On September 5, 2018, the remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon moved north from the Gulf of Mexico. It carried copious amounts of moisture as it continued to rotate while slowly moving north.
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 LMK wrote it up.
On September 5, 2018, the remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon moved north from the Gulf of Mexico. It carried copious amounts of moisture as it continued to rotate while slowly moving north. In Kentucky, the outer bands of the system brought showers and thunderstorms that produced isolated wind damage September 5 and 6. By September 8th, Gordon was centered in southeast Missouri with much of its moisture and energy in the Ohio River Valley interacted with a stationary front. This produced efficient rainfall that caused flash flooding, and the environmental shear was strong enough to produce two tornadoes along the Ohio River in southern Indiana and north-central Kentucky.
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 Sep 5, 2:16 PM EST, 34 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Louisville KY 316 PM EDT Wed Sep 5 2018 .Short Term...(This evening through Thursday) Issued at 245 PM EDT Wed Sep 5 2018 Plenty of mid-level cloud cover has overtaken the Ohio Valley as Gordon continues to weaken over the Deep South, but also sling tropical moisture northward. Isolated showers and a few storms have already popped, at least an hour or two earlier than the last few days. Expect isolated to scattered storms into this evening, with the best chances from south-central Kentucky into the Bluegrass region, where precipitable water is at or above 1.8 inches. The juicy air mass will support some locally heavy rainfall, but given the lack of shear or strong forcing, no organized severe wx is expected. Can't rule out some fog formation toward morning with the moist boundary layer, but confidence is limited by abundant cloud cover. Best opportunity for fog will be in southern Indiana in and west of the Hoosier National Forest. Thursday looks similar to today with moisture continuing to increase. More confidence in scattered convection, especially in the afternoon. However, still not expecting much organization to it just yet. More extensive cloud cover will result in narrower temp ranges. && .Long Term...(Thursday night through Wednesday) Issued at 250 PM EDT Wed Sep 5 2018 Mid level flow is expected to stay well north of the CWA crossing over the Great Lakes and Canada. The low that was Gordon should be in south central Arkansas. With no force moving Gordon, it's going to slowly move north through Arkansas. Precipitable water values at the center will be around 2.4". This moisture will flow up the Mississippi and Ohio River Valleys and bring precipitable water values of around 2" to the CWA. On Friday, a front near southern Indiana will move south over central Kentucky. This will take advantage of the added moisture in the atmosphere and provide widespread showers and thunderstorms across the CWA. Expect better chances of rainfall in southern Indiana and north-central Kentucky. As the sun sets, showers will diminish. Mid-day Saturday, Gordon starts moving again. The system is expected to reach the north west corner of Arkansas before upper level flow pushes the system to the east. The heavy rainfall is expected to stay on the northern side of the low as the system moves east. By Sunday afternoon, the low will enter south-central Indiana increasing shower and storm chances for the CWA. Heavy rain is expected through Indiana with lower amounts further south, but everyone in the CWA should expect rainfall. Sunday night into early Monday, a front will begin its journey through southern Indiana and Central Kentucky. This is expected to form a line of convection that will reach across the CWA from northeast to southwest. Everyone will see rainfall. Tuesday and Wednesday, surface high pressure will set up to the north over the eastern Great Lakes. To the southwest a weak surface low. The CWA will sit on the line between flowing moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and drier air to the northwest. Lower rain chances will continue, but widespread heavy rainfall isn't expected. && .Aviation...(18Z TAF Issuance) Issued at 1255 PM EDT Wed Sep 5 2018 Expect prevailing VFR conditions through the valid TAF period, with the exception of some fog at HNB early Thu morning. Will carry a few hrs of IFR vis there, but will use TEMPO groups to cover any other restrictions. Expect isolated to scattered convection this afternoon, with the best chances at LEX and BWG, where we will carry VCTS for a few hrs. Isolated showers just south of SDF will make that a last-minute call, but not expecting any showers or storms to affect HNB. Could see MVFR visibility in some of the heavier downpours, but any restrictions will be too brief to mention. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...None. KY...None. && Short Term...RAS Long Term...KDW Aviation...RAS
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Louisville KY 338 PM EDT Wed Sep 5 2018 INZ076>079-083-084-089>092-KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067- 070>078-081-082-061945- Orange-Washington-Scott-Jefferson-Dubois-Crawford-Perry-Harrison- Floyd-Clark-Hancock-Breckinridge-Meade-Ohio-Grayson-Hardin-Bullitt- Oldham-Trimble-Henry-Shelby-Franklin-Spencer-Anderson-Woodford- Fayette-Bourbon-Nicholas-Nelson-Mercer-Jessamine-Larue-Marion-Boyle- Garrard-Madison-Butler-Edmonson-Hart-Green-Taylor-Casey-Lincoln- Logan-Warren-Simpson-Allen-Barren-Monroe-Metcalfe-Adair-Russell- Cumberland-Clinton- Including the cities of Paoli, Salem, Scottsburg, Madison, Jasper, English, Tell City, Corydon, New Albany, Jeffersonville, Lewisport, Hawesville, Hardinsburg, Brandenburg, Hartford, Leitchfield, Elizabethtown, Shepherdsville, Louisville, La Grange, Bedford, Milton, New Castle, Shelbyville, Frankfort, Georgetown, Cynthiana, Taylorsville, Lawrenceburg, Versailles, Lexington, Paris, Carlisle, Bardstown, Springfield, Harrodsburg, Nicholasville, Winchester, Hodgenville, Lebanon, Danville, Lancaster, Richmond, Morgantown, Brownsville, Horse Cave, Greensburg, Campbellsville, Liberty, Stanford, Russellville, Bowling Green, Franklin, Providence, Scottsville, Glasgow, Tompkinsville, Edmonton, Columbia, Jamestown, Burkesville, and Albany 338 PM EDT Wed Sep 5 2018 /238 PM CDT Wed Sep 5 2018/ This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of south central Indiana and Central Kentucky. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms are possible through this evening. Frequent lightning, gusty winds, and brief heavy rainfall are possible with the stronger storms. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Thunderstorm chances will increase through the weekend, with heavy rainfall possible Friday through Sunday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to relay reports of heavy rain or flooding. RAS/KDW
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Louisville KY
329 PM EDT WED SEP 5 2018
KYZ037-041-042-052000-
Bourbon-Fayette-Harrison-
329 PM EDT WED SEP 5 2018
...GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL AFFECT WESTERN
BOURBON...NORTHEASTERN FAYETTE AND SOUTHERN HARRISON COUNTIES...
At 329 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located between Lexington
and Paris, moving north at 10 mph.
Winds in excess of 30 mph are possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Paris, Cynthiana, Millersburg, Sidville, Elmendorf, Shawhan, Ruddels
Mills, Hutchison, Leesburg and Avon.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, 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 3805 8431 3810 8446 3819 8445 3821 8440
3822 8442 3825 8442 3828 8444 3830 8444
3830 8443 3831 8444 3842 8443 3836 8417
3830 8413
TIME...MOT...LOC 1929Z 197DEG 8KT 3823 8433
RASSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Louisville KY
334 PM EDT WED SEP 5 2018
KYZ039-040-047-052000-
Mercer-Woodford-Anderson-
334 PM EDT WED SEP 5 2018
...GUSTY WINDS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING WILL AFFECT MERCER...WOODFORD
AND EASTERN ANDERSON COUNTIES...
At 333 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located 9 miles north of
Harrodsburg, moving north at 10 mph.
Winds in excess of 30 mph are possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Lawrenceburg, Versailles, Harrodsburg, Burgin, Oregon, Bondville,
Talmage, Terrapin, Mundys Landing and Mcbrayer.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, 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 3786 8471 3786 8469 3785 8469 3784 8472
3783 8473 3781 8471 3774 8476 3782 8495
3809 8491 3810 8490 3804 8465
TIME...MOT...LOC 1933Z 197DEG 8KT 3790 8481
RASThe Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:47 UTC.
12 flash flood, 5 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
The media reported one tree down blocking 460 in Paris, Kentucky in Bourbon County.
One large tree blew down on a house.
There was damage to an outbuilding near Albany.
Law enforcement reported a power line down near Concordia.
This tree-top level tornado did all of its damage 20 to 30 feet above ground. Never more than 50 yards wide, the first evidence of the tornado touching down was one mile south of the water tower on Thomas Lane, where it downed several large branches that blocked the road. Moving northeast over forested land, the next evidence was more tree trunks and branches snapped on Poplar Grove Rd just north of the intersection with Hilldale Rd. The tornado then continued to skip northeast, snapping branches and trunks to the west of Frank Luttrell Rd, before crossing the road and causing minor roof damage to the metal roof of a barn and snapping more tree limbs a third of a mile southeast of North Hancock Elementary School. The tornado dropped small branches and leaves along its path as it continued northeast. The last major tree damage was observed around a home on Adair Rd, where trees were uprooted and trunks snapped in a cyclonic pattern around the home. The only damage to the home, however, was minor roof damage from a branch falling on it. The storm then crossed Adair Rd, lifting somewhere in a wooded area west of a large pond near Beauchamp Lane, where residents witnessed its dissipation.
A person was trapped in a vehicle on Dixie Highway and Oak Street. A water rescue took place.
Twenty Nineth Street was flooded between St. Xavier Street and Bank St.
Trees were reported down on the 10200 block of Blue Lick Road.
A person was trapped in a vehicle at 17th Street and Dumesnil Street.
A water rescue took place to rescue a person stuck in a vehicle on Grafton Hall Road.
There was a report of multiple cars trapped in high water on the ramp from Crittenden Drive to Interstate 65 South.
The media reported several vehicles under water at Dixie Highway and Algonquin Parkway.
A driver and two children were stuck in a vehicle on 15th Street and Breckinridge Street.
There was a water rescue reported in West Louisville.
A Yellow Cab taxi driver tried to drive through standing water underneath a railroad overpass at 13th Street and Oak Street. When the vehicle he was driving stalled, the driver made several calls to 911, but provided an incorrect location for rescuers. He drowned due to the quickly rising flood waters in that low spot.
State Road 89, Irvine Road, was underwater 1 to 2 miles southeast of Winchester, Kentucky.
Water was flowing over Bethany Road in the Logana area.
Mackey Pike near Hickman Creek was closed due to being a couple of feet underwater.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flash Flood, Jefferson | 2018-09-08 | 40 | Male | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kentucky, 2018Warnings in Kentucky, September 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: 783663, 783664, 783666, 783667, 783662, 783635, 783637, 783668, 783638, 783639, 783651, 783652, 783656, 783657, 784424, 783658, 783659, 783660.