Flash Flood — Washington, Kentucky

2020-06-29 · near Willisburg, Washington, Kentucky

Event narrative

A driver on Lawrenceburg Road noticed a white Ford Explorer that had washed off the road in flood waters. He then noticed an elderly man and woman were still in the vehicle with water up to their necks. Rescuers broke out windows on the vehicle and pulled the couple out just as it filled completely with flood water. Both were unconscious when they were pulled out; the woman was resuscitated at the scene, but her husband never regained consciousness and died later that afternoon after they were both transported to a local hospital.

Wider weather episode

During a time without any major weather systems moving through the region, a moist atmosphere with differential heating and remaining outflows from earlier thunderstorms was enough for thunderstorms and heavy rain to develop across central Kentucky. This resulted in widespread wind damage, flooding, and even fires from lightning. An elderly man drowned and his wife was injured trying to drive through flood waters.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (37.7951, -85.1399)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 914808. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.