Exactly one year from when disastrous flooding caused deaths and damage in southeast Kentucky, another flash flood event led to the loss of life in north-central Kentucky. 52-year-old Rosa Rowland died in flood waters after her residence in Nicholas County was washed off its foundation.
Brian Schoettmer is with the National Weather Service Office in Louisville. He said some areas saw six-plus inches over about six to eight hours. Schoettmer said there was little movement of the rainmaker.
“During the winter and the cool season months, you have a really strong jet stream, so you have really strong winds aloft. So, systems move through and they keep moving at a pretty good pace, but during the summertime, you lose a lot of those strong winds aloft and so, sometimes thunderstorms will just tend to sit over the same area or very slowly move,” said Schoettmer.
And Schoettmer said high humidity levels can also be a factor with larger raindrops.
“You know the higher the moisture content, not only the heavier rain but the more efficient rainfall you get, you get bigger raindrops….things like that..so yeah, it’s kind of a bad recipe when your storms aren’t moving and yet they’re producing intense rainfall rates,” said Schoetter.
The meteorologist noted flash flooding occurred in Harrison and Bourbon Counties as well.
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