Drought in Kentucky, April 9 to 30, 2026

Name: Drought in Kentucky, April 9 to 30, 2026
Start: 2026-04-09T06:00
End: 2026-04-30T23:59
Location: Kentucky

April 9 to 30, 2026 · NWS PAH · 14 events in 14 counties and zones

32 below normal, leaving much of west Kentucky in Moderate (D1) Drought at the very end of March. This included the northern Jackson Purchase area, the Lakes region, and the Pennyrile.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 14 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 14

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS PAH wrote it up.

The west Kentucky climate division experienced their driest Nov-Mar on record with only 9.61, which was 11.32 below normal, leaving much of west Kentucky in Moderate (D1) Drought at the very end of March. This included the northern Jackson Purchase area, the Lakes region, and the Pennyrile. A very warm April, with temperatures running 7-8 degrees F above normal, along with April precipitation 1-2in. below normal, and especially a soil moisture ranking near the 1st percentile, resulted in intensification of drought through April. At the end of April, most of west Kentucky was in Severe (D2) to Extreme (D3) Drought with drought continuing into May. Agricultural impacts primarily took the form of earlier than normal planting and very low farm pond levels. Subsoil and topsoil conditions remained quite poor.

What forecasters said that day

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 9, 12:17 AM CST, 5 hours 43 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Above normal temperatures into early next week.
Chances for showers and storms (30-50%) are in the forecast for Friday mainly areas north and west of the Ohio River.
Unsettled weather pattern early next week with chances of storms (30-50%) both Monday and Tuesday.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 9, 12:17 AM CST, 5 hours 43 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Paducah KY
117 AM CDT Thu Apr 9 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Above normal temperatures into early next week.

- Chances for showers and storms (30-50%) are in the forecast
  for Friday mainly areas north and west of the Ohio River.

- Unsettled weather pattern early next week with chances of
  storms (30-50%) both Monday and Tuesday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 113 AM CDT Thu Apr 9 2026

The Quad State starts out under zonal flow while troughing
lifts across the Great Lakes through Friday. Surface ridging
extends from the western Atlantic into the southeast US. A front
that extends from Ontario south into the Ohio Valley will
eventually gets pushed south into the area Friday then slows
down and lifts back north on Sunday. Temperatures in the 70s
today will warm into the 80s Friday and through the weekend with
southerly flow and upper level ridging.

Showers and storms will be focused along the front Friday
afternoon and evening. The highest chances for precipitation
continues to be focused north and west of the Ohio River. The
LREF continues to paint an area from roughly EVV to MDH and
points north with 30-50% chances of greater than 0.1" of
precipitation. The NBM is similar if not a bit further south
with this line. Rainfall amounts of one to two tenths of an inch
will be possible. Severe weather is not expected. Precipitation
chances linger on Saturday with the boundary.

Late weekend features a strong upper level ridge developing
overhead with troughing across the West. This keeps us dry and
warmer with highs on Sunday in the low to mid 80s. We will
remain in this warmer pattern into next week with the upper
trough out west making its way across the Rockies by Tuesday.
Unsettled weather looks likely Monday into Tuesday as several
perturbations move through increasing southwest flow aloft.

&&

.AVIATION /06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z FRIDAY/...
Issued at 1027 PM CDT Wed Apr 8 2026

VFR conditions prevail across all terminals with FEW-SCT high
level clouds. South to southwest winds between 10-18 kts, gusts
20-25 kts are expected on Thursday.

&&

.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
IL...None.
MO...None.
IN...None.
KY...None.

&&

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 9, 5:29 AM CST, 31 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Paducah KY
629 AM CDT Thu Apr 9 2026

ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087-
100-107>112-114-101130-
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-
629 AM CDT Thu Apr 9 2026 /729 AM EDT Thu Apr 9 2026/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southern
Illinois, southwest Indiana, western Kentucky, and southeast
Missouri.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday

A small chance of thunderstorms returns to the forecast Friday,
mainly for areas north and west of the Ohio River. Chances for
thunderstorms return again on Sunday night into Monday and Monday
night through Tuesday.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

14 drought. Local standard time, as filed.

Drought, Carlisle

When: April 9, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Carlisle forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.853, -88.971 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, McCracken

When: April 9, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: McCracken forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 37.054, -88.713 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Marshall

When: April 9, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Marshall forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.884, -88.329 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Livingston

When: April 9, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Livingston forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 37.210, -88.354 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Lyon

When: April 9, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Lyon forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 37.019, -88.083 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Caldwell

When: April 9, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Caldwell forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 37.145, -87.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Trigg

When: April 9, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Trigg forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.806, -87.873 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Hopkins

When: April 9, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Hopkins forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 37.309, -87.541 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Christian

When: April 9, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Christian forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.894, -87.490 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Muhlenberg

When: April 9, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Muhlenberg forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 37.216, -87.142 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Todd

When: April 9, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Todd forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 36.836, -87.179 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Ballard

When: April 14, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Ballard forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 37.058, -88.999 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, Crittenden

When: April 14, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: Crittenden forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 37.353, -88.097 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Drought, McLean

When: April 14, 6:00 AM CST to April 30, 11:59 PM CST
Where: McLean forecast zone
Reported by: Drought Monitor
Coordinates: 37.529, -87.264 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Drought: A drought reaching severe (D2) or worse on the US Drought Monitor, or with notable impacts.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Kentucky in 2026 Every state in 2026 This day in weather history Warnings in Kentucky, April 2026

Sources

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: 1331117, 1331118, 1331119, 1331120, 1331121, 1331122, 1331123, 1331124, 1331125, 1331126, 1331127, 1331114, 1331115, 1331116.