[♪♪] >> WEATHER IN KENTUCKY IS SOMETIMES EXTREME AND SOMETIMES DANGEROUS.

BEING UNPREPARED WHEN SEVERE WEATHER STRIKES CAN BE DEADLY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW TO STAY SAFE?

WELCOME TO SEVERE WEATHER: STAYING SAFE.

>> GOOD EVENING, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TONIGHT.

>> I'M CHRISTIE DUTTON WELCOME TO SEVERE WEATHER: STAYING SAFE.

OVER THE NEXT HOUR, WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT KENTUCKY'S DYNAMIC WEATHER AND WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW TO BE READY FOR THE WORST OF IT.

WE'LL LOOK BACK AT RECENT SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS IN OUR STATE AND LOOK AHEAD AND DISCUSS WHAT IS TO COME.

FIRST, I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR EXPERT PANEL GUESTS THAT WILL HELP US PREPARE FOR THE SEVERE WEATHER SEASON AHEAD.

WE HAVE JOHN GORDON METEOROLOGIST AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOUISVILLE.

DUSTIN HEISER, INTERIM DIRECTOR OF KENTUCKY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

TRACY WARNER DIRECTOR OF GRAVES COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND SHANE HOLINDE OUTREACH MANAGER FOR THE KENTUCKY MESONET AND KENTUCKY CLIMATE CENTER NON-OUR LOUISVILLE STUDIO WE HAVE TAWANA ANDREW METEOROLOGIST AT WADE TV IN LOUISVILLE.

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

ANYONE WHO HAS LIVED IN KENTUCKY FOR AT LEAST A FEW SEASONS KNOWS WE HAVE WILD WEATHER.

AND WE'RE TALKING HEATWAVES TO ICE STORMS.

WE SEE IT ALL AND THERE'S ONE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT THAT IS THE DEADLIEST FOR KENTUCKY AND THAT IS FLOODING.

THE GOOD NEWS IS MOST OF THE FLOOD RELATED DEATHS CAN BE PREVENTED BY AVOIDING ONE SIMPLE ACTION.

THAT'S DRIVING OVER FLOODED ROADS.

OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, 60% OF FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCURRED IN VEHICLES.

THIS IS BECAUSE IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW HOW DEEP THE WATER IS OR THE CONDITION OF THE ROAD UNDERNEATH ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.

MANY DRIVERS UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF WATER AND SO MANY OF YOU ALL KNOW THE PHRASE TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

THE SIMPLE PHRASE CAN BE A LIFE SAVER.

INCHES OF FAST-MOVING WATER WITH SWEEP ADULTS AWAY.

12 INCHES CAN CARRY OFF A SMALL CAR.

18-24 INCHES CAN CARRY AWAY LARGER VEHICLES, TRUCKS, VANNINGS AND S.U.V.S.

JOHN GORDON, HOW DO WE KEEP PEOPLE FROM DRIVING ON FLOODED ROADS?

>> FOLKS I'M TELLING YOU, YOU SEE THE DISASTERS ACROSS AMERICA WITH FLASH FLOODING.

THE POWER OF WATER IS IMMENSE YOU CAN SEE THAT THREW THE TSUNAMIS THAT HIT THE PACIFIC AND THE EASTERN KENTUCKY FLOODS LAST YEAR.

ABSOLUTELY WHAT YOU TOLD THEM IS TRUE.

DO NOT EVER, EVER, EVER, NEVER DRIVE THROUGH A FLOODED STRETCH OF ROAD.

MY FIRST YEAR IN KENTUCKY I HAD 12 TORNADOES NO ONE DIED.

I HAD 12 PEOPLE DIE FROM FLOODS INCLUDING HERE IN LEXINGTON AND BAR HOPPING AND DECIDED TO GO ACROSS THE FLOODED ROADS.

POWER OF WATER IS MORE POWERFUL THAN ANYTHING.

>> DUSTIN HEISER, THIS IS A BIG INITIATIVE FOR KENTUCKY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

WHAT DO PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DRIVING OVER THESE FLOODED ROADWAYS AND ALSO ABOUT THE BARRICADES SETUP TO PROTECT THEM?

>> AGAIN, LIKE YOU SAID, IT TAKES VERY LITTLE WATER TO MOVE A VEHICLE TO MOVE AN INDIVIDUAL.

AS YOU SAID THE BIGGER CHALLENGE BECOMES IF YOU ARE DRIVING THROUGH IT, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE ROAD CONDITION IS ONCE YOU WHERE THE WATER IS.

YOU CAN'T SEE WHAT THE ROADWAY LOOKS LIKE IS IT STILL THERE, ALL THOSE CONDITIONS LEAD TO THAT.

WHEN YOU SEE THE BARRICADES AS THE SAYING GOES TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

THE OTHER THING IS HUGE FOR THIS, IS IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN, THAT MEANS RESPONDERS HAVE TO COME AND WORK TO REMOVE YOU FROM THAT SITUATION.

AND THAT PUTS THEIR LIVES AT RISK AS WELL.

IT'S SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU MAKE THAT DECISION TO CROSS THE ROAD, IS THAT REALLY A NEED?

TAKE YOUR TIME AND FIND THE OTHER ROUTE AROUND.

IT'S BETTER TO GET HOME LATE AND GET HOME SAFE THAN THE ALTERNATIVE.

>> AND TAWANA ANDREW YOU SAID THIS IS THE BANE OF YOUR EXISTENCE AS A BROADCAST METEOROLOGIST YOU SAY THIS A LOT.

TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN AND TRYING TO GET THE WORD OUT.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE WE CAN DO THAT CAN COMMUNICATE THIS POINT HOME TO THE VIEWERS AT HOME?

>> HONESTLY, JUST SAYING IT MORE.

SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A STUCK RECORD SAYING IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

BUT IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE I THINK IF YOU JUST KEEP REPEATING IT MAYBE IT WILL GET STUCK IN PEOPLE'S HEADS AND THEY WILL LISTEN.

IF JUST REMINDING THEM OF THE STATS THAT YOU SAID SIX INCHES OF WATER CAN KNOCK A HUMAN BEING OFF THEIR FEET.

IMAGINE WHAT WE CAN SEE ONCE YOU GET A FOOT OR TWO FEET OF WATER.

AND IT'S ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS ESPECIALLY ONCE WE HEAD FURTHER INTO SEVERE WEATHER SEASON IT'S MORE OVERCONFIDENCE THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

THE BUN PERSON THEY GET THROUGH FINE.

AND HONESTLY IT'S JUST CAUTION MORE THAN ANYTHING.

REMINDING THEMSELVES THAT THERE'S SOMEBODY ELSE THAT WANTS YOU AT HOME.

REMINDING THAT THERE'S PEOPLE THAT LOVE YOU.

MAYBE JUST DON'T MAKE THAT ONE DECISION THAT COULD CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER.

>> THANK YOU.

AND SHANE HOLINDE, YOU ARE FORMER CHIEF METEOROLOGIST AT WBKO AND YOU'VE SAID THIS A MILLION TIMES TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

WHAT IS IT THAT PEOPLE ARE UNDERESTIMATING ABOUT WATER?

WHAT IS MAKING THEM FEEL CONFIDENT THAT THEY CAN GET PAST THIS AND SO MANY FIND OUT THAT IS A MISPLACED CONFIDENCE?

>> SOMETIMES THERE COULD BE COMMON PLAY SENSE.

MAYBE WE GO A LONG PERIOD OF TIME WITHOUT AN EXTREME RAINFALL EVENT OR THINK I'VE BEEN DOWN THIS ROAD A MILLION TIMES IT IS A LITTLE WATER.

WELL, IT ONLY TAKES ONE FOOT OF WATER TO LIFT MOST VEHICLES, CARS AND TRUCKS OFF THE ROADWAY AND SEND THEM HYDROPLANING AND TWO FEET OF WATER IS ALL IT TAKES TO LIFT ANY VEHICLE OFF THE ROADWAY.

SO THAT'S WHY WE OFTEN PREACH THAT PHRASE TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN IT'S BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR TWO DECADES AND IT'S THERE FOR REASONS BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE WE'VE SEEN MOST WEATHER-RELATED FATALITIES OCCUR IN KENTUCKY.

WE MAY GET TORNADO FATALITIES, BUT WE SEE TORNADOES LESS IN OTHER YEARS.

FLOODING SEEMS TO BE HAPPENING ON AN INCREASED LEVEL NOW BECAUSE THINGS ARE GETTING WARMER WITH OUR SEASONS IN KENTUCKY.

PARTICULARLY WITH WINTER SEASON, SO WE'RE SEEING MORE OF THE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS LIKE THE FLOODING THAT TOOK PLACE OVER IN FAR WESTERN KENTUCKY THAT GRAVES COUNTY WHERE WE'D VENTS THAT LOCATED SIX MILES SOUTHWEST OF MAYFIELD SET A 24-HOUR RAINFALL RECORD FROM 11.28 INCHES OF LAST YEAR.

AND A FEW WEEKS LATER WE SAW HEAVY RAINFALL 30 MILES WEST THAT AFFECTED FULTON COUNTY AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EMERGENCIES WITH FOLKS BEING EVACUATED FROM HOMES AND WATER RESCUES.

THE MAIN THING IS DO NOT PUT YOURSELF IN THAT SITUATION.

KNOW THE WEATHER, KNOW THE FORECAST FIRST OFF BEFORE YOU VENTURE OUT AND ONCE YOU DO VENTURE OUT MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT DRIVING INTO A FLOOD-PRONE AREA.

>> AND JOHN GORDON, I DON'T MEAN TO BE MORBID BUT HOW ARE PEOPLE DYING IN VEHICLES CROSSING FLOODED ROADWAYS?

YOU THINK YOU CAN GET OUT?

>> EXACTLY.

LET'S DO TWO THINGS.

ONE THEY ARE HAPPENING AFTER DARK.

MOST OF THESE ARE AFTER DARK.

EASTERN KENTUCKY DISASTER AFTER DARK.

MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

SO WHY IS IT HAPPENING?

ONCE WHAT SHANE SAID IS RIGHT.

ONCE YOU LOSE CONTROL OF YOUR CAR, YOU ARE AT THE MERCY.

YOU ARE AT MERCY.

IT'S DARK.

YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON.

I'VE SEEN RESCUES IN TREES VEHICLES IN TREES ARE NOT GOOD.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE DAMAGE OVER IN THE EAST LAST YEAR, I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE AN EF2 TORNADO HIT.

THE WATER AS SO HIGH IT WAS UP AT LEAST 30-40 FEET IN THE TREES FROM THE CREEKS.

>> CAN'T YOU OPEN THE DOOR AND GET OUT?

>> ONCE IT STARTS GOING YOU HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS.

WHAT ARE MY BEST OPTIONS?

IS IT THE BEST OPTION TO STAY IN THE CAR.

IF THERE IS A TREE NEARBY YOU HAVE TO THINK QUICK ON YOUR FEET.

YOU ARE IN DANGER THAT IS WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER DO IT AND YET IT KEEPS HAPPENING.

>> FRUSTRATING.

>> VERY.

>> I CAN SENSE THE FRUSTRATION.

ON JULY 19TH OF LAST YEAR, HISTORIC RAINFALL AS SHANE WAS MENTIONED SOAKED PARTS OF WESTERN KENTUCKY.

YOU ARE LOOKING AT THE KENTUCKY MESONET MAP.

SCREEN SHOT RIGHT BEFORE THAT 11.22 THERE IN GRAVES COUNTY.

THIS FLOODED HOME STRANDED MANY ON THE ROADS, TOO.

OVER 11 INCHES OF RAIN WAS REPORTED THERE BY THAT KENTUCKY MESONET STATION AND THAT SET THE RECORD FOR THE MOST RECORDED RAINFALL IN AT THAT TIME PERIOD FOR THIS STATE.

TRACY WARNER, FROM GRAVES COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WHAT WAS THAT DAY LIKE?

WHAT TIME DID THIS HAPPEN?

AND WHAT WERE THE FIRST EFFECTS YOU SAW?

>> SOME OF THE FIRST EFFECTS AS 2:00 A.M. WE GOTTEN CALLED OUT FOR NEEDING TO EVACUATE PEOPLE IN A HOME THAT NORMALLY NEVER FLOODS.

SO THAT AREA HAD FLOODED.

AND THEN AS SOON AS WE GOT DONE THERE WE HAD A VEHICLE THAT IN THE WATER HE WASN'T FROM THE AREA HE HAD GOTTEN STUCK SO WE HAD TO GET HIM OUT.

SO AND THEN AT AROUND 3 OR 4:00 A.M.

STARTED TO MOVING IN WHERE THE WATER HAD NOWHERE TO GO SO IT STARTED FLOODING IN MAYFIELD AND THE PLACES THAT WERE FLOODING WERE ALSO AFFECTED BY THE 2021 TORNADO.

SO THEY HAD HAD DAMAGE AND NOW THEY ARE HAVING WATER DAMAGE.

SO TRYING TO GET THOSE PEOPLE EVACUATED IF THEY WANTED TO.

SOME PEOPLE SHELTERED IN PLACE THEY ARE LIKE THIS HAPPENS ALL THE TIME.

AND THEY LOST THEIR VEHICLES BECAUSE THEIR VEHICLES WERE FLOODED.

>> SEEMS LIKE MAYFIELD CAN'T GET A BREAK.

FIRST TORNADOES AND THEN FLOODING LAST JULY.

THANKFULLY, NOBODY LOST THEIR LIVES IN THAT.

SO THAT'S GOOD NEWS THERE.

NO LIVES WERE LOST BUT IT WAS A DIFFERENT STORY FOR EASTERN KENTUCKY.

THIS WAS ALSO OCCURRED IN JULY.

SO THIS WAS BACK A YEAR-AND-A-HALF AGO.

BUT FIRST, BEFORE WE MOVE ON I DID WANT TO SHOW WE SENT OUR REPORTER, LAURA ROGERS TO GRAVES COUNTY WHEN THIS HAPPENED THIS IS RIGHT AFTER IT HAPPENED TO SEE THE HARDEST HIT AREAS FROM THE REPORT RAINFALL AND THEY HAD DAMAGING FLOODS THERE AND JUST TO SEE HOW PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MAYFIELD WERE IMPACTED.

TAKE A LOOK.

>> WE'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

IT'S NEVER BEEN IN THE SHOP NEVER THIS HIGH THIS FAST FOR SURE.

>> MY 30 YEARS I'VE BEEN HERE I HAVE NOT SEEN IT THIS BAD.

>> JOHN OWNS AN ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING BUSINESS IN MAY MAYFIELD HE ARRIVED AND FOUND IT SURROUNDED BY A FOOT OF WATER.

>> THIS AREA HAS WATER BUT WHEN I GOT HERE AND SEEN WATER TO THE BUILDING, IT SHOCKED ME.

>> HE DID LOSE SOME MATERIALS, BUT MANAGED TO SAVE IMPORTANT PAPERWORK.

>> I'VE SPENT ALL DAY HERE TRYING TO KEEP WATER OUT OF OUR OFFICE.

>> THE ELECTRICIANS PROVIDING THEIR SERVICES AFFECTED BY FLOODED ROADS.

>> BY THE TIME THAT WE WRAPPED THINGS UP WE HAD TO TAKE I DON'T KNOW PROBABLY FIVE MILES OUT OF OUR WAY TO GET BACK TO THE SHOP BECAUSE THEY CLOSED THE ROADS AND THEY WASHED OUT.

>> EVERY ROAD WE TRIED TO GO DOWN IT WAS COVERED WE DROVE FIVE MILES OUT OF THE WAY TO GET TO THIS LOCATION.

>> BARRY HAS A FARMERS MARKET ACROSS THE RECORD FROM THE BUSINESS.

>> SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE THIS IS THE HIGHEST THE WATER HAS EVER GOT.

THIS IS THE BACK WATER OFF OF THE RED DUCK CREEK.

>> IRVIN DID HAVE CROPS DAMAGED BY BOTH THE FLOODS AND WINDS.

>> WE RAISE SWEET CORN AND WE HAVE AN ACRE-AND-A-HALF ON THE GROUND RIGHT NOW AND THE FLOODWATERS BACKED UP INTO OUR FIELDS.

IT AFFECTED THE PUMPKINS AND TOMATOES.

>> THE GRAVES COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE SAYS IT WILL TAKE A FEW WEEKS TO KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE TO LOCAL FARMS.

THE CROPS HAD NOW UNDERWATER WILL BE UNABLE TO BE HARVESTED.

>> EVERYTHING IS FLOODED ALL AROUND.

THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THERE IT'S FLOODED BAD.

HE IS ABOUT TO START SCHOOL.

>> IT COMES AS MAYFIELD IS REBUILDING A YEAR-AND-A-HALF AFTER AN EF4 TORNADO CAUSED DEATH AND DESTRUCTION.

>> WITH THE TORNADO BEING I MEAN IT HIT OUR HOUSE HARD AND WE HAVE NOT RECOVERED FROM IT YET.

AND LIKE MANY OTHERS THIS ON TOP OF EVERYTHING IT'S LIKE MAYFIELD CAN'T CATCH A BREAK.

>> THE TORNADO AFFECT A LOT OF FAMILIES MANY FAMILIES.

THE FLOODING I IMAGINE IT WILL DO THE SAME AFFECT FAMILIES AND THE COMMUNITY.

>> THE FLOODWATERS SHOULD HAVE LIMITED IMPACT ON HIS CUSTOMERS.

>> THANKFULLY MOST OF EVERYTHING WE DO IS OUT ON ACTUAL JOB SITES.

I KNOW THERE'S ONE JOB I CAN'T GET TO UNTIL THEY REBUILD THE ROAD.

THAT IS MY ONLY HANG UP AT THE MOMENT.

>> HE IS NOW WAITING FOR THE WATER TO RECEDE SO HE CAN TACKLE CLEAN UP IN THE STORAGE BUILDING.

>> IT'S JUST A PROCESS I WOULDN'T WANT TO GO THROUGH AGAIN.

>> I'M LAURA ROGERS.

>> AND THANKFULLY NO LIVES WERE LOST IN THAT FLOOD.

BUT IT WAS A DIFFERENT STORY FOR EASTERN KENTUCKY IN JULY OF 2022.

OVER A FOOT OF RAIN FELL DURING A FIVE-DAY PERIOD AND THIS CATASTROPHIC FLASH FLOOD KILLED 44 PEOPLE.

CLEAN UP AND REBUILDING IS AN ONGOING PROCESS FOR THESE KENTUCKY COMMUNITIES.

DUSTIN HEISER I WANT TO ASK YOU WHERE DO WE STAND THERE?

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES IN EASTERN KENTUCKY WHERE OVER A YEAR SINCE THE FLOOD?

>> SO THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS.

WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH RESIDENTS IN WHAT THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY CALLS THEIR BUYOUT PROGRAM.

RESIDENTS THAT HAVE SAID, HEY WE'RE NO LONGER GOING TO LIVE AT THIS LOCATION.

FEMA WORKS WITH OUR OFFICE AND BUYS OUT THAT PROPERTY.

TURNS IT INTO GREEN SPACE LATER.

THAT PROVIDES THEM AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE.

JUST UNDER 600 PEOPLE ARE IN THAT PROGRAM AND WE'VE SEEN SOME GREAT PROGRESS IN THAT PROGRAM.

BUT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, GETTING THINGS BACK TO WHERE IT WAS PREFLOOD IS CHALLENGING.

ONE OF THE BIG CHALLENGES WE'RE DEALING WITH IN EASTERN KENTUCKY IS HOUSING STOCK.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF IT.

PART OF A MISSION THAT IS THERE IS THE STATE HAS CALLED THEIR HIGH GROUND SITES.

THERE IS A BIG GROUP OF FOLKS FROM STATE GOVERNMENT IN A NUMBER OF CABINETS THAT WORKED REALLY HARD TO BRING RESIDENTS OR POSSIBILITY OF RESIDENTIAL LOCATIONS AT HIGHER GROUND SO THAT WE DON'T SEE THESE SAME DEVASTATING EVENTS AGAIN.

IF THE FLOODS COME AGAIN THEY WILL BE IN A LOCATION THAT NO LONGER AFFECTED BY THAT.

WE HAVE ONE OF THOSE THAT HERE IN A COUPLE WEEKS WE'LL PROBABLY BEGIN TO SEE RESIDENTS IN SOME ALTERNATIVE HOMES THAT FEMA HELPED SUPPORT US WITH.

>> HOUSING A BIG CONCERN THERE.

AND ALSO WHEN WE HAVE THESE CATASTROPHIC EVENTS A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE MOVE AWAY.

AND THEN YOU LOSE SOME OF YOUR POPULATION TO THAT, TOO.

HOW IS THAT A PREVENTIBLE THING?

IS THERE ANYWAY TO EASE THAT?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S 100% PREVENTIBLE OBVIOUSLY.

BUT SOMETHING WE HAVE DONE TO EASE THAT IS WORKING WITH THE JUDGE EXECUTIVES FROM THOSE COUNTIES AND THEIR STAFF WHEN WE BROUGHT IN OUR TEMPORARY TRAILER RESIDENCE FOR KENTUCKY RESIDENTS WE WORKED HARD TO KEEP THOSE RESIDENTS IN THE COUNTY THEY WERE FROM.

FOR A COUPLE REASONS.

THAT IS WHERE THEIR JOBS WERE.

THAT IS WHERE SCHOOL WAS IF THEY HAD KIDS.

TRY TO BRING BACK THAT SENSE OF NORMALCY.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD WITH THEM AND WE'VE ALSO BEEN WORKING HARD WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP GET HOMES REBUILT OR APARTMENTS REBUILT IN A QUICK PACE.

SO THAT THOSE RESIDENTS CAN MOVE FROM OUR TRAILER PROGRAM TO OUR SHELTER PROGRAM TO THEIR PERMANENT RESIDENCE.

AND AGAIN, ANOTHER STEP BACK TO NORMALCY.

>> TRACY IS THIS SOMETHING YOU DEAL WITH IN GRAVES COUNTY?

YOU HAD THE TORNADO AND THE FLOOD AND WHAT IS GOING TO BE NEXT?

ARE SOME -- HOW DO YOU CONVINCE RESIDENTS THAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE OKAY TO STAY THERE WHEN A LOT OF THEM ARE LIKE I'M OUT OF HERE?

>> A LOT OF THEM AFTER THE TORNADO HAD TRYING TO FIND HOUSING THEY WANTED TO GET THEIR KIDS INTO SCHOOL AND BE MORE NORMAL AS THEY DO COULD SO THEY DID MOVE AWAY.

KYEM AND FEMA STEPPED UP TO PROVIDE THE TRAILERS TO GET THEM BACK IN THE AREA SO THAT WAY ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAD A FURTHER AWAY JOB OR IF THEY DIDN'T TRAVEL 30 MINUTES TO GET TO THEIR JOB WHERE IT WOULD TAKE THEM FIVE MINUTES.

I THINK WE'VE LEARNED FROM THE TORNADO DISASTER AND I THINK WE KEEP LEARNING THROUGH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TRYING TO FOR THE NEXT DISASTER IS WHAT WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR.

>> WHAT IS THE NEXT DISASTER GOING TO BE?

>> I DON'T KNOW.

>> I MEAN WHAT DO YOU PREPARE FOR NEXT?

WE TALKED ABOUT EARTHQUAKES AND YOU ARE CLOSE TO THE FAULT.

I MEAN WHO KNOWS.

MAYBE ONE OF THESE ANNUAL SPECIALS MIGHT BE ABOUT THAT.

>> HOPEFULLY PREPARING FOR IT INSTEAD OF RECOVERING.

BUT THAT IS ANOTHER CHALLENGE YOU HAVE IN THERE IN WESTERN KENTUCKY ESPECIALLY.

>> AND A LOT OF PEOPLE ASK ME WHAT I THINK THE WORST DISASTER AND I WOULD SAY AN EARTHQUAKE.

AND I KNOW EASTERN KENTUCKY HAD THEIR ROADS COMPLETELY GONE DESTROYED.

AND THAT'S WITH THE FLASH FLOODING YOU DON'T KNOW IF THAT ROAD IS STILL THERE WHEN YOU GO OVER IT.

WE'VE HAD SEVERAL THAT WENT OVER THE ROAD AND IT'S NOT THERE AND THE CULVERT HAS BEEN WASHED OUT.

SO I JUST THINK THAT WE HAVE 300 BRIDGES IN GRAVES COUNTY THAT I'M SURE WILL BE GONE.

WE'LL RELY ON THE EASTERN PART OF THE STATE TO COME HELP US BECAUSE WE ARE GOING TO NEED A LOT OF HELP.

>> THAT IS A LOT TO THINK ABOUT.

DUSTIN, HOW SHOULD WE BE PREPARING NOW FOR HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A BIG EARTHQUAKE TYPE SCENARIO?

I'M SURE YOUR OFFICE HAS GONE THROUGH THIS BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

ONE THING WITH THE RECENT FLOODING AND TORNADOES DISASTERS WE'VE SEEN IN KENTUCKY WHAT WE'VE DONE IS TAKEN LESSONS FROM THOSE.

THINGS THAT WE HAVE HAD IN OUR PLANNING FOR KERS FOR EARTHQUAKES ARE THINGS THAT WE PUT IN PLACE OR PUT IN MOTION DURING THE TORNADOES AND THE FLOODING EVENTS, BECAUSE THEY WORK FOR ALL DIFFERENT TYPES OF HAZARDS.

AS TRACY SAID, WE HAVE LEARNED THESE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO BETTER OR THIS MAY OR MAY NOT WORK IN THAT SITUATION.

AND HAVE PUT THAT BACK INTO OUR PLANNING PROCESS.

MATTER OF FACT, RIGHT NOW, OUR AGENCY AS WELL AS THE FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND THE OTHER FOUR REGIONS THREE REGIONS OF FEMA ARE ALL WORKING ON REVISING THE EARTHQUAKE PLAN.

SO WE WORK CLOSELY WITH ALL THOSE GROUPS TO UPDATE OUR PLAN AND THAT IS WHAT OUR OFFICE IS WORKING ON RIGHT NOW MATTER OF FACT.

>> GOOD.

NOW, I WANT TO DISCUSS SWITCH GEARS AND DISCUSS SEVERE WEATHER TOPIC THAT GETS INTEREST AND COVERAGE TALKING ABOUT TORNADOES.

AND SO KENTUCKY HAS HAD AN AVERAGE OF 26 TORNADOES A YEAR ACCORDING TO THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER.

SOME WERE CAUGHT OFF GUARD WHEN TORNADO WARNINGS ARE ISSUED.

JOHN, TELL US WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WATCH AND A WARNING.

>> WATCH BE PREPARED AND WARNING IT'S COMING.

THAT IS HOW YOU REMEMBER THAT IF YOU GET A WARNING YOU NEED TO HAVE AN ACTION PLAN NOW.

IT'S HITTING OR ABOUT TO HIT.

WE TRY TO GIVE LEAD TIME AND YOU WILL TALK ABOUT 74 IN A LITTLE BIT AND THE WEATHER SERVICE GAVE NO LEAD TIME BACK IN THE DAY.

AND NOW WE'RE AVERAGING 12-14 MINUTES.

>> LEAD TIME TO GET THAT WARNING.

DUSTIN WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO GET WARNINGS WITH FOR FLOODING OR ANY SEVERE WEATHER EVENT?

>> NUMBER ONE, IS A WEATHER RADIO.

YOU CAN GET THOSE AT ANY OF YOUR STORES THEY HAVE THEM YOU CAN BUY THEM ON-LINE.

THAT IS PROBABLY THE NUMBER ONE WAY.

BUT ON TOP OF THAT THERE'S OUTDOOR WARNING SIRENS IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE.

ON TOP OF THAT THERE'S APPS OUT THERE THAT PUT OUT THIS INFORMATION.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE WEATHER SERVICE'S WEBSITE, THEY ARE CONSTANTLY UPDATING INFORMATION.

I WILL SAY SOMETHING TO THE POINT OF BEING PREPARED FROM OUR STANDPOINT, WE WORK CLOSELY WITH THE WEATHER SERVICE.

SO WHAT WE DO IS TAKE INFORMATION THAT THEY PROVIDE US COMMUNICATION THEY HAVE WITH US AND WE START PUTTING THINGS IN PLACE WELL AHEAD OF THE EVENTS.

MATTER OF FACT, ABOUT A WEEK-AND-A-HALF AGO WE HAD POTENTIAL FOR REALLY DANGEROUS SEVERE WEATHER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.

OUR AGENCY WENT AHEAD AND STARTED MAKING COMMUNICATIONS WHAT WE CALL ROSTERED POSITIONS AMONGST OUR URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAMS AS WELL AS OUR MANAGEMENT SUPPORT TEAMS.

HAD THOSE GUYS FOLKS ON STANDBY.

IF THE NEED AROSE.

AND THANK GOODNESS WE WERE HAPPY TO COME OUT THE NEXT MORNING AND THERE WAS NOT A NEED.

BUT THOSE ARE THINGS WE'RE DOING ALWAYS AHEAD OF TIME.

AND THAT'S IN THAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WEATHER SERVICE SO THAT WE CAN DO THAT.

>> OKAY.

OUTDOOR SIRENS ARE NOT RELIABLE IF YOU ARE INDOORS, RIGHT, SHANE, THAT IS FOR FOLKS WHO ARE OUTSIDE?

>> RIGHT N WARREN COUNTY WE HAVE THE COMMUNITY OUTDOOR WARNING SIRENS AND OUTDOOR BEING THE KEYWORD A LOT OF FOLKS GET LULLED INTO THINKING IF I DON'T HEAR THE SIRENS THERE'S NOTHING FOR ME TO WORRY ABOUT.

THAT IS NOT TRUE.

ONE OF THE MYTHS WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO DISPEL OVER THE YEARS.

SOME PLACES MAY LIVE WELL AWAY FROM ONE OF THE SIRENS WHERE YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO HEAR THAT AT ALL.

THEY DO NOT HAVE COMPLETE COVERAGE AS FAR AS WARREN COUNTY, ALTHOUGH THE COVERAGE IS GOOD, BUT THEY ARE NOT MEANT TO BE HEARD INDOORS.

THAT UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A WEATHER RADIO AND HAVING CELLPHONES FOR WIRELESS ALERTS.

HAVE MULTIPLE WAYS TO OBTAIN THAT SEVERE WEATHER INFORMATION ESPECIALLY BEFORE GOING TO BED AT NIGHT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND HAVE YOUR PHONES CHARGED WITH THE BATTERIES WORKING.

TAWANA ANDREW AND I'VE HEARD YOU SAY THIS WE GET THIS WARNING TORNADO WARNING WHERE DO WE GO AT HOME?

>> JUST DEPENDS WHAT KIND OF HOME YOU HAVE.

IF YOU HAVE A BASEMENT, THAT IS GOING TO BE YOUR SAFEST PLACE ESPECIALLY IF IT'S BELOW GROUND, INDOORS, NO EXTERIOR WALLS THAT IS GOING TO BE YOUR SAFEST PLACE.

LET'S SAY YOU DO NOT HAVE A BASEMENT.

INTERIOR ROOM WITH NO WINDOWS THAT IS STURDY.

A HALLWAY CLOSET IN THE CENTER OF YOUR HOME THAT IS A PERFECT PLACE TO GO.

NOW, IF YOU ARE IN A SITUATION LIKE ME, YOU GOT TO GET TO KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS BECAUSE I LIVE ON THE SECOND FLOOR OF A CONDO.

THAT IS NOT NECESSARILY THE BEST SITUATION TO BE IN A TORNADO WARNING.

WE ARE VERY, VERY GOOD FRIENDS WITH OUR NEIGHBORS DOWNSTAIRS AND THEY LOVE HAVING A METEOROLOGIST THAT CAN GET THE FORECAST RIGHT THERE.

BUT WITH US, WHAT WE DO IS WE HEAD DOWNSTAIRS AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE AWARE WHAT IS GOING ON SO WE CAN CONTACT THEM AND GET INTO THEIR SAFE SPACE WHICH IS A HALLWAY CLOSET.

IT IS A LITTLE AWKWARD TO HAVE FOUR PEOPLE IN THAT BUT IT'S WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO STAY AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE.

IT WILL DEPEND ON WHERE YOU LIVE, WHAT YOU ARE DOING IF YOU ARE IN A TRAILER IF YOU KNOW IN ADVANCE IF YOU ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WEATHER, IF YOU ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO THE WEATHER AND YOU KNOW THERE'S THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER MAYBE FRIENDS, FAMILY THAT YOU CAN STAY WITH DURING THAT TIME-FRAME.

BECAUSE A TRAILER MOBILE HOME DEFINITELY NOT THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE.

>> THANK YOU.

A DEADLY LONG TRACK EF4 TORNADO PLOWED THROUGH WESTERN KENTUCKY ON DECEMBER 10, 2021 A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THAT DATE ENGRAINED IN THEIR MEMORY.

THIS TORNADO SET A RECORD FOR THE LONGEST TORNADO TRACK IN THE STATE.

SEVERAL OTHER TORNADOES WERE SPAWNED TO THE SOUTH OF THAT THROUGH CHRISTIAN TODD, LOGAN, TAYLOR, MARION COUNTIES.

SOMEBODY LIVING IN THIS COMMUNITY, WHAT WAS THAT DAY LIKE?

WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND?

>> IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

BECAUSE YOU WOULD NEVER THINK IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU AND YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO THINK IT WOULD DESTROY A WHOLE TOWN.

AND SO THAT DAY IT WAS HEARTBREAKING BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE SUFFERING.

PEOPLE MISSING.

AND BUT WE STILL HAD A JOB TO DO.

AND THEN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK KYEM STEPPED UP IS WHEN WE YELL FOR HELP THEY COME RUNNING.

AND DUSTIN WAS THERE TO HELP US GET THROUGH IT.

AND AS NOT AS THE DIRECTOR LIKE HE IS NOW, BUT THEY I'VE MADE PARTNERSHIPS THROUGHOUT THE STATE BECAUSE OF THAT DAY.

AND THAT'S WHY I THINK I'VE SAID BEFORE IF WE DON'T LEARN FROM THAT DAY, SHAME ON US, BECAUSE BEING PREPARED IS SO IMPORTANT AND YOU KNOW WE PUSH OUT THE TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN BUT YOU HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF.

AND SO THAT DAY, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE IN GRAVES COUNTY WERE GUN SHY ON IF WE THINK THERE IS AN ALERT COMING.

MOST PEOPLE WILL TAKE SHELTER.

BUT WE'RE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF GROWING.

WE STILL GOT A LOT OF THINGS WE HAVE TO GET DONE THAT HAS NOT BEEN REBUILT.

WE'VE LOST SOME BUSINESSES BECAUSE THEY'VE RETIRED.

THEY WERE OLDER PEOPLE.

AND THEY DECIDED THAT THAT WAS THEIR SIGN TO NOT BUILD BACK.

WE'RE STILL GOT A LOT OF WORK TO GO.

>> AND YOU Y'ALL GOT THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS UP?

>> WE GOT TRAFFIC LIGHTS THAT ARE IN MAYFIELD THE CITY.

THEY JUST ACTUALLY ARE NOW BACK TO ACTUALLY CHANGING.

IT WAS FOUR-WAY STOPS FOR TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS NOW.

AND WE JUST GOT THE TWO WITH FEMA DOLLARS WE GOT OUR SIRENS REPLACED.

WE LOST THE OUTDOOR SIRENS.

>> WITH THIS OUTBREAK, THE TORNADOES THAT WENT TO THE SOUTH OF THAT LONG TRACK TORNADO ONE HIT BOWLING GREEN AND YOU WERE THE CHIEF METEOROLOGIST AT WBKO WHAT WAS THAT LIKE?

>> A VERY FRIGHTENING SITUATION I WAS ON THE AIR FOR 10-AND-A-HALF HOURS SOLID COVERING THAT TORNADO OUTBREAK AS THE CELLS MOVED IN FROM WESTERN KENTUCKY AND INTO THE COVERAGE AREA PRIMARILY SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY ROUGHLY 20 COUNTIES.

DURING THAT SPAN WE HAD ONE SUPERCELL THAT MOVED OUT OF LOGAN COUNTY THROUGH RUSSELLVILLE IT PRODUCED AN EF3 NEARBY.

OUT OF THAT CELL SPAWNED ANOTHER LARGE TORNADO THAT FIRST TOUCHED DOWN JUST TO THE WEST SOUTHWEST OF BOWLING GREEN.

AND MY COLLEAGUE AND I ETHAN WERE LOOKING WEST SOUTHWEST DOWN RUSSELLVILLE ROAD U.S. 6880 HEADING INTO THE CITY OF BOWLING GREEN TO SEE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING ON THE GROUND.

AT ONE POINT I DUCKED OFF THE GREEN SCREEN AND AT THAT MOMENT THE BACK DOOR OF THE STUDIO THERE A LARGE GARAGE DOOR STARTED BANGING VERY LOUDLY AND VIOLENTLY TO THE POINT I WAS HAVING TO SHOUT OVER THE AIR.

AND I REMEMBER SAYING I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR ME RIGHT NOW BUT IT IS GETTING VERY LOUD IN THE STAUD YE.

SO HE 0 HE STUDIO.

WE CUTOFF OF RADAR TO CHECK OUT THE WEBCAM AND WE COULD SEE THE POWER GOING OUT BLOCK BY BLOCK AS WE KNOW WAS AN EF3 TORNADO WAS WORKING DOWN THE ROAD INTO THE WEST SIDE OF THE CITY OF BOWLING GREEN.

AND A COUPLE MOMENTS LATER 119 I RECALL ETHAN SAYING I MIGHT BE SEEING SOMETHING HERE AND WHAT HE WAS SEEING WAS THE SOUTH SITED OF THAT FUNNEL WHICH MISSED WBKO STUDIOS BY A QUARTER MILE 800 YARDS AND RIGHT AT THE MOMENT THAT HE SAID THAT, OUR POWER CUT OUT.

SO WE HAD TO GO BACK-TO-BACK UP GENERATOR TO GET BACK ON THE AIR AND OBVIOUSLY ONCE WE DID WE WERE NO LONGER STREAMING OUR FEED WAS CUT.

AND WE HAD NO RADAR, NO SATELLITE, NO DATA, NO ANYTHING.

BUT WE STILL HAD AN ACTIVE EVENT.

SO WE HAD TO CONTINUE TO COVER THAT TO THE FOLKS STILL ABLE TO RECEIVE OUR SIGNAL AT THIS POINT.

WHICH WERE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN AND THIS LASTED FOR US UNTIL 5:30 CENTRAL THAT MORNING WHERE THE LAST TORNADO WARNINGS WERE TAKEN OFF OVER BY LAKE CUMBERLAND AREA.

IT WAS A LONG, DANGEROUS NIGHT.

>> SO YOU ARE ON AIR, HELPING TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE TELLING PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED TO DO AND YOU ARE NOT FEELING SAFE YOURSELF WITH THAT TORNADO JUST GRAZING THE STUDIOS THERE?

>> YEAH.

AND YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THIS WAS SHORTLY AFTER 1:00 A.M.

IT'S PITCH DARK OUTSIDE.

MIDDLE OF DECEMBER HEADING INTO WINTER WHEN YOU ARE THINKING ABOUT SNOW AND CHRISTMAS AND OTHER THINGS IT IS NOT A TIME OF YEAR THAT WE THINK ABOUT SEVERE WEATHER IN KENTUCKY.

BUT WE ARE SEEING MORE OF THESE OFF SEASON SORT OF SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS WE SAW THAT IN 2008 WITH THE SUPER TUESDAY OUTBREAK.

WE SAW THAT IN 2013 IN JANUARY OF THAT YEAR.

SO THERE SEEMS TO BE AN UPTICK IN THE NIGHTTIME EVENTS THE MOST DANGEROUS FOR US HERE IN KENTUCKY.

>> OKAY.

WELL, LET'S TALK ABOUT A SPRINGTIME EVENT NOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER THE 1974 SUPER TORNADO OUTBREAK THIS HAPPENED ON APRIL 3.

THIS YEAR MARKS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY.

THAT TORNADO OUTBREAK THAT WAS DEADLY AND BY SOME REPORTS KILLED OVER 60 PEOPLE IN KENTUCKY ALONE.

315 DEATHS TOTAL IN 13 STATES AND KENTUCKY BRANDONBURG WAS HIT THE HARDEST WITH KENTUCKY'S ONLY REPORTED F5 TORNADO.

YOU SAW THE MAP OF ALL THE LINES OF THE TORNADOES HERE IS SOME OF THAT FOOTAGE.

THERE IS THE FOOTAGE OF THAT TORNADO.

I BELIEVE THAT IS IN THE LOUISVILLE AREA WHERE IT SWEPT THROUGH.

IT WAS ON THE GROUND MAYBE 20 MILES THROUGH LOUISVILLE DID A LOT OF DAMAGE THERE.

AND THE CHEROKEE PARK AREA AND F4 WHEN IT HIT THE LOUISVILLE AREA F4 TORNADO.

I MEAN THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW.

AND YOU CAN SEE BY THE PICTURES AND SOME OF THE IMAGES, TECHNOLOGY HAS COME QUITE A LONG WAY, HASN'T IT, JOHN?

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE NOW?

LIKE IF THAT HAPPENED TODAY VERSUS WHAT HAPPENED THEN?

>> THIS IS THE SIGNATURE EVENT OF ALL.

THIS IS THE NUMBER ONE EVENT.

EVERYTHING CHANGED.

BACK IN THE DAY, DIANE SAWYER DID THE WEATHER IN LOUISVILLE PEOPLE NOT METEOROLOGISTS.

AND THIS EVENT YOU SHOWED THE LOUISVILLE ONE WAS A AND HOER PILOT AND THAT REALLY LED TO THE CHASER MOVEMENT.

DICK UP DOING THE TRAFFIC.

SO BACK IN THE DAY YOU HAD FACTS CHARTS YOU HAD 1950 STYLE RADARS, YOU HAD NO INTERNET, I KNOW THAT IS SHOCKING TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE YOU HAD NONE OF THIS, THERE WAS NOTHING.

WE HAD ONE COMPUTER MODEL AND THAT EVENT LED TO THE EVOLUTION OF THE DOPPLER RADAR AND THE GRAPHICS AND LED TO THE MOVEMENT OF THE SKY WARN PROGRAM OF GETTING SPOTTERS TO REPORT DAMAGE AND HAIL AND WIND AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

IT ALSO LED TO THE KENTUCKY MESONET CHAIN WORKS FOR.

THAT LED TO BETTER OBSERVATIONS.

BACK IN THE DAY WE HAD LOUISVILLE AND LEXINGTON AND FRANKFORT AIRPORT, LONDON WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.

WE HAD 15 SITES IN THE STATE.

NOW YOU HAVE 70 STATIONS IN THE STATE.

WE HAVE EVERYTHING GOT BETTER BECAUSE OF A HORRIBLE DISASTER.

EVEN YOU KNOW WHAT REALLY WENT NUTS IN '74 WAS STORM SHELTER COMPANIES.

YOU COULDN'T GET ONE.

IT WENT NUTS IF YOU GO TO HUNTSVILLE ALABAMA YOU SEE STORM SHELTER GOING INTO HUNTSVILLE.

BECAUSE THEY GOT HIT, TOO.

>> AND DUSTIN, I KNOW EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT WHAT LESSONS WERE LEARNED THEN?

AND I HAVE SEEN COUNTIES PUTTING UP TORNADO SHELTERS, TOO, RIGHT?

THINGS ARE DIFFERENT NOW FROM EVEN FROM AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT SIDE OF IT?

>> YES, AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE PUSH HARD.

AND TRACY WITH MAYFIELD AND BOWLING GREEN, THOSE COMMUNITIES ALL THE COMMUNITIES WERE AFFECTED IN THE WESTERN KENTUCKY TORNADOES.

PUTTING TOGETHER AND HAVING THEM WORK ON WHAT WE CALL MITIGATION PROJECTS.

THINGS THAT ARE WE CAN DO TO EITHER PREVENT THE SITUATION FROM HAPPENING OR AT LEAST PREVENT THE LOSS OF LIFE.

AND WE WORK REALLY HARD OUR TEAM WITH OUR LOCALS TO PUT THOSE MITIGATION PROJECTS IN PLACE.

AND ONE OF THOSE BEING HAVING STORM SHELTERS.

WHETHER IT'S COMMUNITY STORM SHELTERS OR INSIDE PUBLIC BUILDINGS THAT THEY HAVE A LOCATION THAT THEY CAN GO TO.

AS WELL AS THE COMMUNICATION WE TALKED ABOUT THE OUTDOOR WARNING SIRENSES HOW DO WE DO A BETTER JOB OF COMMUNICATING WITH PEOPLE WITH THAT.

THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT EVERY TIME, NOT JUST THE '74 EVENT BUT A BIG DRIVER, EVERY TIME HOW DO WE MAKE THIS SO WE KNOW WE CAN'T STOP TORNADOES FROM HAPPENING BUT IN THIS CASE, WHAT DO WE DO TO PREVENT THE LOSS OF LIFE.

THAT IS WHAT WE WORK TOWARDS.

>> AND THAT HAS CHANGED WITH THE EARLY WARNINGS COMING OUT FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

YOU ALL ARE HAVING AN EVENT FOR THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY PLANNED?

>> WE ARE TRYING TO DO AN EVENT IN LOUISVILLE.

Dr. GREG FORBES WEATHER CHANNEL HE WILL BE HERE.

FOLKS THAT HARVEY SLOANE, THE MAYOR WHO IS ON VACATION IN '74 AND SUMMONED BACK TO LOUISVILLE AFTER THE CITY WAS DESTROYED AND HIT HARD.

WE HAVE AN EVENT TO TRY TO REMEMBER THE EVENT, AND REMEMBER WE HAD 31 PEOPLE DIE IN BRANDONBURG THE SAME CELL THAT TOUCHED DOWN IN LOUISVILLE AND DESTROYED CHEROKEE PARK 12,000 TREES WERE UPROOTED.

AND TALK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH OUR PARTNERS WITH EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND HOW WE ARE BETTER PREPARED AND IN GENERAL WE ARE DOING BETTER WITH WARNINGS GETTING PEOPLE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION AND TRY TO MITIGATE LIKE DUSTIN SAID ABOUT LOSS OF LIFE.

I HATE TO SEE THIS.

>> NOW, LET'S LOOK AHEAD.

WE HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT EVENTS FROM THE PAST AND NOW WE WILL LOOK FORWARD TO SEE WHAT WE CAN EXPECT TO PREPARE FOR.

WE'LL START WITH THIS SPRING AND THE NEAR FUTURE.

THE CLIMATE PREDICTION CENTER ISSUES SEASONAL OUTLOOKS AND THE PRECIPITATION THIS SPRING.

SHANE, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THAT MAP, WE ARE IN THE GREEN.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR US?

>> THAT MEANS WE CAN EXPECT A LEAN TOWARD ABOVE AVERAGE RAINFALL OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS FOR WHAT IS REFERRED TOES AMETEOROLOGICAL SPRING, MARCH, APRIL, AND INTO MAY.

AND I WILL SAY WE ARE TRANSITIONING OUT OF ONE UPPER ATMOSPHERIC PATTERN INTO ANOTHER RIGHT NOW.

ROUGHLY THE LAST YEAR WE HAVE BEEN IN EL NINO PATTERN AND THAT REFERS TO ABNORMAL WARMING THE WATERS ALONG THE EQUATOR IN THE CENTRAL PACIFIC OCEAN.

PRIOR TO THAT WE HAD AN EXTENDED LA NINA PATTERN DATING BACK TO 2020 BETWEEN 20 AND 23 WE ARE IN LA NINA THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF EL NINO WHERE YOU HAVE COOLING OF THE WATERS.

NORMALLY WHAT THAT MEANS FOR KENTUCKY WHEN WE HAVE LA NINA IS THINGS WILL BE WETTER THAN NORMAL AND THINGS MAYBE STORMIER THAN NORMAL.

THE BIG TORNADO OUTBREAK IN DECEMBER OF 21 THAT HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT LA NINA STRETCH.

HOWEVER WE'VE COME OUT OF AN EL NINO WINTER AND WE HAD A TORNADO OUTBREAK THAT AFFECTED TENNESSEE AND SOUTHERN KENTUCKY ON DECEMBER 9TH.

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S EL NINO OR LA NINA YOU HAVE TO BE PREPARED IN KENTUCKY FOR ANYTHING.

>> GOOD POINT.

LET'S LOOK AT THE SEASONAL TEMPERATURE OUTLOOK.

THIS IS FOR MARCH, APRIL, MAY.

JOHN GORDON, YOU CAN SEE WE'RE IN THAT ORANGE.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR US?

>> WARMER THAN NORMAL.

AND THAT WILL HAPPEN.

FOLKS WE'RE GOING TO BE WETTER AND WARMER.

WE HAVE MORE SYSTEMS GOING THROUGH THE JETSTREAM.

WE'RE ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THAT.

AND WE'RE GOING TO STAY WARM THIS WHOLE SPRING UNFORTUNATELY.

WE HAVE MORE WARMTH, WE HAVE MORE MOISTURE THAT MEANS MORE STORMS.

IT WORKS TOGETHER THAT WAY.

IMAGINE THAT.

AND YOU KNOW, WHAT I WORRY ABOUT I SIT AROUND AND I GOT THUNDER OVER LOUISVILLE BETWEEN 500,000 AND A MILLION PEOPLE AND THREE OR FOUR MILE STRETCH ON A RIVER AND NONSTOP EVENTS NOW THEY KEEP ADDING MORE AND MORE AND MORE EVENTS FOR THE DERBY AND THEY WANT GOOD WEATHER FOR TWO WEEKS WHICH IS A JOKE.

>> WE DEMAND IT.

>> LOOK AT THIS.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE YEAR AND SAY WHAT IS THE PEAK TORNADO DAY IN LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY IT IS MAY 6.

>> TAWANA ANDREW THAT IS NOT GOOD NEWS FOR YOU, IS IT?

WITH THE STATION IN LOUISVILLE WHO COVERS THE DERBY THAT WHOLE WEEK LEADING UP AND ALL DAY DERBY DAY THAT'S NOT GREAT NEWS, IS IT?

>> NO IT IS NOT.

BUT WE TRY TO PLAN AHEAD AND MAKE OUR OUR WEATHER TEAM IS FULLY STAFF AND READY TO GO FOR THAT WEEK SO WE CAN MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS PREPARED.

I WILL BE OUT THERE ON THE BACKSIDE OF CHURCHILL DOWNS NO MATTER THE WEATHER UNLESS IT GETS SEVERE.

ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE YOU HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS READY.

CHURCHILL DOWNS IS READY FOR DERBY NO MATTER THE WEATHER.

BUT IF YOU ARE JUST GOING TO ANY OF THE EVENTS BEING WEATHER AWARE WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING MULTIPLE WAY TO GET ALERTS FROM RAIN TO DARE I SAY SLEET BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THAT BEFORE AS WE HEAD TOWARDS DERBY SEASON AND THUNDER SEASON AS WELL.

IT'S JUST ALL ABOUT PREPARATION.

AND I HAVE MY RAIN BOOTS READY FOR SURE.

>> YES, THAT IS SMART.

KENTUCKY'S CLIMATE SUMMARY FROM NOAA SHOWS THAT KENTUCKY'S AVERAGE TEMPERATURE IS WARMER THAN IT USED TO BE.

NOW, THIS IS SINCE 1900.

TEMPERATURES IN KENTUCKY HAVE RISEN BY 0.6° FAHRENHEIT SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY KENTUCKY TEMPERATURE HASN'T RISEN AS MUCH AS THE U.S. AVERAGE INCREASE OF 1.8° FAHRENHEIT.

OKAY.

NOW, I WANT TO GO BACK TO TAWANA ANDREW.

0.6° THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT IS THAT SIGNIFICANT?

>> IT REALLY DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT BUT WHEN YOU FACTOR IN WHEN YOU HAVE WARMER TEMPERATURES THE ATMOSPHERE CAN HOLD MORE MOISTURE, IT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO REALLY HELP TO DEVELOP STRONGER STORMS, YEAH, THAT CAN BE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT ACROSS THE AREA.

AND THEN YOU ALSO HAVE TO REMEMBER THE CITY OF LOUISVILLE ITSELF AS WELL.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT THE DRASTIC DIFFERENCE YOU CAN SEE BETWEEN DOWNTOWN LOUISVILLE AND OTHER PLACES, THAT YOU CAN END UP WITH MORE OF AN IMPACT WITHIN A MAJOR CITY COMPARED TO OTHER LOCATIONS.

AND ALSO, WITH THAT WARMER WEATHER YOU HAVE MORE OF THAT MOISTURE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE DEVELOPING AREAS EVEN MORE, MORE PAVEMENT, MORE ASPHALT, THE POTENTIAL FOREMORE FLOODING WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THAT EARLIER, URBAN FLOODING CAN BE INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS.

AND ONCE AGAIN WE ARE GETTING BACK TO THE TURN AROUND DON'T DROWN.

ONCE AGAIN PREPARATION BEING WEATHER AWARE IS CERTAINLY GOING TO BE KEY AS WE'RE HEADING FORWARD AND GOING INTO A WET AND STORMY SEASON.

>> OKAY.

SHANE, 0.6° FAHRENHEIT.

THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A LOT WHAT ELSE IS THAT GOING TO AFFECT?

WHAT ELSE MIGHT WE HAVE IMPACTS?

>> IT AFFECTS STORM SEASONS AND THE SHIFTING OF THEM.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT TORNADO ALLEY A LOT OF US HEARD ABOUT THAT.

DIXIE ALLEY DURING THE WINTER SEASON AND IN THE PLAINS THEIR TORNADO ALLEY WOULD INCLUDE KANSAS, OKLAHOMA, TEXAS.

WE OFTEN THINK OF THE TORNADOES HAPPENING DURING THE SPRING TO EARLY SUMMER MONTHS.

THERE'S BEEN A NORTHEAST WARD SHIFT IN TRADITIONAL TORNADO ALLEY OVER THE LAST DECADE.

SOME OF THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE WARMING THAT WE'VE SEEN DURING THAT TIME.

WE CAME OUT OF A WARM WINTER FOR KENTUCKY AS A WHOLE.

FOR BOTH LOUISVILLE AND LEXINGTON FEBRUARY WAS A TOP FIVE WARM FEBRUARY.

FOR PADUCAH IT WAS THE WARMEST ALL TIME.

WHEN YOU WARM THINGS UP YOU INCREASE THE LOWER ATMOSPHERE'S CAPACITY TO HOLD MORE MOISTURE OR WATER VAPOR THERE BY INCREASING THE CHANCES FOR HEAVY PRECIPITATION AND THEN STORMIER CONDITIONS ESPECIALLY WHEN COLD FRONTS SWEEP IN FROM THE NORTH AND WEST.

>> ARE LESS TORNADOES HAPPENING WHERE THEY HAD THAT THE TYPICAL TORNADO ALLEY IN THE PLAINS OR JUST MORE HAPPENING HERE?

>> IT'S MORE HAPPENING HERE.

AND ESPECIALLY TRUE DURING THE COLD SEASON WE REFER TO THE COLD SEASON AS THE TIME FROM NOVEMBER INTO MARCH.

WE WILL BE TRANSITIONING OUT OF THAT SOON.

IT WAS OFTEN THOUGHT OF DATING BACK TO '74 AND BEFORE THAT THAT SPRING WAS PRIMETIME FOR SEVERE WEATHER AND THAT IS STILL TRUE FOR KENTUCKY APRIL, MAY AND JUNE ARE THE TOP MONTHS.

AS A WHOLE.

BUT THE MORE DANGEROUS AND DEADLY TORNADOES ARE NOW HAPPENING DURING THE DEAD OF WINTER.

>> AND WE'VE SEEN THAT TREND.

SO WE CONTRIBUTE THAT TO HAVING SLIGHTLY WARMER TEMPERATURES?

>> YES.

ESPECIALLY NIGHTTIME TEMPERATURES.

THE NIGHTTIME TEMPERATURES BEING WARM.

WHEN YOUR LOW TEMPERATURES 56° WHEN IT SERVICE 20-30° IT IS A BIG PROBLEM SO YOU HAVE THE STORMS THAT FORM OUT IN GRAVES COUNTY AND WEST OUT IN MISSOURI AND THEY START GOING EAST AND IT'S NIGHTTIME AND THERE IS FUEL.

YOU HAVE THE TEMPERATURES AND MOISTURE.

WE LOOK AT DEW POINT THERE IS MORE MOISTURE IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

AND I CAN'T TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF TORNADOES I HAVE AFTER 10:00 AT NIGHT.

I WOULD GUESS FOR THE ENTIRE YEAR, THE TORNADO COUNT IS PROBABLY AT LEAST 15-20% BETWEEN THE COOL MONTHS THAT HE TALKED ABOUT.

AND WE GET ONE OR TWO OF THESE DURING SQUALL LINES THE LINES OF STORMS THAT COME THROUGH AND THEY PRODUCE A LOT OF WIND BUT THEY SPIN-UP THE TORNADOES ON THERE AND THEY CAN HIT YOUR HOUSE.

I'VE SEEN MOST ARE 0'S AND 1s, BETWEEN 70-110-MILES-PER-HOUR.

2011 IN HENRY COUNTY, KENTUCKY I MADE IT A 3 UP THERE.

AND THIS THING WAS A WELL BUILT HOUSE IT WAS LUCKY IT WASN'T IN HARRISBURG OR DANVILLE.

IT IS AMAZING.

I WORRY MOST ABOUT TORNADOES AT NIGHT MORE THAN ANYTHING.

>> BECAUSE?

>> BECAUSE PEOPLE GO TO BED.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO YOU WANT TO GO TO BED.

BOWLING GREEN, I COULD NOT TELL YOU THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT SAID I JUST WENT TO A CHRISTMAS PARTY I'VE HAD ENOUGH TO DRINK I'M GOING TO BED.

THE WEATHER PEOPLE ARE FULL OF BOLONEY.

WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO WAIT ALL NIGHT LONG FOR THE STORMS?

YES, BE PREPARED HAVE A PLAN.

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO DRIVING FROM THE SOCCER PRACTICE HAVE A PLAN STAN.

>> BEING FULL OF BOLONEY.

YOU WAKE UP IN THE -- WEE EARLY MORNING HOURS.

AND I'M SURE THERE HAVE BEEN PLENTY OF TIMES WHERE YOU'VE HAD TO COME IN EARLY THERE IS SEVERE WEATHER RISK AT THAT TIME.

AND IN YOUR TRACKING TORNADOES IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS SOMETIMES, RIGHT?

>> YES.

AND EVEN WITH THE RECENT SYSTEM THAT WE HAD THAT THANKFULLY DID NOT TURNOUT TON INCREDIBLY SEVERE WITH WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER THERE IS A LOT OF EASTERN FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HIT AND THE THING I'VE LEARNED OVER THE PAST YEAR THERE IS STORM ANXIETY.

WHILE THERE IS A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BED, LIKE MY HUSBAND HE IS LIKE I KNOW YOU WILL CALL ME IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG AND THERE'S WAYS FOR ME TO GET ALERTS OTHER PEOPLE STAY AWAKE BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN THROUGH MAYFIELD, THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH WHAT HAPPENED IN HENRYVILLE AND THEY ARE STILL DEALING WITH THE AFTERMATH.

EVEN THE PTSD BECAUSE IT IT.

WE TRY TO GIVE CONSISTENT UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT EVEN IF THERE IS NOT A TORNADO ON THE GROUND WE ARE GOING TO BE LIKE HERE IS A HEADS UP AND WHAT IS GOING ON.

LET US CALM YOUR FEARS FOR A LOT OF THE NIGHTTIME HOURS.

FOR PEOPLE I ALWAYS SAY IT'S PREPARATION AND NOT PANIC.

A LOT OF PEOPLE TEND TO GET INTO THE PANIC MODE IF THEY ARE NOT PREPARED NOT BEING WEATHER AWARE, IF THEY DON'T HAVE WAYS TO GET ALERTS THEY MAY HEAR THE SIREN OUTSIDE OF THE WINDOW AND WHAT IS GOING ON?

ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE WE AND ESPECIALLY AS A OVERNIGHT EARLY MORNING METEOROLOGIST, I TRY TO MAKE SURE I REMAIN AS CALM AS POSSIBLE AND GIVE YOU THE INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED.

BEYOND THAT POINT, I MEAN I CAN'T CONTROL THE WEATHER BUT I CAN GIVE YOU A HEADS UP ABOUT.

>> YOU DON'T CONTROL IT.

WE'LL MAKE A NOTE.

>> NO, I NEED TO REMIND PEOPLE OF THAT.

>> WE HAVE 10 MINUTES LEFT.

WE WANT TO END ON A HIGH NOTE.

SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

LET'S TALK ABOUT THE UPCOMING TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE IT IS A RARITY THAT KENTUCKY IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY SO SOON AFTER THE AUGUST 2017 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE THE ECLIPSE SKIMS PADUCAH AND HENDERSON AND THE PATH IS JUST NORTH OF THE LOUISVILLE AND NORTHERN KENTUCKY AREA.

SO A QUICK DRIVE THERE TO INTO INDIANA OR OHIO.

AND THERE IS AN EXCERPT FROM A KENTUCKY LIFE SEGMENT THAT WE DID DESCRIBING WHAT WE CAN EXPECT FROM THIS SIGHT.

>> I AM INDEED A PLANETARY SCIENTIST AND I HAPPEN TO STUDY THE MOON.

WHAT I LIKE TO TELL EVERYONE WHEN YOU ARE LOOKED AT THE SUN YOU ARE SEEING THE MOON.

IT WILL START BY LOOKING LIKE A BITE TAKEN OUT OF A COOKIE AND SLOWLY OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT HOUR-AND-A-HALF THAT BITE WILL GET BIGGER UNTIL WE HAVE A CRESCENT SUN AND TOTALITY.

>> FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO,% ONE... THAT'S WHEN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE CORRECT RONER IN THE OUTER ATMOSPHERE IT WILL LOOK LIKE WISPY CROWN THAT COMES FROM THE SUN TOWARDS THE EARTH.

AND THEN AFTER TOTALITY IS OVER YOU WILL GET THAT CRESCENT SUN AND THERE IS AN HOUR-AND-A-HALF OF ECLIPSE WHEN YOU GET TO SEE THE PHASES ON THE OTHER SIDE WHEN THE BITE OUT OF THAT COOKIE GETS SMALLER AND SMALLER AND SMALLER.

THE EVENT FROM BEGINNING TO END IS ABOUT THREE HOURS.

>> AND WHILE PADUCAH AND HENDERSON WILL BE IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY THE ENTIRE SUN WILL BE BLOCKED BY THE MOON KENTUCKY TOWNS WILL BE CLOSE.

YOU CAN SEE LOUISVILLE THERE 99% TOTALITY.

AND THAT IS THE EASTERN TIME THAT WILL BE THE PEAK AROUND 3:07PM AND LATINX SON 97% AT 3:08.

ASHLAND 95% AT 3:12.

GETTING CLOSE THERE.

HEAD OVER TO SHANE, SO WITH THESE SITES I HAD CHILLS LOOKING AT THAT.

WHAT CAN WE EXPECT?

I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE LESS THAN THREE HOURS FOR THAT TOTAL EVENT BUT THIS ISN'T JUST LIKE A TWO-MINUTE EVENT.

>> THAT IS RIGHT.

THE PARTIAL PHASE WILL START WELL BEFORE THE TOTALITY FOR THOSE IN FAR WEST AND NORTHWESTERN KENTUCKY.

OWENSBORO WILL HAVE 99% ECLIPSE AS WELL.

THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 99% WITH THIS AND 100%.

>> TELL ME WHY?

>> THAT IS BECAUSE WITH 100% THE SKY WILL GO DARK WHETHER IT'S FAIR OR CLOUDY THAT DAY, 99% IT WILL GO DIM BUT IT WILL NOT GO COMPLETELY DARK NOT TO THE POINT WHERE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE STARS AND PLANETS COME OUT IF THE SKIES ARE CLEAR.

>> DOES THE TEMPERATURE DROP WHEN IT GOES DARK?

>> IT CAN.

>> HOW MUCH?

>> IN 2017 FOR AREAS AROUND BOWLING GREEN, WE SAW TEMPERATURE DROPS FROM 8-10° DURING THAT EVENT WHEN TOTALITY OCCURRED.

WE HAD 12 MESONET SITES IN SOUTHERN AND WESTERN KENTUCKY THAT MEASURED THE SOLAR RADIATION AS WELL AS WIND DIRECTION, WIND SPEED ON A FREQUENT BASIS, AND WE WILL BE DOING THAT AGAIN FOR OUR COUNTY OVER TO THE WEST OF PADUCAH WHERE THEY WILL EXPERIENCE TWO MINUTES OF TOTALITY THERE.

WE WILL BE TRACKING THE CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE DAY ON APRIL 8 NOT JUST THE SOLAR RADIATION BUT THE CHANGES IN WIND DIRECTION, WIND SPEED AND THE 2017 EVENT WE SAW THE WIND SPEED GO DOWN TO NEAR CALM ONCE THE SUN WAS COVERED IN THAT EVENT AND TEMPERATURE WILL BE MEASURED AS WELL.

>> THAT WILL BE COOL DATA.

OKAY.

IT'S GRAVES COUNTY IN THIS PATH OF TOTALITY?

>> WE HAVE JUST A LITTLE TIP OF THE NORTH END OF THE COUNTY.

SO I DO PLAN ON WATCHING THIS ONE.

I MISSED THE 2017 ONE SO I ACTUALLY WANT TO SEE THIS ONE.

SO I PROBABLY WILL GO ON TO MCCRACKEN AND HANGOUT THERE AND IN CASE THEY NEED ME.

>> PADUCAH AND PLACES TO THE NORTH EVEN OF KENTUCKY WILL BE PACKED.

WHAT DO WE NEED TO KNOW THAT WE ARE NOT THINK BEING FOR THIS EVENT?

>> I THINK KIND OF THE WHAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT HERE IS PREPAREDNESS.

SO AGAIN, MAJORITY OF KENTUCKY IS NOT GOING TO SEE TOTALITY BUT KNOWING THAT AREAS JUST TO OUR NORTH, NORTHWEST WILL SEE TOTALITY.

WHICH MEANS WE WILL PROBABLY SEE AN INCREASE IN TRAFFIC FOR FOLKS WHO WANT TO GO TO THAT AREA.

STAYING IN KENTUCKY, AND THEN MAY JUST CROSS BRIDGES A FEW MILES TO THE NORTHWEST THERE AND THEY ARE IN THE AREAS THAT DO HAVE TOTALITY.

THINK ABOUT THAT.

IF YOU ARE MAKING THE TRIP, MAKE SURE YOUR CAR IS FULL OF FUEL BATTERIES ARE FULL ON YOUR PHONE.

SNACKS IN YOUR CAR SIMPLE THINGS THAT WE MAY NOT THINK ARE A BIG DEAL BUT TAKING THAT WINTER PREPAREDNESS WE SEE FOR VEHICLES AND TRANSFERRING THAT TO THE SAME THING.

EXPECT HIGHER TRAFFIC IN THAT DAY IN THOSE AREAS.

AND HEY, IF YOU ARE NOT ANTICIPATING WANTING TO GO SEE IT, STAY AWAY FROM THOSE AREAS.

THAT IS GOING TO HELP YOU NOT BE INTERACTING IN THAT TRAFFIC CONCERN.

BUT JUST TAKE YOUR TIME.

ENJOY IT.

TAKE YOUR TIME.

AND BE PREPARED AS WE'VE SAID WITH ALL THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.

>> APRIL 8 THAT IS ON A MONDAY, A WORKDAY.

SCHOOL DAY FOR TOMORROW BUT I THINK SOME SCHOOLS ARE OUT EXTENDED THE SPRING BREAK.

>> YOU WANT TO END ON A POSITIVE NOTE.

LET'S DO A REALISTIC NOTE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT CLIMATOLOGY WHEN WE MEASURE CLOUDS EVERYDAY, THE PERCENTAGE OF CLOUDS EVERYDAY.

THE AVERAGE FOR APRIL 8TH FOR THE HISTORY IS 66% CLOUD COVER WHICH IS NOT GOOD.

WE WANT HIGH PRESSURE THAT DAY.

WE WANT NICE HIGH PRESSURE BLUE SKIES THAT WILL ALLOW EVERYONE TO HAVE A GREAT DAY.

BUT IF YOU DON'T, YOU WILL IF YOU HAVE A CLOUDY DAY YOU WILL SEE NOTHING.

>> TAWANA ANDREW TOLD US SHE DOES NOT CONTROL THAT.

>> I THOUGHT SHE DID.

>> WHO CAN WE GET TO?

WE NEED SUNSHINE.

THAT IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE WAITING ON WE NEED CLEAR SKIES.

WE LUCKED OUT IN 2018.

>> -- 2017.

I WENT DOWN AND HAD 100% IN WHITE HOUSE TENNESSEE IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING THING I'VE EVER SEEN.

>> WE NEED YOU TO WORK YOUR MAGIC.

WELL, I -- >> I CAN CERTAINLY DO THAT.

>> JUST TRY.

JUST TRY.

SEE WHO YOU CAN TALK TO.

YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GO HIGHER UP.

I WANT TO THANK ALL OUR GUESTS FOR BEING HERE AND FOR SHARING THEIR EXPERTISE WITH US.

JOHN GORDON WITH THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

DUSTIN HEISER WITH KENTUCKY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

TRACY WARNER GRAVES COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.

SHANE HOLINDE FROM THE KENTUCKY MET NET AND KENTUCKY CLIMATE CENTER AND IN OUR LOUISVILLE STUDIO TAWANA ANDREW METEOROLOGIST AT WAIVE IN LOUISVILLE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND EXPERTISE AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

REMEMBER TO BE WEATHER AWARE.

STAY SAFE AND TAKE CARE.

[♪♪]