A multi-day event across eastern Kentucky took place from April 7-9 due to multiple rounds of severe weather. Starting on the 7th, a warm front draped across the Ohio Valley was the primary focus for convection to develop that evening.
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 RLX wrote it up.
A multi-day event across eastern Kentucky took place from April 7-9 due to multiple rounds of severe weather. Starting on the 7th, a warm front draped across the Ohio Valley was the primary focus for convection to develop that evening. A brief lull in storms during the day of the 8th primed the atmosphere once more for severe thunderstorms to arise ahead of a cold front which passed through late that night. During which time, damaging winds from storms resulted in roofs blown off of mobile homes and structures in Carter County. Heavy downpours also inflicted residential streets to be covered by standing water.
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 Charleston, WV wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 8, 10:23 PM EST, 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Charleston WV 1123 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020 .SYNOPSIS... A strong cold front crosses overnight. High pressure Friday and Saturday. Low pressure crosses Sunday/Sunday night, with a cold front Monday morning. Cooler with weaker systems next week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH THURSDAY/... As of 1120 PM Wednesday... Tornado Watch 93 issued for all but the northern tier of the forecast area, the northern extent of where the boundary indicated by the west-northwest to east-southeast oriented line of thunderstorms may get before the main line ahead of the cold front arrives. Surface based CAPE and effective bulk shear depict this most favored air mass for tornadic development nicely, as do the upstream warnings. Added severe weather wording to the forecast where the watch is until its 08Z expiration overnight. As of 825 PM Wednesday... Used mostly the HRRR to time PoPs associated with a cold front that will push through during the late overnight hours. The timing for the strongest thunderstorms midnight to 4 AM west to east, with a gradually weakening trend possible during that time on loss of CAPE, which may start out over 2 KJ/kg into southwest portions of the CWA, with elevated CAPE over 3 KJ/kg. Bulk shear values in the 0-6 km layer are forecast to reach 50 to 60 kts giving rise to strong rotating elevated updrafts, with large hail and damaging winds possible. The bulk shear will be longer lived, so the wind threat is likely to outlive the hail threat. An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out, especially as 0-1 km bulk shear increases to 40 kts and the LCL decreases to less than 1km immediately ahead of the cold front. Downward transfer of 50 to 60 kts aloft may also lead to a surge of strong wind gusts immediately behind the front. As of 620 PM Wednesday... The severe thunderstorms have weakened and moved south of the CWA. Therefore, the remainder of SVR Watch 87 has been canceled. As of 525 PM Wednesday... Dropped portion of SVR Watch 87 behind southward moving line. These leaves only SW VA in the Watch. As of 204 PM Wednesday... Latest radar mosaic shows a broken line of showers and thunderstorms have developed across the middle of our county warning area. Mesoanalysis indicates these storms may be associated with an outflow boundary from the earlier storms. Per SPC discussion, a Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for portions of Northeast Kentucky, Southeast OH and Southwest Virginia as well as the southern third of West Virginia until 8 PM. Models indicate convection should wind down this evening with a brief dry period. A strong cold front is then expected to push southeast across the region later tonight with the possibility of additional strong and possibly severe storms. The front should be southeast of the area by sunrise on Thursday with high pressure building in. As a result, precipitation chances will end from the northwest during the day. Will keep chance pops in the northern mountains through the evening hours as cold west-northwest flow prevails. Would not be too surprised to see some snow across the highest elevations late. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/... As of 220 PM Wednesday... Additional shortwave will cross the area Thursday night into Friday, with another round of precipitation, and much colder air. Light snow showers will be likely, particularly across the higher terrain, where light accumulations will be possible. In addition, gusty winds on Friday will make it feel like it's winter again, with wind chills in the 20s to lower 30s. High pressure will build in for Friday night into Saturday. With a clearing sky and calm winds taking hold, widespread frost is expected for Saturday. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... As of 225 PM Wednesday... After a brief break in the precipitation, rain, along with warmer temperatures will return to the area for the start of the long term period. Good southerly fetch of moisture will create a good soaking rain for the area, but heaviest amounts look to lie to the south and east of CWA. System will lift to the northeast of the CWA at the start of next week, but mild, and somewhat unsettled weather will continue to linger. && .AVIATION /04Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... As of 825 PM Wednesday... A front stretched west to east across southern Ohio and central WV this evening, will move northward, as a warm front, ahead of showers and thunderstorms, associated with a cold front, approaching from the west. These showers and thunderstorms may be quite strong as they cross the area overnight, before weakening during the early morning hours, as they move through with the cold front. One last line of showers may move through after daybreak, before clearing takes place by afternoon, except northeast portions of WV. The best chance for the strongest thunderstorms will be HTS, with decreasing strength to the north and east. The timing for strong storms is 04Z-08Z from west to east, with diminishing strength as the storms move east. Ceilings will lower to MVFR as the thunderstorms move through, and may even dip briefly to IFR early Thursday morning, before mixing through and breaking out Thursday. Even in NE WV, CKB and EKN, where ceilings may persist throughout the day, they should lift above MVFR early Thursday afternoon. MVFR visibility is likely in showers and thunderstorms overnight, with brief IFR visibility in heavier thunderstorms. Light north surface flow will shift to south as the front moves north tonight. Strong wind gusts are possible in the thunderstorms overnight, mainly from the west to northwest. Gusty west to northwest winds will develop in the wake of the cold front Thursday, with peak gusts of 20 to 25 kts. Light west to northwest flow aloft this evening will become light to moderate south to southwest tonight, and then strong west as the cold front crosses overnight, and then moderate west first thing Thursday morning, remaining so for the balance of the day Thursday. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Coverage of storms and associated lower conditions and wind could vary overnight. Gusty winds Thursday will fluctuate. EXPERIMENTAL TABLE OF FLIGHT CATEGORY OBJECTIVELY SHOWS CONSISTENCY OF WFO FORECAST TO AVAILABLE MODEL INFORMATION: H = HIGH: TAF CONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. M = MEDIUM: TAF HAS VARYING LEVEL OF CONSISTENCY WITH MODELS. L = LOW: TAF INCONSISTENT WITH ALL MODELS OR ALL BUT ONE MODEL. DATE THU 04/09/20 UTC 1HRLY 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 EDT 1HRLY 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H M M H H M H M H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H M H M H H M H M M H BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H M M M M L M H H EKN CONSISTENCY H H H H M H L M M L M M PKB CONSISTENCY H H M L H M M M H M M H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H M M H H H M H H AFTER 06Z FRIDAY... IFR conditions possible in showers and thunderstorms late Sunday into Monday. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && SYNOPSIS...JSH/SL NEAR TERM...JSH/TRM SHORT TERM...SL LONG TERM...SL AVIATION...TRM
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Charleston WV 1113 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020 KYZ101>103-105-OHZ075-083>087-VAZ003-004-WVZ005>009-013>019-024>029- 033-034-515>522-100315- Greenup-Carter-Boyd-Lawrence KY-Athens-Jackson OH-Vinton-Meigs- Gallia-Lawrence OH-Dickenson-Buchanan-Wayne-Cabell-Mason-Jackson WV- Wood-Lincoln-Putnam-Kanawha-Roane-Wirt-Calhoun-Ritchie-Mingo-Logan- Boone-Clay-Braxton-Gilmer-McDowell-Wyoming-Northwest Raleigh- Southeast Raleigh-Northwest Fayette-Southeast Fayette- Northwest Nicholas-Southeast Nicholas-Northwest Webster- Southeast Webster- 1113 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020 ...TORNADO WATCH 93 IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM EDT THURSDAY... This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northeast Kentucky, portions of southeast Ohio, southwest Virginia and much of West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Please listen to NOAA Weather Radio or go to weather.gov on the Internet for more information about the following hazards. Tornado Watch. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. A much colder airmass will settle in for the end of the week. A frost advisory or freeze warning may eventually be needed for Friday night and early Saturday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions by calling the toll-free spotter hotline, or by other methods detailed at www.weather.gov/rlx/reports. OHZ066-067-076-WVZ010-011-020-030>032-039-040-100315- Perry-Morgan-Washington-Pleasants-Tyler-Doddridge-Lewis-Harrison- Taylor-Upshur-Barbour- 1113 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of east-central Ohio, and portions of the northern lowlands of West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Tonight. General thunderstorms are anticipated overnight with cold frontal passage overnight. Isolated damaging wind gusts are a possibility. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. A much colder airmass will settle in for the end of the week. A frost advisory or freeze warning may eventually be needed for Friday night and early Saturday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions by calling the toll-free spotter hotline, or by other methods detailed at www.weather.gov/rlx/reports. WVZ523>526-100315- Northwest Pocahontas-Southeast Pocahontas-Northwest Randolph- Southeast Randolph- 1113 PM EDT Wed Apr 8 2020 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for Randolph and Pocahontas counties in northeast West Virginia. .DAY ONE...Tonight. General thunderstorms are anticipated overnight with cold frontal passage early Thursday morning. Isolated damaging wind gusts are a possibility. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday. A much colder airmass will settle in for the end of the week. A light coating of snow is expected, even a couple of inches over the highest terrain, overnight Thursday night. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Weather spotters are encouraged to report significant weather conditions by calling the toll-free spotter hotline, or by other methods detailed at www.weather.gov/rlx/reports. TRM
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
617 PM EDT WED APR 8 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 AM TSTM WND DMG 2 WNW ALBANY 39.24N 82.23W
04/08/2020 ATHENS OH DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
ONE BIG TREE DOWN ON FACTORY ROAD NEAR
ALBANY.
&&
JZPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
627 PM EDT WED APR 8 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0440 PM TSTM WND DMG GARY 37.37N 81.54W
04/08/2020 MCDOWELL WV EMERGENCY MNGR
SOME TREES ARE DOWN AND BROKEN WITH POWER
OUTAGES IN THE WELCH, AVONDALE, AND GARY
COMMUNITIES. ONE HOUSE DAMAGED FROM A TREE
FALLING ON IT IN GARY.
&&
ABEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1131 PM EDT WED APR 08 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1127 PM HAIL JACKSON 39.05N 82.63W
04/08/2020 E1.25 INCH JACKSON OH PUBLIC
HAIL BIGGER THAN A QUARTER ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN AND
FREQUENT LIGHTNING, BUT NOT MUCH WIND. SOUND OF
HAILSTONES HITTING CAR DIMINISHED DURING CALL.
&&
EVENT NUMBER RLX2000816
TRMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHARLESTON WV
1143 PM EDT WED APR 08 2020
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1136 PM HAIL 3 SW OAK HILL 38.87N 82.61W
04/08/2020 E1.00 INCH JACKSON OH EMERGENCY MNGR
PEA TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL.
&&
EVENT NUMBER RLX2000817
TRMThe Cincinnati radar (KILN), 108 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:04 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down across a road in the town of South Shore.
A roof was ripped off of a mobile home, out buildings were destroyed, and several trees were blown down due to strong winds associated with a microburst.
A roof of a structure was blown off and numerous trees were blown down near the town of Grayson.
A tree was blown down across a road in the town of Russell.
In the town of Ashland, a residential street was covered in standing water.
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: 880034, 880036, 880037, 880038, 880042.