During the early morning hours of April 28th, a stalled cold front served up a quick burst of strong thunderstorms around northeast Kentucky. One of these stronger storms were noted to have passed over Olive Hill in Carter County, where a few trees and power lines were blown down along one of the local roadways.
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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 RLX wrote it up.
During the early morning hours of April 28th, a stalled cold front served up a quick burst of strong thunderstorms around northeast Kentucky. One of these stronger storms were noted to have passed over Olive Hill in Carter County, where a few trees and power lines were blown down along one of the local roadways. Activity quickly moved east of the state border for the rest of the morning timeframe.
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 27, 11:37 PM EST, 2 hours 18 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Charleston WV 1237 AM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... 932 PM Update... Precipitation is moving into southeast Ohio and northeast Kentucky earlier than previously expected. Have freshened up PoP grids to reflect this earlier timing. && .KEY MESSAGES... 1.) An cold front brings showers and thunderstorms this morning. 2.) A low pressure system brings beneficial rainfall Tuesday night into Wednesday, along with the potential for strong thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon. 3.) Much cooler weather for the end of the work week into the weekend, with widespread frost/freeze possible. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1... Showers and thunderstorms in advance of a cold front have already arrived in northeastern Kentucky and portions of southeastern Ohio and western West Virginia. The showers and thunderstorms will continue to move eastward through the area this morning. Much of the area will receive a beneficial wetting rain. A low level wind jet will allow for some 30 to 40 mph gusts early this morning over the higher terrain and gust west of the mountains. KEY MESSAGE 2... A wave of low pressure riding along a stalled frontal boundary will bring much needed rain to the area Tuesday night and Wednesday. Over half an inch of rain is expected throughout much of the area. Low end probabilities are saying at least a widespread tenth or two, with high end probabilities of over an inch. Confidence remains low on how much heating can occur behind the rain for Wednesday afternoon. If enough heating and destabilization occurs, some dry air in the mid levels could provide some damaging winds in stronger thunderstorms. KEY MESSAGE 3... Models agree that much colder air will work into the region for the end of the work week and into the weekend. This will lead to the potential of frost/freeze conditions for much of the region, possibly for several nights. At the current time, it appears that Saturday night could be the coldest. && .AVIATION /06Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... A band of showers and thunderstorms will move across the area this morning providing restrictions. A strong low level jet can be expected. A cold front will stall over northern West Virginia and southeastern Ohio today. Conditions are expected to improve to VFR on today south of the front, although there is a chance of some afternoon showers and thunderstorms. This evening is highly uncertain. If clouds remain, VFR conditions could remain. If clouds clear however, areas of dense fog could form. FORECAST CONFIDENCE AND ALTERNATE SCENARIOS THROUGH 06Z WEDNESDAY... FORECAST CONFIDENCE: Medium. ALTERNATE SCENARIOS: Timing/intensity of restrictions in showers and thunderstorms could vary. Fog may or may not form this evening. 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 TUE 04/28/26 UTC 1HRLY 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 EDT 1HRLY 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 CRW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H HTS CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H M H H BKW CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H M H H EKN CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H H H PKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H M H H CKB CONSISTENCY H H H H H H H H H H M H AFTER 06Z WEDNESDAY... IFR conditions are possible in showers and thunderstorms late Tuesday night into Wednesday. && .RLX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WV...None. OH...None. KY...None. VA...None. && DISCUSSION...RPY AVIATION...RPY
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
1138 PM EDT Mon Apr 27 2026
KYZ105-WVZ005-013-280400-
Lawrence KY-Lincoln WV-Wayne WV-
1138 PM EDT Mon Apr 27 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT EAST CENTRAL LAWRENCE...WEST
CENTRAL LINCOLN AND CENTRAL WAYNE COUNTIES THROUGH MIDNIGHT EDT...
At 1137 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Dunlow, or near Louisa, moving east at 45 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Louisa, Fort Gay, Kiahsville, Dunlow, East Lynn Lake, East Lynn,
Genoa, Clifford, and Glenhayes.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead
to reduced visibility.
&&
LAT...LON 3823 8229 3823 8227 3805 8222 3799 8256
3811 8260
TIME...MOT...LOC 0337Z 253DEG 38KT 3807 8250
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
01Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
1223 AM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026
WVZ005-024-280445-
Mingo WV-Wayne WV-
1223 AM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN MINGO AND SOUTH
CENTRAL WAYNE COUNTIES THROUGH 1245 AM EDT...
At 1223 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Inez, moving east at 35 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Wilsondale and Crum.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3796 8247 3797 8248 3801 8233 3782 8230
3780 8238 3782 8238 3781 8240 3783 8240
3786 8242 3787 8241 3790 8244 3791 8247
3790 8247 3792 8249 3792 8248 3794 8250
TIME...MOT...LOC 0423Z 253DEG 31KT 3787 8251
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
01Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Charleston WV
147 AM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026
VAZ003-004-280600-
Dickenson VA-Buchanan VA-
147 AM EDT Tue Apr 28 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN DICKENSON AND
CENTRAL BUCHANAN COUNTIES THROUGH 200 AM EDT...
At 147 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Haysi, moving east at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Grundy, Haysi, Stacy, Vansant, and Roseann.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3715 8228 3723 8232 3740 8197 3719 8191
TIME...MOT...LOC 0547Z 252DEG 43KT 3722 8220
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
01The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:54 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A few trees and power lines were blown down next to Olive Hill on State Route 174.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Kentucky, April 2026
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: 1331455.