A heavy swath of rain, totaling up to 2-3 inches, fell across portions of the Cumberland Valley up towards the Hal Rogers Parkway this morning as widespread showers and thunderstorms moved through. Portions of Pulaski, Clay, Knox, and Laurel Counties experienced flooding and high water issues into the afternoon following the end of the heavier rainfall.
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.
A heavy swath of rain, totaling up to 2-3 inches, fell across portions of the Cumberland Valley up towards the Hal Rogers Parkway this morning as widespread showers and thunderstorms moved through. Portions of Pulaski, Clay, Knox, and Laurel Counties experienced flooding and high water issues into the afternoon following the end of the heavier rainfall.
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 May 5, 3:45 AM EST, 2 hours 35 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION National Weather Service Jackson KY 445 AM EDT Tue May 5 2020 .SHORT TERM...(Today through Wednesday) Issued at 445 AM EDT TUE MAY 5 2020 08z sfc analysis shows a well defined low moving into western Kentucky. This is responsible for the scattered showers and potential thunderstorms currently pushing deeper into the Cumberland Valley this morning. The convection is developing along a warm front that is pressing into the JKL CWA. Temperatures are similar and in the mid 50s across this boundary but dewpoints range from the low 40s northeast, and at elevated locations, to the mid 50s in the southwest where the convection is occurring. The models are in better agreement aloft through the short term portion of the forecast this morning. They have come into much better consensus with the depth and magnitude of a trough (and its energy) crossing through the Ohio Valley today into tonight. This trough brings height falls to Kentucky along with an active series of jets at mid levels. By Wednesday morning, though, the GFS deviates a bit from the others to have a closed low 5h trough about 3 decameters deeper than the ECMWF and NAM. The core of this trough's energy and axis pass through the JKL CWA Wednesday morning with strong cyclonic northwest flow in place through the evening. Given the better agreement have increased confidence in the general aspects of the NBM blended solution for the short term, but also included details from the NAM12 and CAMs for specifics, especially today and tonight. Sensible weather will feature another active weather day with a stark disparity of conditions north to south across the CWA. The sfc low's movement through Kentucky will bisect our forecast area with colder regime in the 50s north and a southern warm sector in the 70s. The low's path is a touch further south on this morning's model runs compared to 24 hours ago. So the net result will be cooler conditions north and a smaller area of warmer temperatures and thus instability in the south. Regardless, the boundary with the low will remain an active focus for shower and storm development with conditions favorable for some organized convection in our far south later this afternoon and into the early evening. For this reason, there is a marginal risk for severe storms in the southeast quarter of the CWA with the slight risk boundary from SPC just on the other side of our border with Tennessee. The latest HRRR runs suggest some swaths of updraft helicity could be produced by any stronger cells that develop later today. Likewise, heavy rain concerns have increased on account of the better moisture available in the column today as PWs climb thanks to a 40 to 50 kt low level jet nosing into the area. Additionally, a couple of pockets of upper level divergence will pass overhead into early Wednesday morning due to the presence of a right entrance region from a departing 3h jet to the east this morning and the left exit one of a southwest jet, coming around the trough, moving though in the evening. Also, specific humidities at 700h will be pushing a positive 2.5 standard deviations this morning per the NAEFS. This bout of active weather does end with a bit of a whimper later this evening, though, as the backside of the sfc low brings chilly rain showers, sprinkles, and drizzle to the area while temperatures fall through the 40s. This cold season return/revenge plays out on Wednesday as temperatures struggle to make it too far into the 50s along with some patches of mainly light showers around. It looks like a winter-style upslope pattern sets up on Wednesday keeping low clouds and cold showers around - especially in the higher terrain of the east. Oh what this winter could have been if we had had these types of systems move through 3 months ago. Mainly just made some point adjustments to temperatures through the period as the gradient is well reflected today and the CAA regime looks reasonable tonight and Wednesday. For the PoPs, did substantially increase them through the period from the NBM considering the ongoing convection inbound and upslope expectations tonight/Wednesday. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Monday) Issued at 340 AM EDT TUE MAY 5 2020 The extended period will feature a variety of weather, from dry conditions Wednesday night and Thursday, to showers and storms Thursday night through Friday night, and colder temperatures and good chances for late night and early morning frost over the upcoming weekend. We should see a few rain showers exiting the area early Wednesday evening, as an area of low pressure moves off to our east. A ridge of high pressure will then bring weather to eastern Kentucky Wednesday night and Friday. Rain showers will move back into the area Thursday evening, as another area of low pressure moves in from the west. The rain will become widespread from very early Friday morning and through out the day on Friday. A few thunderstorms may occur on Friday, as a surface cold front moves through the area. Once the boundary moves to our easter, much cooler air will filter into the area behind it. As skies clear off and winds die down late Friday night and early Saturday, we may see frost formation across eastern Kentucky. The cooler conditions will persist through out the weekend. The better chance for frost will be late Saturday night into early Sunday morning, as skies are expected to be mostly clear and winds nearly calm. The frost could be widespread on Sunday morning. Temperatures in the extended will be cooler than normal on average, with the coolest conditions forecast for Friday and Saturday. Highs on those two days will likely only make it into the 50s. Temperatures during the other days in the extended will be warmer, with daily highs in the 60s, but will still be below normal for this time of year. Lows could drop into the lower 30s both Friday night and Saturday night, and into the mid to upper 30s Wednesday night. The rest of the time we should see lows in the 40s, which are still below normal values. && .AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Tuesday night) ISSUED AT 205 AM EDT TUE MAY 5 2020 Look for additional mid level clouds to spread across the area through the next few hours. Convection (including a chance for thunderstorms) ahead of a warm front and shortwave trough, will then arrive in the southwest during this time, with further deterioration in cigs from southwest to northeast into the MVFR range - and in some cases the IFR range by 12z. With the lower level saturated and a low pressure system tracking across the Commonwealth, MVFR and IFR should prevail through 18z in all locations. Cigs may fall to near or below mins at the TAF sites, at times, especially for JKL and SJS. Locations nearer to Tennessee should get into the warm sector and a period of VFR may be realized for a couple of hours between 18 and 00z. Variable winds at generally 10 kts or less are expected through 12z, with winds in the south veering from southeast to west between 12 and 00z increasing to between 10 and 15 kts. To the north, variable winds at 10 kts or less should prevail between 12 and 00z. Look for most places to see little improvement in cigs after 00z as the winds switch more to the northwest and settle a bit. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NONE. && SHORT TERM...GREIF LONG TERM...AR AVIATION...JP/GREIF
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Jackson KY 355 AM EDT Tue May 5 2020 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-061100- 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 355 AM EDT Tue May 5 2020 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern Kentucky. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms can be expected today, mainly along and south of the Mountain Parkway. A few of these storms could become strong nearer to the Tennessee and Virginia border this afternoon. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. There is a threat for a few thunderstorms on Friday. Patchy frost will be possible early Saturday morning and also that night into Sunday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated. GREIF/AR
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service JACKSON KY 614 AM EDT Tue May 5 2020 KYZ080-086-116-117-051115- Clay-Knox-Laurel-Leslie- 614 AM EDT Tue May 5 2020 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHEASTERN LAUREL... NORTHEASTERN KNOX...SOUTHWESTERN LESLIE AND CLAY COUNTIES... At 614 AM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located over London, moving east at 40 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph and pea size hail are possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... London, Manchester, Grace, Fariston, Pittsburg, Brightshade, Lake, Cane Creek, Goose Rock, Bush, Thousandsticks, Jonsee, Herron, Hooker, Ice Cliff, Byron, Park Valley, Cottongin, Warbranch and East Bernstadt. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. LAT...LON 3704 8417 3722 8414 3720 8340 3693 8343 TIME...MOT...LOC 1014Z 276DEG 34KT 3713 8406 GREIF
The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 115 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:22 UTC.
6 flash flood, 5 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Dispatch relayed a report of water over Barnesburg Road northwest of Shopville.
A citizen observed water over Old Stilesville Road, making it impassable, near the intersection with Kentucky Highway 452 northwest of Bobtown.
A trained spotter observed water covering a bridge and depositing debris on area roads near Ringgold northwest of Somerset.
A citizen reported small stream flooding on Payne Trail east of London.
A CoCoRaHS observer reported water flowing over Matt Baker Road in Tuttle, subsequently causing the road to be impassable.
A citizen observed water flowing over Master Street in Corbin, along with local streams overspilling their banks.
Dispatch reported water flowing over Morning Glory Road, making it impassable. This was near Kentucky Highway 80 near Hima.
Dispatch reported water flowing over House Branch Road near Kentucky Highway 80 outside of Pigeonroost.
Dispatch relayed a report of flowing water over Reynolds Road near Horse Creek.
A trained spotter observed water from Short Creek flowing over a local roadway southeast of Shopville.
A citizen observed water outside of a local stream off of Dow Adkins Lane north of Corbin.
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, May 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: 880266, 880264, 880263, 880240, 880246, 880257, 880249, 880252, 880255, 880261, 880237.