Numerous thunderstorms developed over far west Kentucky as strong solar heating contributed to a rather unstable atmosphere by midday. A few storms produced very localized wind damage.
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.
Numerous thunderstorms developed over far west Kentucky as strong solar heating contributed to a rather unstable atmosphere by midday. A few storms produced very localized wind damage. A moist west-southwest low level wind around 20 knots at 850 mb provided ample moisture for isolated minor flooding with a few of 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 Jul 15, 6:20 AM CST, 2 hours 20 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Paducah KY 720 AM CDT Sun Jul 15 2018 .UPDATE... Issued at 716 AM CDT Sun Jul 15 2018 For aviation section only. && .SHORT TERM...(Today through Tuesday night) Issued at 345 AM CDT Sun Jul 15 2018 Expect an unsettled pattern the next 24 to 48 hours. Weak trof of low pressure aloft will combine with very unstable conditions, esp during the heat of the daytime hours, to produce rounds of showers/thunderstorms. Opted to blanket the entire area with at least scattered pops today and Monday ahead of a weak cold front that is expected to make its way across the region Monday night. PWATS today running up over 2.25 inches, so there will likely be torrential downpours with any storms that do form. Between rounds of convection, expect the uncomfortable heat and humidity to continue. Afternoon heat indices through the period should not be quite as oppressive as yesterday due mainly to increased cloud cover, but still will top out in the 100-105 range at many locations. Will handle with special weather statement this AM. Some minor relief from the humidity may work in behind the cold front on Tuesday/Tuesday night. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday through Saturday) Issued at 345 AM CDT Sun Jul 15 2018 Medium confidence continues in the overall pattern shown by the models with lower confidence in the exact timing of features. High pressure will remain in control of the region on Wednesday before breaking down in advance of the next storm system. The overall trend in the models is to develop an upper level ridge in the west and trough in the east. This leaves our region in northwesterly flow aloft which would tend to be a cooler and wetter pattern. Models are very different in the placement of precipitation as we head into the latter part of the week and the weekend. Chances for precipitation will stay in the slight chance to chance categories. High temperatures in the middle to upper 80s Wednesday will give way to highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s by the weekend. Dewpoints in the 60s will make conditions less oppressive midweek but will be inching back up to around 70 by the weekend. Heat indices will once again be approaching 100 degrees, especially across southeast Missouri on Saturday. && .AVIATION... Issued at 719 AM CDT Sun Jul 15 2018 Expect isolated to scattered storms increasing as solar heating destabilizes the atmosphere today. There will be considerable high clouds, but low clouds should be primarily in and near storms. Will handle with VCTS for the time being. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...None. MO...None. IN...None. KY...None. && UPDATE...GM SHORT TERM...GM LONG TERM...ML AVIATION...GM
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Paducah KY 535 AM CDT Sun Jul 15 2018 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-161000- 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- 535 AM CDT Sun Jul 15 2018 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 expected across the region today and tonight. Torrential rainfall and deadly lightning will be the main thunderstorm hazards. In addition....heat index values will top out between 95 and 105 this afternoon. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Scattered thunderstorms are expected again on Monday. The chance of thunderstorms returns Thursday west of the Mississippi River, and then area-wide on Friday. While a few stronger storms with damaging winds cannot be ruled out, the main concerns include lightning and locally heavy rain. Heat indices are forecast to top the century mark Monday afternoon. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 424 AM CDT Sun Jul 15 2018 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-152100- 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- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF MOUNT VERNON, FAIRFIELD, ALBION, MOUNT CARMEL, PINCKNEYVILLE, WEST FRANKFORT, MCLEANSBORO, CARMI, CARBONDALE, MURPHYSBORO, HERRIN, HARRISBURG, SHAWNEETOWN, JONESBORO, VIENNA, GOLCONDA, ELIZABETHTOWN, CAIRO, MOUND CITY, METROPOLIS, FORT BRANCH, PETERSBURG, POSEYVILLE, EVANSVILLE, BOONVILLE, ROCKPORT, HICKMAN, CLINTON, BARDWELL, WICKLIFFE, PADUCAH, MAYFIELD, SMITHLAND, BENTON, MURRAY, MARION, EDDYVILLE, CADIZ, PRINCETON, MORGANFIELD, DIXON, MADISONVILLE, HOPKINSVILLE, HENDERSON, OWENSBORO, CALHOUN, GREENVILLE, ELKTON, PERRYVILLE, MARBLE HILL, CAPE GIRARDEAU, JACKSON, PIEDMONT, VAN BUREN, DONIPHAN, POPLAR BLUFF, BLOOMFIELD, SIKESTON, CHARLESTON, AND NEW MADRID 424 AM CDT Sun Jul 15 2018 ...More Heat and Humidity Expected Today and Monday... Very uncomfortable humidity levels will combine with afternoon temperatures in the upper 80s and lower 90s to produce heat index values in the 100 to 105 range in beween any areas of thunderstorms today and Monday. An increase in the overall cloud cover should keep readings from getting quite as high as they did on Saturday, but it will still be quite hot and humid. The very young, the elderly, those without air conditioning, and those participating in strenuous outdoor activities will be the most susceptible to the heat. Also, car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Paducah KY
918 AM CDT SUN JUL 15 2018
KYZ009-012-017-021-022-151545-
Calloway KY-Muhlenberg KY-Todd KY-Christian KY-Trigg KY-
918 AM CDT SUN JUL 15 2018
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EASTERN CALLOWAY...SOUTHERN
MUHLENBERG...CHRISTIAN...TRIGG AND TODD COUNTIES UNTIL 1045 AM CDT...
At 918 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking strong thunderstorms along
a line extending from near Weir to near Canton. Movement was
southeast at 15 mph.
Half inch hail and winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with
these storms.
Locations impacted include...
Hopkinsville, Oak Grove, Cadiz, Elkton, Fort Campbell North, Land
Between The Lakes Area, Clarksville, Guthrie, Pembroke, Crofton,
Energy, Canton, Weir, Dunmor, Central City--Greenville, Rockcastle,
Trenton, Lafayette, Justice and Everett.
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.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with these storms.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3709 8689 3706 8705 3664 8706 3663 8785
3667 8786 3668 8807 3650 8805 3650 8825
3675 8819 3675 8811 3687 8816 3697 8777
3707 8770 3712 8758 3710 8752 3713 8737
3718 8731 3719 8732 3720 8690 3714 8693
TIME...MOT...LOC 1418Z 309DEG 13KT 3709 8718 3673 8794
07The Ft Campbell radar (KHPX), 25 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:41 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Minor street flooding was reported around Hopkinsville.
Minor street flooding occurred.
A tree fell onto a house.
Roof damage was reported at a grocery store.
A tree and a power line were down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, July 2018
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: 766285, 766288, 764384, 764386, 764387.