National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Severe Thunderstorm Threat From the Central Plains to the Northeast; Extreme HeatRisk for the East Coast

Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible from the central Plains to the Northeast through this evening. Widespread damaging winds are the primary threat but hail and a tornado or two is also possible. Extremely dangerous heat continues across the Eastern U.S. Warm overnight low temperatures will provide little to no relief. Read More >

July was a typically stormy month with severe weather reported on nine different days, including all but one day from the 5th to the 12th. The great majority of the damage was to trees, with some isolated minor structural damage. On the 8th a downburst hit the east side of Louisville, bringing down a few trees and large branches in the Goose Creek area. A few days later on the 11th a large bow echo swept south from northeast Illinois through central and southern Indiana into central Kentucky, blowing down trees as it went. Tree damage was widespread in Harrison County, Indiana, winds at Clark County Regional Airport near Sellersburg were measured at 59 mph, and a billboard was blown into the middle of the street near the intersection of Lexington Road and Grinstead Drive in Louisville.

On the 30th-31st torrential rains fell near an east-west front stretched along the length of Kentucky. 48-hour rainfall totals were mostly in the 2-4 inch range, with a few spots topping five inches along and just north of the Ohio River. Thanks to preceding dry conditions and plenty of vegetation, there was little if any flooding outside urban Louisville.

 

  Average Temperature Departure from Normal Rain Departure from Normal
Bowling Green 81.6° +2.9° 5.60" +1.50"
Frankfort 79.7° +3.4° 3.43" -0.96"
Lexington 78.2° +2.0° 4.08" -0.57"
Louisville Ali 82.2° +2.9° 5.03" +0.80"
Louisville Bowman 80.7° +2.9° 6.75" +2.58"

 

Records

16th: Warm low of 74° at Frankfort
20th: Warm low of 74° at Frankfort

7th warmest July on record at Louisville

 

 

Towering cumulus development and decay as seen from Shepherdsville on the 23rd. Courtesy Tyler Voelker