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 >

Although severe weather was reported in southern Indiana or central Kentucky on six separate days this month, most of the reports were isolated and consisted of minor structural or tree damage. The strongest storms of the month dropped golf ball sized hail: one near Hartford on the 2nd and another in Butler County on the 29th. There were no tornadoes.

Though no record high temperatures were set, there was a remarkable string of very warm nights from the 19th to the 28th. Stubborn high pressure aloft over the southeast United States allowed warm temperatures to remain in place while the main storm track was to our west and north. We had just enough cloudiness and passing storms to prevent daytime readings from setting record highs at the main climate sites (though we occasionally came very close) while keeping us warm enough at night to set record warm lows.

	Average Temperature	Departure from Normal	Precipitation	Departure from Normal
Bowling Green	71.1°	+4.6°	3.07"	-2.54"
Frankfort	68.6°	+4.7°	5.18"	+0.33"
Lexington	69.0°	+4.8°	4.37"	-0.89"
Louisville Bowman	69.1°	+2.7°	4.93"	-0.19"
Louisville International	70.9°	+3.8°	4.61"	-0.66"

Records

19th: Warm low of 71° at Bowling Green, warm low of 69° at Frankfort
22nd: Warm low of 73° at Bowling Green
23rd: Warm low of 71° at Bowling Green, warm low of 70° at Lexington
25th: Warm low of 70° at Frankfort, warm low of 71° at Lexington, warm low of 75° at Louisville
26th: Warm low of 68° at Frankfort
28th: Warm low of 74° at Bowling Green which tied the all-time warm low for the month of May, warm low of 71° at Frankfort, warm low of 75° at Louisville

8th warmest May on record at Frankfort
10th warmest May on record at Lexington

Crescent Hill Reservoir, Louisville, KY, May 19, 2019