Kentucky, 2016

Hail and Damaging Winds in Kentucky, October 20, 2016

October 20, 2016 · NWS LMK · 4 events in 2 counties and zones

Unseasonable warmth clashed with an approaching cold front to produce several lines of thunderstorms across central Kentucky during the afternoon hours on October 20. Some of these storms produced large hail.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$50,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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 LMK wrote it up.

Unseasonable warmth clashed with an approaching cold front to produce several lines of thunderstorms across central Kentucky during the afternoon hours on October 20. Some of these storms produced large hail.

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 Louisville, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 20, 7:07 AM EST, 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 20, 7:07 AM EST, 18 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 20, 2:20 AM EST, 5 hours 5 minutes before
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The radar

The Louisville radar (KLVX), 28 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:25 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hardin

When
October 20, 7:25 AM EST
Where
Hardin County, 0.88 mi NW of Perryville
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Property damage
$50,000
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
37.740, -86.060

An amateur radio operator reported several barns and wooden fences destroyed by thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hardin

When
October 20, 7:29 AM EST
Where
Hardin County, 1.29 mi ENE of Perryville
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
37.740, -86.030

The public reported several trees knocked down by thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hardin

When
October 20, 7:33 AM EST
Where
Hardin County, 2.29 mi WNW of Rineyville
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
37.760, -86.010

Several trees were knocked down as a severe thunderstorm passed through the area.

Hail, Marion

When
October 20, 3:50 PM EST
Where
Marion County, 0.88 mi NW of Gravel Switch
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
37.590, -85.060

The public reported quarter sized hail.

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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, October 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 657726, 657727, 657728, 656836.