A cold front sagged through the Quad State from north to south later in the day on the 19th. A jagged line of thunderstorms developed during the afternoon across Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, progressing southward and crossing Western Kentucky late afternoon.
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 PAH wrote it up.
A cold front sagged through the Quad State from north to south later in the day on the 19th. A jagged line of thunderstorms developed during the afternoon across Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, progressing southward and crossing Western Kentucky late afternoon. MLCAPE maxed out early afternoon around 3000-3500J/kg with DCAPE of 1200J/kg. Effective shear was limited, below 30kts. The lone damage report in Western Kentucky was downburst winds blowing down multiple trees in West Viola.
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 Aug 19, 1:10 PM CST, 2 hours 35 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Paducah KY
210 PM CDT Tue Aug 19 2025
.KEY MESSAGES...
- Heat Advisory continues this afternoon with heat indices over
100.
- Showers and storms possible this afternoon and evening with
the possibility of heavy downpours and downbursts.
- Near normal temps and drier weather Wednesday through the
weekend, then slightly below normal temps to start off next
week.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 209 PM CDT Tue Aug 19 2025
A Heat Advisory is still in effect this afternoon for continued heat
indices of 100-115. Upper level ridging is breaking down this
afternoon with the passage of a shortwave aloft. This will bring a
cold front through the area this afternoon and evening from north to
south. There is a Marginal Excessive Rainfall Outlook for this
afternoon with PWATs of 1.7 to 1.9. This means there could be heavy
downpours at times within these storms. SPC has us in a Marginal
Risk for severe weather today for downburst potential. Current
mesoanalysis supports 3,500 to 4,500 J/kg of SBCAPE across the area,
with little to no bulk shear, and low level lapse rates of around
8.5 degC/km along with the presence of inverted V soundings. This
all suggests the potential for strong winds via downbursts of
collapsing pulse storms.
Behind the front expect near normal temperatures through Sunday and
drier conditions. Highs will be in the mid 80s to lower 90s through
Sunday. Another cold front comes through late Saturday night into
Sunday and brings even cooler temperatures to start off the week.
Highs will be in the upper 70 to lower 80s with overnight lows in
the 50s!
&&
.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z WEDNESDAY/...
Issued at 1213 PM CDT Tue Aug 19 2025
Still waiting on the afternoon cu field to develop at around 5k
ft. Later this afternoon/evening and into the early overnight
spotty storms are expected to start popping up across portions
of the area. These storms may affect the terminals at times with
gusty winds and low vsby due to heavy rain. The cloud deck from
these storms may be MVFR for several hours. Winds will continue
to be light and variable today and overnight, and then will
turn to the north overnight.
&&
.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IL...Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for ILZ075>078-
080>094.
MO...Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114.
IN...Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT /8 PM EDT/ this evening for
INZ081-082-085>088.
KY...Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for KYZ001>022.
&&
DISCUSSION...HICKFORD
AVIATION...HICKFORDHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Paducah KY 223 PM CDT Tue Aug 19 2025 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-201200- 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- 223 PM CDT Tue Aug 19 2025 /323 PM EDT Tue Aug 19 2025/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southern Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast Missouri. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Heat index values as high as 115 is forecast across the entire region this afternoon. Scattered thunderstorms are forecast in the afternoon. Gusty winds, locally heavy rain, and cloud to ground lightning can be expected with any storms. A few storms may become severe with locally damaging wind gusts. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday A few thunderstorms may linger into Wednesday; however, severe weather is not anticipated. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters are encouraged to report any damaging winds or flooding this afternoon and evening.
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
207 PM CDT Tue Aug 19 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0205 PM Tstm Wnd Gst 1 ESE Cape Girardeau 37.30N 89.53W
08/19/2025 E60 MPH Cape Girardeau MO Trained Spotter
Two reports of estimated gusts to around 60
mph in Cape Girardeau.
&&
JGGPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
236 PM CDT Tue Aug 19 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0231 PM Hail Van Buren 37.01N 91.01W
08/19/2025 M1.00 Inch Carter MO Emergency Mngr
50-55 mph wind gusts also reported.
&&
RSTPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
238 PM CDT Tue Aug 19 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0200 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 5 N Cape Girardeau 37.38N 89.56W
08/19/2025 Cape Girardeau MO Fire Dept/Rescue
Large amount of corn blown over due to
strong winds near intersection of CR 638 and
618.
&&
SPPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
306 PM CDT Tue Aug 19 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0245 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 SSW Poplar Bluff 36.75N 90.41W
08/19/2025 Butler MO Emergency Mngr
Garage door blown in near Home Depot.
&&
SPPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
411 PM CDT Tue Aug 19 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0320 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 4 WSW Poplar Bluff 36.74N 90.47W
08/19/2025 Butler MO Emergency Mngr
Fences down, playsets damaged, and shingle
damage on homes at Township Line Rd/CR-467.
&&
ATLPreliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Paducah KY
415 PM CDT Tue Aug 19 2025
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0200 PM Tstm Wnd Dmg 1 N Gordonville 37.33N 89.67W
08/19/2025 Cape Girardeau MO Public
Wind blew down a large portion of a tree.
&&
ATLThe Paducah radar (KPAH), 25 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:47 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds from a downburst caused tree damage along KY-1241 including a tree falling onto a house near KY-408/KY-1241 and a tree falling onto the roadway at KY-1241/Beasley Loop.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, August 2025
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: 1289978.