A series of heavy rainfall events in April, followed by another heavy rainfall event in early May, brought the Ohio River above flood stage for one to two weeks in some places. Rainfall totals from April 28-30 ranged from 5 to 10 inches across much of southwest Indiana and parts of southern Illinois.
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 series of heavy rainfall events in April, followed by another heavy rainfall event in early May, brought the Ohio River above flood stage for one to two weeks in some places. Rainfall totals from April 28-30 ranged from 5 to 10 inches across much of southwest Indiana and parts of southern Illinois.
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 7, 4:50 PM CST, 10 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Paducah KY 550 PM CDT Sun May 7 2017 .UPDATE... Issued at 547 PM CDT Sun May 7 2017 For aviation section only. && .SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Tuesday night) Issued at 219 PM CDT Sun May 7 2017 Weak high pressure was across the area this afternoon with scattered diurnal cu across areas mainly east of the MS River. The clouds will dissipate by sunset, with light winds tonight as the high moves slowly east. By 12z Monday we should see a warm front across SEMO. It will push ENE through the day coincident with a weak disturbance that will move SE in mid level NW flow, west of a ridge across the Plains. Will maintain our small chance PoPs for convection, generally east of the MS River, best chances across the Evansville Tri-State. The chance will continue into the evening, before moving east. Will carry dry weather after midnight into Tuesday. Will maintain a slight chance of convection Tuesday evening as a Surface low and mid level energy pass just north of the region. Temps and dew points will be on the rise with the passage of the warm front. Used a GFS/NAM MOS blend again, given run to run continuity. Model preference was a GFS/CMC/EC blend. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Sunday) Issued at 219 PM CDT Sun May 7 2017 The first part of the extended period appears to be rather unsettled but the details of when and where the precipitation will fall is not as certain. A quasi stationary surface frontal boundary will be positioned across parts of southern IL into southwest IN and adjacent parts of northern KY at the start of the period. Showers and storms will be possible Wednesday morning and into the afternoon as upper level energy interacts with this boundary. The front attempts to slide southward on Wednesday night so chances for convection will be expanded across the entire region. The ECMWF does not indicate the front will make as much southward progress as the GFS but the Canadian does. By Thursday, a surface low pressure system will be getting its act together in the central/southern Plains. By Thursday afternoon, the aforementioned frontal boundary is slated to be across our southern tier counties (southern MO/KY) or even south of the CWA. Models differ on exactly what might happen on Thursday. There may actually be a lull in some parts of the region. This will be especially true during the afternoon in our northern counties. However, it will all depend on timing. The GFS and Canadian are once again in agreement on the Thursday afternoon lull. Whatever lull there is on Thursday will be short lived. On Thursday evening, the sfc low situated over the TX/OK border will lift northeast into the Arklatex region and spread more rain into the region during the evening and overnight. Far northern parts of the area may not see too much of this precipitation however. Time will tell exactly where the cut off will be as it is just too close to call right now. Precipitation chances for Friday morning should be limited to the southern/southeastern sections. The GFS/Canadian are still faster in exiting the upper system (by Friday afternoon), but we should be precipitation free everywhere by around 00Z Saturday. The GFS indicates another system barreling down the pipe in the northwest flow on Saturday night into Sunday. The Euro is not indicating this feature. We will indicate some small chances for now. Temperatures will be in the lower 80s on Wednesday with cooler readings by Thursday and especially on Friday, where highs will drop back into the mid/upr 60s. We should see a small rise in high temperatures into the upper 60s/low 70s for the weekend. && .AVIATION... Issued at 547 PM CDT Sun May 7 2017 Excellent flying conditions expected through Monday afternoon with only some high alto/cirrus cigs moving in during the day Monday. Light southerly winds in the morning will switch more soutwesterly in the afternoon but reamin BLO 10 kts. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...None. MO...None. IN...None. KY...None. && UPDATE...GM AVIATION...GM
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Paducah KY 340 AM CDT Sun May 7 2017 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-081000- 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- 340 AM CDT Sun May 7 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Major flooding continues on the Mississippi, Big Muddy, and Little Wabash rivers, with Minor to Moderate river flooding still fairly widespread throughout the Heartland's water systems. Refer to the flood warnings and statements for detailed, site specific flood information. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Thunderstorm chances are small as they reappear as early as Monday, but then steadily increase daily, peaking Wednesday through Thursday, before tapering off Friday. The primary storm related hazard each day will be heavy rain, especially any ancillary effect on flooded areas. Widespread river flooding will continue for several days through the week. Refer to any still active warnings or statements for details. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River. Low-lying woods and fields were inundated, along with a farm road.
Minor flooding occurred on the Ohio River. Parts of a riverfront park in Paducah and some low-lying farmland along the river was inundated.
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, May 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: 696509, 696508.