Flood — Letcher, Kentucky

2025-01-31 · near Van, Letcher, Kentucky

Event narrative

Picture on social media showed minor flooding at the mouth of Smoot Creek Road behind the Action Auto, just north of Van, due to a plugged culvert.

Wider weather episode

A closed upper level low slowly moved out of SW CONUS and opened into a positively tilted trough as it approached KY. Large scale flow ahead of the lows approaching cold front, pulled gulf moisture northward. Soaking rain resulted for much of the area, as this moisture rich air lifted over a warm front as it progressed northward. On Friday, the 31st, the trailing cold front pushed through the area tapering rain off from west to east. When all was said and done 48-hr rain totals mostly ranged between one and two and a half inches of rain, with the heaviest rainfall across the southwest part of the SWA. Flooding of low-lying area roads resulted across Eastern Kentucky.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (37.1540, -82.8736)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1269754. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.