A strong cold front moved through central Kentucky on the morning of April 12th. Ahead of the front, temperatures were in the 70, and behind it temperatures dropped into the 50s.
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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.
A strong cold front moved through central Kentucky on the morning of April 12th. Ahead of the front, temperatures were in the 70, and behind it temperatures dropped into the 50s. Besides dropping temperatures, the front brought a line of thunderstorms with damaging winds in addition to a small tornado.
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 Apr 12, 2:19 AM EST, 2 hours 58 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Louisville KY 319 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2019 .Short Term...(Today and tonight) Issued at 310 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2019 Early morning satellite imagery and observations show partly to mostly cloudy skies across the area. Temperatures remained quite mild this morning with temperatures generally still in the lower 70s across the region. Surface analysis shows wind shift line marching into western KY with KY Mesonet temps already dropping into the upper 50s. Area radars show a band of showers along and just behind the front along the IN/IL border, with some scattered showers developing in the I-65 corridor. Latest guidance suggests that the cold front will continue to push eastward and should reach the I-65 corridor by 10Z and then push east of the I-75 corridor in the 13-14Z time frame. Surface based instability has dropped off due to the loss of heating, so much of this activity looks to be just plain rain showers, though a few embedded thunderstorms here and there can't be ruled out along the front. Gradient winds dropped off after sunset due to a strengthening low-level inversion. However, the winds have picked up in the last few hours and wind gusts in the 25-30 MPH look to be common. We could see some mixdown of high momentum air aloft when the band of showers comes through later this morning. Once the front clears the region, we'll see drier air push into the region with skies likely scouring out by mid-late morning with mostly sunny conditions for the afternoon. Winds are likely to remain gusty out of the southwest this afternoon with speeds of 10- 15 MPH and gusts to 25-30 MPH at times. Highs this afternoon should top out in the upper 60s to the lower 70s. For tonight, the cold front will stall out to the east of the region. Clear to partly cloudy skies will be seen across southern IN and northern KY, but a bit more cloud cover is likely across southern KY. A few showers will be possible early Saturday down along the KY/TN border region. Overnight lows look to cool into the mid 40s across southern IN with upper 40s to around 50 across much of KY. && .Long Term...(Saturday through Thursday) Issued at 313 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2019 ...Rain Returns Late Saturday through Monday... Beginning Saturday morning, the Ohio River sits in a weak deformation zone with dry continental air to our north and moist Gulf air to our south. A warm front draped across the northern portions of our southern Gulf states extends from a low pressure system centered at the surface over Odessa, TX. As this low migrates northeastward, isentropic upglide will initiate south of Kentucky in response to ageostrophic forcing from a 130kt upper-level jet core located over the Great Lakes. The response at the surface will take the form of rain showers that will slowly encroach upon southern KY by Saturday afternoon and continue northward, enveloping the majority of our CWA in rain showers by late Saturday evening. Timing the onset of rain showers for Thunder of Louisville is tricky. The short range models are the most pessimistic, yet in good agreement, with light showers beginning as early as Saturday afternoon. But to put this in perspective, SREF plumes show a 3-hour accumulation of 0.01 inches between 5pm and 8pm Saturday evening. On the other hand, the medium range models (GFS, ECMWF, and NAM) are more optimistic, keeping showers away until just after the fireworks display. With all of this in mind, Thunder over Louisville looks to be a mostly dry event with very light, spotty showers possible around sunset. Rain showers and a chance of natural thunder will continue through Sunday as the low moves across the Mississippi Valley and into the Great Lakes. Best chance of thunderstorms looks to be Sunday afternoon as we sit in the warm sector with a strong, moist southerly fetch bringing our dewpoint temps into the low 60s. Diurnal instability will aid in any TS development with model soundings showing respectable surface based CAPE (682 J/kg) at 21Z Sunday. A tight gradient also spells out another windy day Sunday with sustained southwesterly winds 15to 20 mph and gusts reaching 25 to 30 mph. All rain should end by Monday morning, after which mostly sunny skies should prevail. Even with increasing mid and high clouds Saturday, max temps should reach into the upper 60s with some places in southern KY tapping 70. Lows Sunday morning will be mild ranging from the low 50s in southern Indiana to the upper 50s in southern KY. A warming trend is in store for Sunday as southerly winds bump max temps into the low 70s for most places in the CWA. In the wake of the cold front, Monday morning min temps will bottom out in the upper 30s to low 40s with max temps only reaching into the upper 50s to lower 60s. ...Tuesday through Thursday... High pressure settles in over the region by Tuesday morning bringing warmer and drier conditions. Daily max temps should be in the 70s with dewpoints remaining in the 40s and 50s. Tuesday and Wednesday should be beautiful Spring days. Next chance of rain comes later Wednesday evening into Thursday as another low approaches from the Great Plains. && .Aviation...(06Z TAF Issuance) Updated at 124 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2019 Surface cold front remains just west of KSTL early this morning with a band of showers and a few embedded thunderstorms out ahead of the front. These showers and storms will move into the region later this morning, toward sunrise. Prior to that, some scattered showers are likely to develop out ahead of the main line, so for now will keep VCSH going due to the scattered coverage. Winds will pick up ahead of the front this morning. Sustained winds of 15-20 with gusts up to 30kts will be possible prior the front's arrival. Latest data suggests the band of showers out to the west will work into KHNB/KBWG after 12/09Z and then into KSDF around 12/10-11Z and into KLEX around 12/12Z. Will keep a mention of VCTS in the forecast for the embedded thunder possibility, though the overall threat looks rather low at this time. Front will clear out of the area later in the morning followed by improving conditions, but winds will remain rather gusty behind the front this afternoon. Sustained winds of 13-15kts with gusts to 20- 25kts will be possible. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IN...None. KY...None. && Short Term...MJ Long Term....CG Aviation.....MJ
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Louisville KY 348 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2019 INZ076>079-083-084-089>092-KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067- 070>078-081-082-130800- 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 348 AM EDT Fri Apr 12 2019 /248 AM CDT Fri Apr 12 2019/ This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of south central Indiana and Central Kentucky. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. A band of showers with a few isolated storms will push through the outlook area this morning. No organized severe weather is expected, but the showers could contain gusty winds and brief heavy rainfall. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. Another storm system will bring showers and thunderstorms to the region late Saturday and into Sunday. Some of the storms on Sunday could be strong to severe with damaging winds being the primary severe weather risk. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be requested on Sunday. MJ/CG
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Louisville KY
605 AM EDT FRI APR 12 2019
INZ090-KYZ025-028>030-121030-
Harrison-Jefferson-Bullitt-Meade-Hardin-
605 AM EDT FRI APR 12 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN HARRISON...
SOUTHEASTERN MEADE...JEFFERSON...NORTH CENTRAL HARDIN AND
NORTHWESTERN BULLITT COUNTIES...
At 605 AM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Brandenburg,
moving northeast at 60 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph are possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Louisville, Jeffersonville, Jeffersontown, St. Matthews, Shively,
Shepherdsville, Lyndon, Hurstbourne, Graymoor-Devondale and
Brandenburg.
LAT...LON 3833 8564 3810 8546 3781 8614 3797 8626
3827 8575 3829 8568
TIME...MOT...LOC 1005Z 237DEG 52KT 3794 8613
MJSpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Louisville KY 613 AM EDT FRI APR 12 2019 KYZ047-048-054>057-066-067-121045- Boyle-Mercer-Jessamine-Marion-Lincoln-Madison-Garrard-Casey- 613 AM EDT FRI APR 12 2019 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN LINCOLN... SOUTHEASTERN MERCER...NORTHWESTERN GARRARD...EASTERN MARION... SOUTHERN JESSAMINE...BOYLE...WEST CENTRAL MADISON AND NORTH CENTRAL CASEY COUNTIES... At 612 AM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located 10 miles north of Liberty, moving northeast at 55 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph are possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Nicholasville, Danville, Stanford, Lancaster, Mccreary, Wilmore, Junction City, Burgin, Hustonville and Peytons Store. LAT...LON 3735 8492 3747 8508 3791 8465 3773 8440 TIME...MOT...LOC 1012Z 222DEG 46KT 3747 8494 MJ
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Louisville KY
615 AM EDT FRI APR 12 2019
KYZ035>037-039-040-121045-
Scott-Woodford-Franklin-Harrison-Anderson-
615 AM EDT FRI APR 12 2019
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT NORTHERN WOODFORD...SCOTT...
NORTHEASTERN ANDERSON...SOUTHWESTERN HARRISON AND EASTERN FRANKLIN
COUNTIES...
At 615 AM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over Lawrenceburg,
moving northeast at 55 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph are possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Georgetown, Frankfort, Lawrenceburg, Versailles, Midway, Stamping
Ground, Sadieville, Longlick, Slickway and Alberta.
LAT...LON 3838 8434 3796 8485 3807 8502 3834 8478
3835 8475 3837 8471 3842 8465 3843 8462
3849 8456 3850 8453
TIME...MOT...LOC 1015Z 219DEG 49KT 3808 8488
MJThe Louisville radar (KLVX), 5 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:16 UTC.
6 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were blown down, and tents blew away at Knob Creek Gun Range.
A 59 MPH wind gust was measured at the Louisville International Airport at 6:33 AM EDT.
An EF-1 tornado tracked 8.3 miles across Oldham County with a maximum path width of 300 yards. The tornado mostly did damage to the upper halves of several trees along its path. There were a couple of areas where it fully descended to the surface and caused more widespread damage. Along Shelburn Dr, a front porch with four columns was lifted, collapsing the columns and throwing the front half of the roof 100 yards to the northeast. The last visible damage was on Georgie Way, occurring 9 minutes after the start time.
Trees were blown down, and roofs were damaged in Crestwood, Kentucky.
A tree was reported down near Main Street in La Grange, Kentucky.
A small barn was damaged near Campbellsburg, Kentucky.
Two children were on their way to school driving east of Campbellsburg on Bishops Lane when a tree blew down in front of their car. The driver stopped the vehicle, so they wouldn't hit the tree. After stopping, another tree blew down on their vehicle. The two children had to be rescued by the fire department. After the crash, one child was wearing a neck brace due to a neck injury. The other child had an ongoing headache.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kentucky, 2019Warnings in Kentucky, April 2019
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: 818068, 818072, 818067, 818069, 818070, 818071, 818709.