A severe thunderstorm moved east across the Ohio River from the Shawnee National Forest of southern Illinois during the late afternoon. This storm produced pockets of damaging wind across Livingston 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 PAH wrote it up.
A severe thunderstorm moved east across the Ohio River from the Shawnee National Forest of southern Illinois during the late afternoon. This storm produced pockets of damaging wind across Livingston County. Dime to nickel-size hail accompanied this storm and a few other weaker storms that formed along its outflow boundary. The storms occurred in the southerly wind flow ahead of a cold front that trailed southward from a low pressure system over the western Great Lakes. They quickly weakened as they moved east across western Kentucky into weaker instability.
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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 15, 1:40 PM CST, 49 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Paducah KY 240 PM CDT Sat Apr 15 2023 .SHORT TERM...(Tonight through Sunday night) Issued at 240 PM CDT Sat Apr 15 2023 Thunderstorm potential remains the main concern through tonight. A cluster of elevated thunderstorms developed over south central Missouri this morning, associated with strong theta-e advection in the 925 to 850 mb layer. This cluster has persisted into the mid afternoon hours as it crosses the Mississippi River. The storms are likely becoming surface based as the intensity has ticked up and convective inhibition has been eliminated in the latest spc mesoanalysis. These storms will continue moving northeast through late this afternoon into an area of weaker instability and marginal shear. The more organized severe weather potential is to our west, where a Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for southwest Missouri. Isolated severe storms over southwest Missouri as of 19z are forecast to increase in coverage and intensity as diurnal heating raises mixed layer capes to between 2000 and 3000 j/kg. The storms are developing near a cold front, which will track eastward across our region tonight. Based on 12z href data, the storms over sw Missouri are likely to grow upscale into broken lines or clusters as they reach the Current River area of southeast Missouri around 22z-00z. Large hail potential will exist given mid-level lapse rates approaching 8 C/km. Shear is not particularly strong compared to other events over the past couple months, however it is sufficient for organized severe storms. The latest rap model run indicates 0 to 6 km shear around 35 kt as the storms move through, with the higher values generally lagging behind the storms tonight. The 12z href does indicate an increase in low level winds tonight, up to around 35 kt at 850 mb this evening across the region. The strengthening low level flow could be sufficient for an isolated tornado or two. 12z href data shows 0 to 1 km helicity peaking early this evening between 100 and 200 this evening near the Mississippi River. As the cold front moves east tonight, the storms will progress eastward into a more hostile environment over sw Indiana and the Pennyrile region of west Kentucky. The severe weather potential will wane after 03z (10 pm), when instability is forecast to diminish substantially with loss of daytime heating. Gusty west winds and much cooler temps will be the main story on Sunday. Steep low-level lapse rates and lingering moisture will promote widespread low clouds on Sunday. There may even be some instabilty sprinkles or showers in southwest Indiana and adjacent areas. Highs will be in the 50s, except reaching the lower 60s where skies clear out in the downslope areas of the Ozark foothills. A gradual clearing trend will occur from southwest to northeast on Sunday night. Winds will remain at least 10 mph overnight, which will inhibit radiational cooling to prevent frost potential. Lows will be in the lower 40s. .LONG TERM...(Monday through Saturday) Issued at 240 PM CDT Sat Apr 15 2023 The long term portion of the forecast period will begin with the region under broad cyclonic flow at the mid-levels, with a longwave trough positioned across across the northern Great Lakes. Strong west-northwest surface flow with gusts of 30-35 mph will advect a very dry airmass into the region on Monday. Combined with high temperatures in the 60s to lower 70s, minumum RH values will be 20 to 25% across the forecast area. With short fuels remaining fairly dry, elevated fire weather conditions will be a concern. Will include a mention of elevated fire weather conditions in the HWO for Monday. Tuesday into Wednesday will see the region come under the influence of mainly zonal mid-level flow. This will bring a warming trend in temperatures along with increasing dew point temperatures as southerly flow surface increases. High temperatures on Tuesday will reach the lower to middle 70s...followed by values in the middle to upper 70s on Wednesday. A passing ripple in the zonal flow may kick off a few light showers Wednesday afternoon, but most locations will remain dry. Our next widespread rainmaker will arrive Thursday into Friday in the form of an approaching cold front. This front will be associate with yet another dynamic surface low that will develop on the lee side of the Rockies, then move northeast into the Great Lakes region. High temperatures will reach the upper 70s to lower 80s Thursday. Dew point temperatures will creep into the upper 50s to lower 60s across southeast MO Thursday afternoon. Combined with the dynamic front, this could be enough to support strong to severe thunderstorm develop Thursday afternoon into Thursday night. SPC has this are outlooked under a slight risk in its Day 6 Outlook. The PoPs will continue into Friday as the front progresses through the region. As it typical with the NBM, it keeps the mentionable PoPs lingering through much of the day Friday due to timing differences. Suspect that we'll be able to tighten up the ending time of the rain as the event approaches. High temperatures Friday will range from the middle 60s to around 70 degrees. && .AVIATION... Issued at 1215 PM CDT Sat Apr 15 2023 A round of thunderstorms is possible this afternoon, associated with warmer and more moist air moving into the region. These storms were over se Missouri at 17z, progressing east-northeast. These storms will be accompanied by locally heavy rain and brief mvfr to ifr vsbys. The storms may not reach sw Indiana and nw Kentucky, so the kevv/kowb tafs will be dry this afternoon. Otherwise, expect gusty south winds up to 20kt this afternoon with vfr conditions. A cold front will move east across the region tonight, preceded by a potentially stronger round of thunderstorms. A short period of ifr conditions will be included in the kpah/kcgi/kmvn tafs between 00z and 06z. These storms will likely contain gusty winds. The storms should weaken by the time they reach sw Indiana and nw Kentucky. The tafs will contain some mvfr conditions there. Following the frontal passage, winds will become gusty from the west. Widespread mvfr cigs will arrive behind the front and continue through the morning Sunday. && .PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... IL...None. MO...None. IN...None. KY...None. && SHORT TERM...MY LONG TERM...DWS AVIATION...MY
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Paducah KY 311 PM CDT Sat Apr 15 2023 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-162015- Jefferson-Wayne IL-Edwards-Wabash-Perry IL-Franklin-Hamilton- White-Jackson-Williamson-Saline-Gallatin-Union-Johnson-Pope- Hardin-Alexander-Pulaski-Massac-Gibson-Pike-Posey-Vanderburgh- Warrick-Spencer-Fulton-Hickman-Carlisle-Ballard-McCracken-Graves- Livingston-Marshall-Calloway-Crittenden-Lyon-Trigg-Caldwell- Union KY-Webster-Hopkins-Christian-Henderson-Daviess-McLean- Muhlenberg-Todd-Perry MO-Bollinger-Cape Girardeau-Wayne MO-Carter- Ripley-Butler-Stoddard-Scott-Mississippi-New Madrid- 311 PM CDT Sat Apr 15 2023 /411 PM EDT Sat Apr 15 2023/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Isolated severe thunderstorms late this afternoon will cross portions of west Kentucky and extreme southern Illinois. The main hazards will be large hail and strong winds. A potentially more organized area of severe thunderstorms will move east into southeast Missouri, southwest Illinois, and far west Kentucky early this evening. These storms could produce large hail and pockets of damaging winds. An isolated tornado or two cannot be ruled out. The storms are forecast to weaken later tonight as they move east across southwest Indiana and the Pennyrile region of western Kentucky. Locally strong gusty winds will then become the main hazard. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Elevated fire weather conditions are expected Monday. Thunderstorms return to the forecast Thursday afternoon into Thursday night. Some storms may be strong to severe across southeast Missouri. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be requested this evening. MY/DWS
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
228 PM CDT SAT APR 15 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0224 PM HAIL OLMSTED 37.18N 89.08W
04/15/2023 E0.70 INCH PULASKI IL PUBLIC
PEZ TO DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN OLMSTED.
&&
DWSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
240 PM CDT SAT APR 15 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0240 PM HAIL OLMSTED 37.18N 89.08W
04/15/2023 E1.00 INCH PULASKI IL PUBLIC
&&
DWSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
253 PM CDT SAT APR 15 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0247 PM TSTM WND GST LA CENTER 37.07N 88.97W
04/15/2023 E50 MPH BALLARD KY PUBLIC
DIME SIZE HAIL ALSO OCCURRING.
&&
DWSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
310 PM CDT SAT APR 15 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0300 PM HAIL ROUND KNOB 37.25N 88.74W
04/15/2023 E0.88 INCH MASSAC IL TRAINED SPOTTER
DIME TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL DUSTED THE GROUND.
ALSO WIND GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH.
&&
DWSPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
321 PM CDT SAT APR 15 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0240 PM TSTM WND DMG OLMSTED 37.18N 89.08W
04/15/2023 PULASKI IL TRAINED SPOTTER
SEVERAL TREE LIMBS DOWN AROUND THE TOWN OF
OLMSTED.
0302 PM HAIL NEW COLUMBIA 37.31N 88.77W
04/15/2023 E1.00 INCH MASSAC IL TRAINED SPOTTER
TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
0307 PM HAIL 4 ESE GRAHAMVILLE 37.09N 88.71W
04/15/2023 M0.25 INCH MCCRACKEN KY NWS STORM SURVEY
STARTED AT 307 PM SMF LASTED INTERMITTENTLY
FOR 5 MINUTES. REPORT FROM RETIRED NWS
EMPLOYEE.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
326 PM CDT SAT APR 15 2023
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0308 PM HAIL METROPOLIS 37.15N 88.71W
04/15/2023 M0.70 INCH MASSAC IL TRAINED SPOTTER
0315 PM HAIL BROOKPORT 37.13N 88.63W
04/15/2023 M0.70 INCH MASSAC IL TRAINED SPOTTER
&&The Paducah radar (KPAH), 34 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:26 UTC.
3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm outflow winds were estimated to be gusting to 60 mph. The winds were out ahead of the leading edge of rain.
In the Salem area on Highway 133, a 40-foot camper was thrown about 15 feet. Numerous large trees and power lines were down. An air conditioning unit was moved off the concrete pad.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, April 2023
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: 1086630, 1086627, 1086628, 1086631, 1086629.