An intense line of thunderstorms developed late this afternoon across south-central Kentucky as daytime heating and increasing instability combined with a passing upper level disturbance. Numerous reports of wind damage were reported across the Lake Cumberland region and along the Interstate 75 corridor.
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.
An intense line of thunderstorms developed late this afternoon across south-central Kentucky as daytime heating and increasing instability combined with a passing upper level disturbance. Numerous reports of wind damage were reported across the Lake Cumberland region and along the Interstate 75 corridor. This included multiple trees and power poles/lines being knocked down, as well as a couple of roofs being significantly damaged. This line of storms initially produced sub-severe hail, signifying its intensity in a rather warm summertime environment. One instance of flooding was reported in Mount Vernon as several days of moderate to heavy rainfall preceded heavy rain moving through this evening. Additional wind damage took place throughout southeastern Kentucky as this line raced east, resulting in additional downed trees and utility equipment.
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 Jul 6, 3:20 PM EST, 1 hour 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Jackson KY 420 PM EDT Thu Jul 6 2017 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday night) Issued at 336 PM EDT THU JUL 6 2017 Shortwave trough passing across the area this evening will force an uptick in shower and thunderstorm activity over the next few hours. Plenty of breaks have developed allowing instability to build with SPC Mesoanalysis indicating CAPE exceeding 2000 J/kg over parts of eastern KY. Enough shear exists that the recent storm that developed southeast of Middlesboro took on some rotation, so storms this afternoon will continue to pose a threat for strong wind gusts, along with heavy downpours. Continue to think that the flash flood threat is minimal due to fairly rapid storm motions, but any location that gets trained over will have the potential for flash flooding to develop. The storms will diminish from northwest to southeast as the trough axis shifts to our east overnight. Fog/stratus will then become an increasing concern as precip ends and clouds scatter out late in the night. Could see some issues with dense fog but believe stratus will win out and a low overcast will form, persisting well past dawn on Friday morning. Friday should remain mostly dry but instability will build after the morning low clouds burn off. A cold front will then push southeast across the area during the evening. Models move the front in after peak heating, and instability will be diminishing. However, a few strong storms will be possible across our northwest counties during the evening. A diminishing line of showers and storms will then work southeast through the remainder of the area through the night. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Thursday) Issued at 420 PM EDT THU JUL 6 2017 The models are in pretty good agreement aloft showing a stable and persistent pattern through the extended portion of the forecast. Strong ridging over the southwest parts of the country will shift slowly east to the central Rockies by early next week. To the east a fairly deep trough will be in place over the Great Lakes and into the Ohio Valley through the weekend and into next week. Early in the extended, a batch of energy rounding the base of the trough will pass through the Ohio Valley digging the system a extra bit south on Saturday. Following this, just weak energy will pass over Kentucky in northwest flow as the pattern relaxes a bit and heights tick up. The model spread opens up a little at this time step, though they remain fairly close. Another batch of energy passes through the Ohio Valley early in the week. This minor wave will not prevent heights from building further through mid week as as the western ridges shifts east into the central Plains. Given the model agreement and trends a general blend looks to be a good start for the forecast grids through the extended. Sensible weather will feature showers and thunderstorms exiting the area early Saturday with a cold front. A dry Canadian high pressure system will then drop over Kentucky bringing a respite from the humidity and shower/thunderstorm threat for the weekend. In fact, the high will also bring in some temperatures in the upper 50s for Saturday night into Sunday morning, the "coolest" we will have seen in well over a week. This break from the weather pattern we have experienced so far this summer will not last long, though, as moisture and the threat of showers/storms, diurnally driven, return for the start of the upcoming week. That latter mid level wave then looks to bring the best chance for more convection to the area Tuesday into Wednesday with a sfc front slowly moving south into Kentucky. With no strong area of high pressure in its wake and the main ridge aloft off to the southeast would look for scattered showers and thunderstorms to continue to be around on Thursday - again diurnally driven. Made some typical ridge to valley changes to the low temperatures each night through the extended - more so on the weekend, though, given the temporary drier conditions. Also, adjusted PoPs on Tuesday and Wednesday to smooth out the high spots preferring to keep values in the mid chance range. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Friday afternoon) ISSUED AT 147 PM EDT THU JUL 6 2017 Showers and thunderstorms will be on the increase over the next couple of hours. Coverage of the storms should peak between 20z and 04z and I broadbrushed MVFR conditions during this period, but temporary IFR will occur in storms along with very heavy rainfall and gusty winds. As the showers and storms diminish overnight, stratus and fog will fill in. Guidance is hitting the stratus/fog hard again and see no reason to argue. The low clouds will then likely be slow to lift/breakup tomorrow morning with conditions probably not returning to VFR until the midday hours. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...ABE LONG TERM...GREIF AVIATION...ABE
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Jackson KY 348 PM EDT Thu Jul 6 2017 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-072300- 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, and South Williamson 348 PM EDT Thu Jul 6 2017 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern Kentucky. .DAY ONE...Late this afternoon and tonight. Thunderstorms will be possible into tonight. Any storms that pass repeatedly over the same locations will pose a threat of localized flooding. A few storms may also contain strong wind gusts. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Thunderstorms will be possible late Friday afternoon into the evening, and at times from Monday through Wednesday. A few storms on Friday evening may become strong, containing small hail and strong wind gusts. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report any instances of flooding as well as strong wind gusts today and tonight. GEOGERIAN/ABE/GREIF
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
454 PM EDT THU JUL 6 2017
KYZ058-068-069-079-080-083>086-111-114-116-062200-
Jackson-Whitley-Clay-McCreary-Lee-Knox-Wayne-Estill-Owsley-
Rockcastle-Laurel-Pulaski-
454 PM EDT THU JUL 6 2017
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT WAYNE...LAUREL...
NORTHWESTERN KNOX...OWSLEY...SOUTHWESTERN ESTILL...JACKSON...
MCCREARY...PULASKI...NORTHWESTERN WHITLEY...ROCKCASTLE...LEE AND
NORTHERN CLAY COUNTIES...
At 453 PM EDT, radar indicated strong thunderstorms were located
along a line extending from near Lancaster to near Woodstock to near
Naomi to near Cabell to near Celina. Movement was east at 30 mph.
Torrential downpours, frequent lightning, wind gusts up to 40 mph,
and pea size hail are possible with these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Somerset, London, Monticello, Mount Vernon, Beattyville, Manchester,
McKee, Booneville, Whitley City, Boone, Science Hill, Burnside,
Turin, Cains Store, Donaro, Travellers Rest, Bummer, Fariston,
Southfork and Cumberland Falls S.P..
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms, and may
cause localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
LAT...LON 3696 8494 3695 8490 3700 8484 3705 8491
3712 8490 3736 8456 3733 8451 3748 8444
3747 8438 3754 8435 3752 8420 3756 8409
3760 8410 3764 8352 3751 8358 3720 8362
3660 8448 3663 8500 3676 8501 3686 8506
TIME...MOT...LOC 2053Z 264DEG 26KT 3755 8452 3727 8459 3702 8483 3683
8511 3659 8557
JPThe Knoxville radar (KMRX), 150 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:23 UTC.
13 thunderstorm wind, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Dispatch reported multiple trees down on Eads Street in Monticello.
A trained spotter reported a roof blown off of a trailer on Jacksboro Road in Bronston.
A department of highways official reported trees down throughout Mount Vernon on multiple highways. These include U.S. Highway 25 and Kentucky Highways 1326 and 1004.
An NWS Storm Survey revealed a roughly 1500 foot swath of snapped and uprooted trees paralleling Kentucky Highway 192 near the intersection with Kentucky Highway 1193 west of Keavy.
An amateur radio operator and dispatch reported wind damage from Keavy through London and up to McWhorter. A roof barn was damaged in Keavy as a tree was split in half. In McWhorter, a large tree was blown down at the intersection of Kentucky Highways 638 and 578, while power poles were blown down along Harris Karr Road in London.
Dispatch relayed a report of a tree down east of Corbin.
Dispatch reported trees down from near Yamacraw southwest of Whitley City to Pine Knot along Kentucky Highway 92.
A citizen reported trees uprooted in Gausdale.
A trained spotter observed flood waters on Honeycomb Road in Mount Vernon, causing the road to be impassable. Other low lying areas were also flooded as heavy rain moved through.
Dispatch reported a tree blown down in Flat Lick.
Dispatch relayed a report of a tree blown down on Kentucky Highway 66 west of Roark.
Dispatch reported trees blown down onto U.S. Highway 421 at the intersection with Middle Fork Road near Asher and just south of Hoskinston.
Dispatch relayed a report of a utility pole and lines blown down along Kentucky Highway 476 near Godsey Hollow Road northeast of Hazard.
Dispatch reported a tree blown down onto power lines in Evarts.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, July 2017
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: 699006, 699007, 699008, 699729, 699018, 699009, 699011, 699012, 699013, 699010, 699014, 699015, 699016, 699017.