Heavy Rain — Jefferson, Kentucky

2018-08-31 · near Lakeland, Jefferson, Kentucky

Event narrative

A 15-year old and his brother were playing near an open drainage ditch running through their back yard near the 9800 block of Melissa Drive when he slipped and fell into the rapidly running water. He was swept 100 yards through a culvert to the 9400 block of Tamarisk Drive. While he survived being submersed in the culvert, he never regained consciousness and passed away on September 7th. Approximately 1.5 of rain fell in the area, about an inch of it between 5:15 and 6:15 pm EDT. The boy slipped into the ditch around 7 pm.

Wider weather episode

Scattered showers and storms developed in the afternoon over central Kentucky. This weather was triggered by an upper level shortwave pushing in from the southwest and a weak surface boundary over south central Kentucky that was drifting northward. While organized severe weather did not develop, very heavy rainfall caused the death of a 15 year old boy. He was playing near a drainage ditch in his back yard with his brother when flowing water pushed him through a culvert. He died in the hospital a week later.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (38.2565, -85.5760)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 782878. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.