:01 AM EST, 1 hour 59 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Nov 3, 9:01 AM EST, 1 hour 59 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Jackson KY 1001 AM EDT Thu Nov 3 2016 .UPDATE... Issued at 1001 AM EDT THU NOV 3 2016 With so much smoke being reported across the area and even some impacts from the smoke, have opted to include smoke in the forecast prior to the rain expected this afternoon. Also slowed down the rain a bit today as rain is just now starting to spread into northern Kentucky. Looks like it will be mainly an afternoon/evening rainfall. Otherwise, forecast looks on track. UPDATE Issued at 605 AM EDT THU NOV 3 2016 Freshened up the hourly temps to reflect most recent obs and sent updates to NDFD and web servers. && .SHORT TERM...(Today through Friday) Issued at 345 AM EDT THU NOV 3 2016 A shortwave trough will continue to dig southeast today, pushing a cold front through the region late this afternoon. As this system approaches, clouds will continue to increase allowing for mild temperatures this morning and slightly cooler afternoon highs. Showers, along and ahead of the front, are expected to enter our northwest around 18Z and then work their way southeast throughout the afternoon and evening hours. There is a also slight chance for a rumble of thunder in our northeast this afternoon. The front, and any remaining showers, should exit to our southeast shortly after midnight. After the frontal passage, northerly flow will ensue, ushering much colder, seasonable air into the region for Friday. Lows on Friday morning will be in the upper 40s area-wide. But depending on how quickly the clouds diminish, some valleys could dip into the lower 40s by daybreak. Friday afternoon, temperatures are only expected to reach the low 60s which is normal for this time of year. .LONG TERM...(Friday night through Wednesday) Issued at 354 AM EDT THU NOV 3 2016 Surface high pressure passing east over the Ohio Valley will provide fair and cool weather during the weekend, with frost expected in many valley locations. As the surface high moves further east, ridging aloft will build in from the west and allow for moderating temperatures early in the new week. However, moisture flow looks to remain largely cut off. The ridge aloft is expected to be transient, as a progressive trough drops ESE across the Great Lakes and New England by midweek. This brings NW flow aloft for our area and allows a weakening cold front to drop in from the north. However, with still little moisture to work with, we probably won't see much more than an increase in clouds associated with the front. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Friday morning) ISSUED AT 705 AM EDT THU NOV 3 2016 As a cold front moves through the region this afternoon and evening, ceilings are expected to lower to MVFR/IFR. This front will bring rain showers and gusty winds to the area as it passes. The shower activity should exit the area overnight tonight from northwest to southeast. There is the potential some fog overnight but this mainly depends on how much rain the TAF sites receive. So there is lower confidence late in the period. Light winds will begin to pick back up out of the west southwest at 5 to 10 kts, along with gusts up to 15 kts at times, as they veer toward the west during the afternoon. The winds will then turn to the north after the front passes. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && UPDATE...KAS SHORT TERM...JVM LONG TERM...HAL AVIATION...JVM
Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 3, 2:57 AM EST, 8 hours 3 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY 357 AM EDT THU NOV 3 2016 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-041100- 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...BROADHEAD... MOUNT VERNON...MCKEE...ANNVILLE...BURNSIDE...SOMERSET...LONDON... MONTICELLO...STEARNS...WHITLEY CITY...CORBIN...WILLIAMSBURG... BARBOURVILLE...MIDDLESBORO...PINEVILLE...CUMBERLAND...HARLAN... SANDY HOOK...WEST LIBERTY...PAINSVILLE...CAMPTON...SALYERSVILLE... PRESTONSBURG...WHEELWRIGHT...BEATTYVILLE...JACKSON...HINDMAN... PIPPA PASSES...BOONEVILLE...HAZARD...MANCHESTER...HYDEN... JENKINS...WHITESBURG...INEZ...COAL RUN...ELKHORN CITY... PIKEVILLE...SOUTH WILLIAMSON 357 AM EDT THU NOV 3 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...MAINLY EAST OF INTERSTATE 75. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY. FROST IS POSSIBLE EARLY EACH MORNING SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY... ESPECIALLY IN VALLEYS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. JVM/HAL
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
1 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Wildfire
- A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
More
Every storm in Kentucky in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, November 2016
Sources
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: 661963.