Two historic severe weather events impacted region in May
Two historic severe weather events impacted the region in May.
The National Weather Service office in Paducah shared a climate review for May on its website.
The weather service also reported that temperatures were above normal in May in the Southern Illinois, Southeast Missouri and Western Kentucky region, as well as part of southwest Indiana. Precipitation was variable.
Severe Weather Events
The first of the two severe weather events happened May 8, when several rounds of storms occurred throughout a nearly 24-hour period beginning late evening on May 7.
The most widespread damage occurred during the afternoon and evening of May 8, as multiple bowing segments and several supercells occurred.
Nine tornadoes touched down. Training storms resulted in flash flooding, with rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches in many areas, locally up to 5 to 6 inches.
This event resulted in the Paducah office issuing 117 severe weather warnings, which shattered the old record of 71.
The second severe weather event occurred on May 26.
Multiple rounds of severe thunderstorms occurred, the first being a bowing line crossing Southeast Missouri into Western Kentucky and far Southern Illinois from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m., producing a wide swath of wind damage and several tornadoes.
Supercells formed near sunset producing several more tornadoes while a line of storms moved across the region from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. bringing a second round of widespread wind.
At least 100,000 people were without power across the region at the peak of this event.
Flash flooding occurred with the morning and evening rounds of storms.
At the time the May review was compiled, 14 tornadoes had been confirmed including three EF-3s. The
May 26 event had the second highest single day warning issuance count in office history, only behind the May 8 record.
Temperatures
Temperatures were above normal by around 3 to 5 degrees. Paducah tied its fourth warmest May on record.
The first nine days of the month had temperatures well above normal, with highs in the 80s most days at most sites.
The following week had near normal temperatures.
Above normal temperatures returned for the 18th through the 27th. The month ended with slightly below normal temperatures.
The warmest temperatures relative to normal were at the start of the month, while most locations had their warmest day of the month on the 19th or 21st.
Notably, Paducah set a record for warmest average low temperature for May.
Precipitation
Precipitation was variable across the region. Locations near the I-64 corridor finished near normal, with around 4 inches to 7 inches of rainfall.
Farther south had a wetter than normal month, especially in Western Kentucky and far Southeast Illinois, where double digit rainfall totals were commonplace for the month.
The highest observed amount in the Paducah office’s forecast area was 15.69 inches at a COOP station 5 miles south of Herndon, Ky., near the Tennessee border.
The two heaviest rainfall events occurred with severe thunderstorm outbreaks on May 8 and May 26, both of which resulted in widespread flooding.