Multiple rounds of showers, including embedded thunderstorms, worked across eastern Kentucky from February 6th into the 7th along a slow-moving frontal boundary. A thunderstorm briefly became severe near and north of Somerset, producing tree damage.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Multiple rounds of showers, including embedded thunderstorms, worked across eastern Kentucky from February 6th into the 7th along a slow-moving frontal boundary. A thunderstorm briefly became severe near and north of Somerset, producing tree damage. Gusty winds continued throughout the evening of the 7th, which when combined with saturated soils, led to a tree falling onto a mobile home in Laurel County. Rainfall amounts near two inches fell across portions of southeast Kentucky, leading to standing water and a few rock/mud slides. These produced road closures in Harlan, Knott, and Perry Counties.
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 Feb 7, 5:16 AM EST, 19 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Jackson KY 516 AM EST Thu Feb 7 2019 .SHORT TERM...(Today through Friday) Issued at 423 AM EST THU FEB 7 2019 Locally heavy rainfall, and the potential for flooding, will again be the forecast issues in the short term. Locally heavy rain will be possible across the area through late this morning, as an area of showers, and perhaps a few thunderstorms, move across eastern Kentucky. The flood watch was left in place through noon today to address any potential flooding issues. Another round of heavy rainfall will be possible tonight, as a line of potent rain showers moves across the area ahead of a quickly advancing cold front. These showers should be out of the area by early Friday morning once the cold front has moved east of the area. After that, a ridge of high pressure will settle over the region, bringing dry but cooler weather to eastern Kentucky to end the week. .LONG TERM...(Friday night through Wednesday) Issued at 516 AM EST THU FEB 7 2019 Troughing will rule across the West through early next week, with the subtropical ridge that has been steadfast across the Southeast, gradually relenting. Bouts of short wave energy will eject out across the Rockies and into the Plains and eventually the Mississippi Valley. This will bring another period of unsettled weather across the Ohio and Tennessee valleys from Sunday through Tuesday. Strong surface high pressure will build in across the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley regions Friday night into Saturday. Clearing skies will allow for lows in the teens across eastern Kentucky by Saturday morning. The high will quickly shift towards the western Atlantic by Sunday, with an inverted surface trough establishing itself across the Ohio and Tennessee valleys. Mainly bouts of rain will be seen from Sunday afternoon through Monday, with likely to categorical PoPs reasonable. A deeper low pressure system will then develop across the Plains and move northeast into the Great Lakes Tuesday, bringing a stout cold front across eastern Kentucky. Drier weather will return for Wednesday as high pressure builds in from the west and northwest. For temperatures, below normal readings will start out across the area, before modifying to above normal through early next week. Near normal values will return behind the cold front by the middle of next week. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Thursday night) ISSUED AT 1226 AM EST THU FEB 7 2019 The warm front that has been sparking showers and even a few storms since yesterday morning, is now laid out across more of the western portion of the area as a large amount of moisture continues to stream northeastward through eastern Kentucky. This set up will continue to bring a prolonged round of rainfall to the region as CIGs will drop down to IFR or worse at times. Some instances of VIS dropping to IFR is possible as well in the heavier rainfall. This will persist across the area through Thursday morning before conditions slowly improve tomorrow with some MVFR CIGs possible by tomorrow afternoon. Based on current trends, there will also likely be lulls in the rain that allow for MVFR or even VFR conditions to occur at some of the TAF sites for brief periods overnight. Winds will be light through tonight but will be on the increase tomorrow afternoon with some gusts up to 25 knots. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... Flood Watch until noon EST today for KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068- 069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120. && SHORT TERM...AR LONG TERM...GEOGERIAN AVIATION...AR
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Jackson KY 407 AM EST Thu Feb 7 2019 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-081100- 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 407 AM EST Thu Feb 7 2019 ...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST TODAY... This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern Kentucky. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. A few thunderstorms will be possible this morning along with locally heavy rainfall that could lead to flooding. Locally heavy rainfall will again be possible tonight as a cold front, and a line of rain showers, which could be intense at times, move across the area. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report any incidents of flooding or excessive rainfall. AR/GEOGERIAN
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
503 AM EST THU FEB 7 2019
KYZ068-069-079-080-071045-
Jackson-Rockcastle-Laurel-Pulaski-
503 AM EST THU FEB 7 2019
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT NORTHWESTERN LAUREL...
PULASKI...SOUTHERN JACKSON AND ROCKCASTLE COUNTIES...
At 502 AM EST, radar indicated strong thunderstorms were located
along a line extending from 6 miles east of Liberty to 7 miles south
of Columbia. Movement was east at 65 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph and half inch hail are possible with these
storms.
Locations impacted include...
Somerset, Mount Vernon, McKee, Science Hill, Burnside, Cains Store,
Donaro, Bummer, Renfro Valley, Disputanta and Pine Hill.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms, and may
cause localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
LAT...LON 3712 8490 3736 8456 3733 8451 3734 8450
3748 8444 3747 8438 3750 8436 3745 8385
3697 8456 3697 8467 3698 8470 3697 8473
3697 8478 3701 8486 3705 8491
TIME...MOT...LOC 1002Z 267DEG 57KT 3731 8482 3700 8533
GEOGERIANThe Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 128 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:35 UTC.
3 heavy rain, 1 thunderstorm wind, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The Kentucky Mesonet site north of Somerset measured a 58 mph wind gust as a thunderstorm moved through. Additionally, several downed trees were reported in and around Somerset.
Department of Highway officials reported that Kentucky Highway 72 was blocked between Kentucky Highway 2425 and Pruitt's Curve due to a large rock slide. Crews were able to open one lane by late morning, following the Harlan County Judge Executive declaring a State of Emergency. This was likely caused by 1.5 to 2 inches of rain on top of saturated terrain. Crews worked to clean up the slide for the next 5 weeks, causing travel impacts.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials reported a landslide on Kentucky Highway 1165 between Viper and Cornettsville, causing the roadway to become blocked for several weeks. This was likely caused by 1 to 1.5 inches of rain on top of saturated terrain.
Local Kentucky Transportation Cabinet officials reported an active landslide along Kentucky Highway 7 in Topmost. This forced the road down to one lane for five days. This was likely caused by 1 to 1.5 inches of rain on top of saturated terrain.
Local Emergency Management relayed a report of a 3.5 foot diameter pine tree blowing down onto a mobile home near Lily.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, February 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: 795929, 795930, 795932, 795931, 797117.