Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developed this afternoon and evening across much of eastern Kentucky. One of these initially became strong enough to produce a localized downburst near Bowen, while a storm also briefly became strong enough to knock some small trees and limbs down in Perry County.
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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 JKL wrote it up.
Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developed this afternoon and evening across much of eastern Kentucky. One of these initially became strong enough to produce a localized downburst near Bowen, while a storm also briefly became strong enough to knock some small trees and limbs down in Perry 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 Jun 4, 11:25 AM EST, 2 hours 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Jackson KY 1225 PM EDT Thu Jun 4 2020 .UPDATE... Issued at 1225 PM EDT THU JUN 4 2020 Precip develop an hour or two faster than was expected in our southern counties, and the forecast was updated for this. Sky cover through this evening has also been updated based on obs and 12Z model runs. UPDATE Issued at 700 AM EDT THU JUN 4 2020 Just a quick update to the grids with this update to fine tune the sky cover, T, and Td grids per the latest obs and trends. These updates have been sent to the NDFD and web servers. && .SHORT TERM...(Today through Friday) Issued at 430 AM EDT THU JUN 4 2020 08z sfc analysis shows eastern Kentucky in the midst of general low pressure. However, the main boundary associated with this is well to the north of Kentucky where it has been spawning batches of thunderstorms. These storms, in turn, have sent high clouds drifting and thinning into eastern Kentucky this night. In the mostly clear skies prior to the clouds arriving temperatures fell faster in the valleys and have since opened up a near 10 degree ridge to valley temperature spread. Dewpoints, meanwhile, are mainly in the mid 60s as the winds are light and variable in this weak pressure pattern. The arrival of the clouds, and general mild temperatures, should again keep the fog from becoming too thick in the valleys through sunrise. The models seem to be getting into better agreement aloft, with these latest runs, through the short term portion of the forecast. They all depict a gradually strengthening trough over the Ohio Valley today and tonight as mid level energy does a bit better pushing south into our area than we saw on Wednesday. These lower heights and more activity aloft will stay in place for eastern Kentucky through Friday evening. Given the narrowing model spread have again favored the blended model guidance from the NBM with a strong lean on the CAMs and NAM12 details for PoP and QPF this afternoon through Friday. Sensible weather will feature warm and humid conditions to end the work week with instability likely able to kick off showers and thunderstorms across the area by afternoon. These storms will mainly go up based on differential heating and then later downstream outflow boundaries as the main sfc features stay to the north of the CWA. given the instability, and higher than normal PW air, some of storms could become strong with heavy rains and strong gusty winds the main threat. These concerns have been highlighted in this morning's HWO. The convective activity will fade out with the loss of instability later this evening. As the clouds scattered out do anticipate a small ridge to valley temperature difference to set up along with the potential for valley fog - in locations that see rain. Friday will be similar to today with showers and thunderstorms again expected to develop with pretty good coverage by late afternoon - perhaps favoring the southeast parts of the CWA more so than those of today. Used the NBM as the starting point for the grids with only minor temperature adjustments for terrain early this morning and tonight. As for PoPs, after taking them down for today last night have raised them more toward the NAM12 solution this afternoon and also nudged them down on Friday - bringing both days more in line with the WPC QPF, as well. .LONG TERM...(Friday night through Wednesday) Issued at 336 AM EDT THU JUN 4 2020 Shower and storm coverage will gradually decrease again into Friday night. A shortwave trough crossing the great lakes will send a cold front south across the area on Saturday. Some shower and storm development is anticipated along and ahead of the boundary on Saturday, but the chances should end from north to south during the day as the front moves south. The front should be exiting by 00z Sunday with high pressure building in from the north. This high pressure will provide dry weather from Saturday night through Tuesday. While a brief shot of cooler weather will be seen for Sunday, temperatures will rebound quickly on Monday as the surface ridge axis shifts to the east. This will send 850mb temperatures up to around 20C, setting up several very warm days with highs near 90 on Monday and Tuesday. Tropical Storm Cristobal will move up into the region by the middle of next week. The main center of the storm looks to stay to the west of our area. However, as the system pushes north, it will send a boundary east across the coal fields by Wednesday, providing a good chance for showers. Its rather uncertain if instability will be present with the boundary moving through, so opted to leave thunder out of the forecast for now. The boundary looks to be fairly progressive, so its possible dry weather will return by Thursday. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Friday morning) ISSUED AT 720 AM EDT THU JUN 4 2020 VFR conditions will generally be the rule through at least the morning. Chances of convection will increase across the area into Thursday afternoon so have included VCTS at all TAF sites - though the timing and placement of any storm is too uncertain for more details at this time. Winds will average less than 5 kts through the morning, before increasing to between 5 and 8 kts by the afternoon - generally out of the southwest. The thunder chances fall after sunset and winds also drop off to light with any fog likely confined to the valleys and away from any terminal. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && UPDATE...HAL SHORT TERM...GREIF LONG TERM...KAS AVIATION...GREIF
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Jackson KY 345 AM EDT Thu Jun 4 2020 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-051045- 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 345 AM EDT Thu Jun 4 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern Kentucky. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Thunderstorms are possible today and tonight. Some of the storms this afternoon and evening could become strong producing heavy rains and gusty winds. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday. Thunderstorms are possible at times from Friday through Saturday evening. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. GREIF/KAS
The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 49 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:34 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A citizen and local media outlet relayed a report of a few trees downed at Callies Lake and Campground near Bowen. A structure was damaged by one of these trees.
A trained spotter reported a small tree and limbs blown down along Right Branch Spencer Road near Chavies, as well as another small tree knocked down in Krypton.
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, June 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: 884491, 884493.