Supercell thunderstorms developed along a west to east oriented boundary early during the afternoon of April 8th near the Ohio River, congealing into a broken line as they pushed south into eastern Kentucky throughout the afternoon. Several instances of wind damage and hail were observed along with a couple of funnel cloud reports in Rowan County.
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 JKL wrote it up.
Supercell thunderstorms developed along a west to east oriented boundary early during the afternoon of April 8th near the Ohio River, congealing into a broken line as they pushed south into eastern Kentucky throughout the afternoon. Several instances of wind damage and hail were observed along with a couple of funnel cloud reports in Rowan County.
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 Apr 8, 12:22 PM EST, 21 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Jackson KY 122 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020 .UPDATE... Issued at 122 PM EDT WED APR 8 2020 Clearing and strong heating has occurred over the northern portion of the forecast area. Very dry air and steep lapse rates are present in the mid levels, along with a decent amount of shear. Storms have fired near the Ohio River and the area will be slipping southward this afternoon. Given the conditions mentioned, the stronger storms may contain large hail, or perhaps high winds, and SPC has issued a svr tstm watch which includes the northeast portion of the forecast area. UPDATE Issued at 1101 AM EDT WED APR 8 2020 Deep convection stayed to our north and east this morning, with just some light showers affecting the JKL forecast area earlier. Low clouds persist in most places, slowing the warm-up. Although, sunshine has become more plentiful over northern KY, including the northern tip of the JKL forecast area. There is still a small potential for some convective development this afternoon if enough heating can occur and there's enough localized forcing, but the main threat is late tonight. Have noted the SPC update expanding the enhanced risk of severe weather over almost all of eastern KY, with wind being the greatest concern due to the expected linear nature late tonight. UPDATE Issued at 638 AM EDT WED APR 8 2020 The latest WSR-88D radar scans show some showers emanating from an outflow created by upstream convection. These are weak as we have had extensive low stratus set up overnight due to increasing low level jet and subsequent moisture. However given the steep lapse rates and some weak signals of MRMS vertically integrated ice will keep the mention of thunder going at this time. There still remains a fair amount of uncertainty regarding the convection tonight. The latest HRRR runs seem to be faster moving this QLCS type structure east. This is some what concerning given the HRRR is usually lagging some with this type of convective structure. However we will have to see how this trends as storms develop in portions of the Midwest this afternoon and evening. This was a minor update overall, with mainly slight updates to PoPs and blended in the latest obs and trends. && .SHORT TERM...(Today through Thursday) Issued at 407 AM EDT WED APR 8 2020 We are watching a line of showers and thunderstorms tracking across Ohio and West Virginia this morning. This line of storms seems to be loosing the southward push and this seems to mostly line up with the HRRR. However there was a rogue cell showing up in the 06z HRRR that would possibly ride into northeast and far eastern Kentucky. These areas could still see at least an isolated storm and the main concern would be hail and strong wind gusts This given the steep mid level lapse rates and ample effective shear of 30 to 35 knots. The overall convective trends today seem to be downward as this initial band moves through, but still some CAMs showing isolated convection in the east this afternoon. The environment could support additional strong storms this afternoon if that can develop, but fair amount of uncertainty remains on this given the lack of better lifting. Tonight all eyes turn to the strong cold front set to push east into the Midwest and eventually the Ohio Valley. Ahead of this will be a broken line of strong to severe storms. This as deep increasing westerly flow aloft pushes into the Ohio Valley. This flow will advect steep mid level lapse rates of around 7.5 to 8 C/km through the day into tonight. This will combine with MUCAPE values around 1500 to 2000 J/kg and effective shear values increasing to 35 to 45 knots to lead to the potential for large hail and damaging winds with these storms as they press east. The latest 06Z HRRR showing this to be a little more linear in nature and therefore most likely leading to a larger threat of severe wind gusts. However, the tornado threat is not zero given this becomes more QLCS structure with the potential for embedded supercell structures. This development will have to be closely monitored through the day and SPC Day 1 has appropriately put all of eastern Kentucky in at least a slight risk of severe weather. The main time frame for this line of convection looks to be between 04Z and 08Z and will have to be fine tuned more as we see this convection develop today. Thursday this line of convection will push east early in the day. Then much cooler air will advect into eastern Kentucky as gusty winds become more west and then northwest. This will lead to clearing skies in the afternoon, but afternoon highs will only climb into the upper 50s to neat 60 degrees. .LONG TERM...(Thursday night through Tuesday) Issued at 455 AM EDT WED APR 8 2020 The models are in a bit better agreement aloft with this quite dynamic pattern in store for the extended portion of the forecast. They all depict active northern and southern streams through the start of next week. Initially, a deep trough will be spinning over the Great Lakes and pressing south through the Ohio Valley within the northern stream. Meanwhile a well defined trough rolls into the Desert Southwest in the southern stream. The tail of the northeast trough passes through Kentucky by Friday morning with a strong push of energy and height falls. The local pattern rebounds quickly, though, so that by Saturday morning heights will have climbed enough to give us basically zonal mid level flow - becoming increasingly southwest with time. This southwest flow will see an increase in weak impulses moving over the area later Saturday night in advance of a still healthy low latitude trough sweeping through the Southern Plains into Sunday morning. The GFS continues to lead the ECMWF with this feature - but to a smaller degree than 24 hours ago increasing confidence in their blended solution. This trough then plows through Kentucky later Sunday with growing indications that it will be able to tap into the northern stream and phase. By Monday morning the next deep trough will be descending through the Central Plains from the north as the southern trough's remains lifts quickly north over the state to the eastern Great Lakes. As a result, substantial height falls settle through the region to start the work week along with additional northern stream energy pouring into the Ohio Valley coincident with a consolidating gyre over the northern Great Lakes for Tuesday. Given the better agreement - at least early on - have favored the blended NBM solution with no large scale adjustments - aside from a slight nod toward the ECMWF pcpn pattern over the weekend. Sensible weather will remind us that we are not far removed from winter and that spring also brings rain, storms, and wind. Friday will see colder air take over the region in the wake of Thursday's cold front and in association with a relatively strong area of high pressure spreading east from the High Plains. The winds will not slacken much into Friday morning and that may be a blessing keeping the frost potential low until later that night. Mostly clear skies, light winds, a cold air mass, and low dewpoints will set up the expectation for widespread frost and pockets of freezing conditions across eastern Kentucky by Saturday morning. The clouds and somewhat warmer temperatures will then arrive later Saturday into the night before a large area of showers and thunderstorms look to develop and spread over the CWA on Sunday on account of a rather deep sfc low pressure area tracking to the northwest of the state. This system lifts north of the area on Monday with additional cold air wrapping into the state along with a continued chance for some dreary showers into Tuesday as temperatures struggle to escape the 50s that afternoon. The main adjustments to the NBM temperatures were to address the ridge to valley split anticipated Friday night - exacerbating the cold and frosty conditions to start the weekend. Did tweak the PoPs on Sunday and Monday to provide a better sense of timing - more along the lines of the preferred ECMWF. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Thursday morning) ISSUED AT 651 AM EDT WED APR 8 2020 We have seen solid moisture develop in the lower layers this morning leading to MVFR CIGs. These lower clouds will mix out later this afternoon with the inversion layer and we will return to VFR CIGs. We are seeing a outflow from storms to out northeast working into the area this morning and this will kick of a few mainly showers through the morning and early afternoon. There may be further development this afternoon as we loose the lower stratus from this morning. However a fair amount of uncertainty is there given the lack of better forcing mechanisms. Tonight a cold front will push east and across eastern Kentucky. This will bring a line of showers and thunderstorms across the area later this evening into tonight. These storms could produce severe winds and hail as they track through eastern Kentucky. They will also lead to quick lower of CIGs and VIS in the IFR range or lower. The winds will remain light this morning before becoming southwest at 5 to 10 knots and gusts around 15 to 20 knots this afternoon. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && UPDATE...HAL/DJ SHORT TERM...DJ LONG TERM...GREIF AVIATION...DJ
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Jackson KY 435 AM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-091145- 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 435 AM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern Kentucky. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Thunderstorms will be possible at times Wednesday and Wednesday night. A few of these storms could be strong to severe, mainly late this evening into early hours Thursday morning, with large hail, damaging winds, and perhaps an isolated tornado being the main threats. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. Thunderstorms are possible on Sunday and Sunday night. Most areas in eastern Kentucky may experience a frost and freeze Friday night into early Saturday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter assistance may be needed late this evening into tonight. DJ/GREIF
The Cincinnati radar (KILN), 103 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:43 UTC.
7 hail, 4 thunderstorm wind, 2 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
Emergency Management reported a downed tree blocking Turner Road northwest of Mount Carmel.
A citizen observed quarter sized hail northeast of Wallingford.
A trained spotter observed trees downed along with surrounding debris near Interstate 64 just northeast of Cranston.
Emergency Management observed a funnel cloud near Triplett.
Emergency Management observed nickel sized hail near Triplett.
Emergency Management spotted a funnel cloud on CCC Trail near Crix.
A citzen observed penny sized hail near Ewington.
A citizen reported nickel sized hail near Levee.
Social media report of penny sized hail west of Bowen.
A citizen reported a tree snapped about two feet from its base.
Dispatch reported a tree blown down in Jackson.
Citizens reported quarter sized hail from Rice Station to Irvine.
Emergency Management reported nickel sized hail just east of Booneville.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, April 2020
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: 876250, 876251, 876254, 876252, 876253, 876236, 876241, 876239, 876237, 876243, 876245, 876244, 876238.