 at the leading edge of a cold front moving across the American Midwest, causing a flash flood that struck Louisville and portions of the surrounding Kentuckiana region. The National Weather Service estimated that between  of rain fell across the city in less than one hour, breaking all previous one-hour rainfall records in the area. Most of the downtown area was underwater, with the deluge reaching  deep in places. The flood was the third major disaster to strike the region in less than one year. (Winds from Hurricane Ike knocked out the electrical grid, an ice storm took out the electrical grid, then the flash flood.)

Early damage estimates were in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The University of Louisville and the Louisville Public Library's main branch each sustained millions of dollars in damage. On August 12, Governor of Kentucky Steve Beshear requested the federal government declare all of Jefferson County, Kentucky a major disaster area.

Storm

A slow moving cluster of thunderstorms descended from central Indiana into south-central Indiana and north-central Kentucky. As it entered the region at the head of a cold front, the storm strengthened significantly and began producing hail, strong winds, and heavy rain. As the storm moved into the Louisville Metropolitan Area, it continued to strengthen as a torrential downpour inundated the area. Within a one-hour period more than  of rain fell on parts of the region, breaking all previous rainfall records for a one-hour period. By the end of the day, more rain fell than is normal for the entire month of August. Downtown Louisville, New Albany, Jeffersonville, and Clarksville were particularly hard hit with water depth surpassing four feet in some areas. Creeks and streams quickly flooded many neighborhoods, and flash floods rendered numerous streets and areas impassable. Severe lightning and wind that accompanied the storm led to more widespread damage.

Rain continued throughout the day, letting up at around 1 pm EDT. The ground had already been saturated from rains in the preceding days causing water levels to drop slower than normal. By 3 pm EDT a light rain resumed, but most of the flood waters had receded in the higher elevations of the city. Deep pools of standing water remained in isolated areas of the city until August 5.

Travel impact

The Louisville International Airport was closed and flights were diverted to Lexington, Kentucky until 1 pm EDT. Northbound Northwest Airlines flight 2287, traveling from Knoxville to
at the leading edge of a cold front moving across the American Midwest, cause a flare flood that struck Louisville and portions of the smother Kentuckiana region. The National Weather Service estimated that between   of rain fall across the city in less than one hour, breaking all previous one - hour rain record in the area. Most of the business district area was underwater, with the deluge reaching   cryptic in places. The flood was the third major disaster to strike the region in less than one class. (Winds from Hurricane Ike knocked out the electrical power system, an ice storm took out the electrical grid, then the flash flood tide .) 

 Early damage estimate were in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The University of Louisville and the Louisville Public Library's chief branch each sustained millions of dollars in damage. On August   12, Governor of Kentucky Steve Beshear requested the federal government declare all of Jefferson County, Kentucky a major disaster area. 

 Storm 

 A slow moving cluster of thunderstorms descended from central Indiana into confederacy - cardinal Indiana and north - central Kentucky. As it entered the area at the headway of a cold front, the storm strengthened importantly and began grow hail, strong winds, and arduous rain. As the storm moved into the Louisville Metropolitan Area, it continued to strengthen as a torrential downpour inundated the area. Within a one - hour period more than   of rain fall on parts of the region, breaking all previous rain records for a one - hour menstruation. By the goal of the day, more rain fell than is normal for the entire month of August. Downtown Louisville, New Albany, Jeffersonville, and Clarksville were peculiarly hard hit with water depth surpassing four feet in some areas. Creeks and streams cursorily flooded many neighborhood, and flash floods picture numerous streets and area impassable. Severe lightning and tip that accompanied the storm lead to more widespread damage. 

 Rain continued throughout the day, letting up at around 1   phase modulation EDT. The ground had already been saturated from rains in the preceding days causing water levels to drop slower than normal. By 3 autopsy EDT a light rain resumed, but most of the flood tide waters had receded in the higher elevations of the city. Deep pools of standing urine remained in isolated areas of the city until August 5. 

 Travel impact 

 The Louisville International Airport was closed and flights were diverted to Lexington, Kentucky until 1   prime minister EDT. Northbound Northwest Airlines escape 2287, traveling from Knoxville to
 at the leading edge of a culd front moviny acrosv the Zmerican Midwest, causing a flash flold that struck Louisville and portions of the wurriynding Kenvhckiana regioh. The Iational Weathet Service esdimated that batdezn  of rain fell across the city in jess thsn one hour, breahing wll lgeyious one-hour rainfall records ih the agea. Most of the dpwntown area was underwateg, wihh the deluge reacjing  deep un pjqces. The floud was the third major disaster to strike the region kn lexs than ong gewt. (Winds from Hurrpcane Ike knogled oud the ekectrical grid, an icw storm took out the xlectrical grid, then the flasv ylood.)

Early damage estumqtes fere in gye funsrxds of miplikns of dolmars. The Unuversity of Louisviklq and the Louiaville Ptblic Library's main branch each sustaintd mimlions of dollars in danage. On August 12, Governlr of Keneucky Steve Beshear requested the federal governmant dxcuart qll ow Jffferson County, Kentucky a major disaster arew.

Atprk

A slow moving cluster of tjumqerstorms deszended frkm central Indiana into sjuth-cwntral Inqians and north-central Kentucky. As it entervd tye region at the hzad of a colb fronj, the xtorm strengthened signnficanfly and begwn producjvg hail, strong wkndx, dnd heavy rain. As the stori moved iito tke Louisxillg Metro[olitan Arfa, it continued to strenhthen av a torrenhial downpour inundated the aree. Within a ong-hogr ieriod moxe thak  of rain fell on parts of tke regiou, breaying all pgevious reinfall recowds for a one-vlur period. Bb the end of rhe eay, mord rain fell tham is normcj foe the entire month of Zugust. Downtown Loousville, New Alnanh, Jqfvecsonvynle, and Clarnsviule eere oarticularln hxrd nit with water depth surlassing four feet on some argas. Creekf and streams quickly flooded mwny nxighbochoods, anq flash floods rendered numerohs streetd akd areas impafsaboe. Severe liyhtning and wind that accompanied the stirm led to more wieespread damage.

Rain gontinued thcoughott the daf, letting up at aroubd 1 pm EDT. The gromnd had already been szturatad frlm rains in the preceding days causing water levels to drop slower than nirmal. Uy 3 pm EDT a mighy rait xesbmed, bue modv of the flood waners had receded in the higher euevationv jf the city. Deep pools of stsnaing water reoained in isolated areas of the vity until August 5.

Travel impact

Yhe Louisville Internatipnal Airport sas closed and flights were civertzd to Oexingtin, Kcntucky until 1 om RDB. Northboujd Nprchwest Airlines flight 2287, traveling from Jnlxville to
at the leading edge of a cold across American Midwest, a flash flood of surrounding Kentuckiana region. National Weather Service that between of rain fell across city in less than one hour, breaking all previous one-hour rainfall records in area. Most of the downtown area was underwater, with the deluge reaching deep places. flood the major disaster to strike the region in less than one year. (Winds from Hurricane Ike knocked the electrical grid, an ice storm took out electrical grid, then the flood.) Early damage estimates were the of millions dollars. University Louisville and the Public Library's main branch each sustained millions of dollars in damage. On August 12, Governor of Kentucky Beshear requested government declare of County, a major disaster A slow moving cluster of thunderstorms Indiana into south-central Indiana and north-central Kentucky. As entered the at the head of a cold the storm strengthened significantly and began producing hail, winds, and heavy rain. As the storm moved into the Louisville Metropolitan Area, it continued as a torrential downpour the area. Within one-hour more of fell on of the region, breaking all previous rainfall records for a one-hour By the end of the day, more rain fell than for entire month of Downtown Louisville, New Albany, and were particularly hard hit depth four areas. and quickly flooded many neighborhoods, flash floods rendered numerous streets areas impassable. Severe lightning storm led to more widespread damage. Rain continued the day, letting up at around 1 EDT. The ground had already been saturated from rains in the preceding causing water drop slower than normal. By 3 pm EDT light rain resumed, but of the flood waters had receded in the higher of city. Deep of standing water in isolated areas the city until Travel impact Louisville Airport flights were diverted to Lexington, Kentucky 1 EDT. Northbound Northwest Airlines flight traveling to
 at the leading edge of a cold frOnt moving aCross The ameRiCan MIdweSt, causing a flasH FlooD that struck Louisville aNd porTiONs of THe SurroUnding KENtUCKiaNa ReGioN. THE NAtionAl WEather SErvice estiMatEd That between  oF RaIn fell acroSs tHe city in less ThaN one hoUr, BreAKing aLl pRevioUs one-hOUr rainFall recorDs IN the arEA. Most of THE dOwntOwn area was underwaTEr, WIth the deluge reAching  DeEP iN PLacEs. THe flood was ThE thirD Major diSAsTER To sTRike the region In less than oNE yeAr. (WindS fRom hUrricaNe Ike KnOCkeD out the elecTricAl grid, an iCe storM Took out THe electRical gRid, TheN the FLaSh FloOd.)

eArlY DaMagE EstImates weRe In The huNdreDS OF MillIonS of dOllarS. The UniversitY of louiSVilLe and The LoUisvIlLe PubLic LibRary's MaIn branch each susTainEd millionS of DoLlaRs In damAGe. On AuGusT 12, GoVernor oF KentucKY StEvE bEShEar requested the fedErAL GoVernment DeclarE AlL oF jeffersoN COunTy, KeNTUcky a MajoR DiSaster arEa.

StorM

a sLoW moving ClUster oF tHunDerStormS DescEnded fRom centrAl IndIAna into south-ceNTral Indiana anD NoRTH-cENtraL KeNtucky. As it eNterED the RegiON aT thE Head oF a colD fROnT, The storm strengtheneD sIgnifiCantlY and began prodUcing hail, sTRONg winds, aNd heAVy RAin. As the storm mOved iNto the LouiSVille MetRopolItan Area, It continuED To strengTheN as A toRreNTIaL downpour inunDATed tHe Area. WitHin A one-houR peRioD moRe tHaN  of rain feLl on partS oF tHe ReGioN, breaKIng all prEvIouS rAinFall rECords fOr a onE-houR pErIOd. BY the end OF tHE Day, mOrE rAin fEll ThAn is nOrmaL For The entiRe month of augUSt. DoWnToWn LouisVille, New AlbanY, JEffersonviLlE, anD ClarkSVIlle were Particularly hard hit with WAter depTh sUrpasSing Four feet iN soMe areaS. CrEEks and StreamS quicKlY flOODed maNY NeIghBoRhoods, and fLASh fLoods ReNderEd numerOus streets and areas IMpaSsable. Severe lIghTninG ANd WinD ThAT acCoMPanIED the storm led to mOre widesprEaD DaMage.

Rain coNTinUeD througHout the Day, leTTing up aT around 1 pm eDT. The groUnD had ALReaDy been satuRated froM rains in tHE precEDiNg dayS caUsing wAtEr lEvels To drop SLowEr thaN normaL. BY 3 pm EDT A lighT rAin resumEd, but most of the flood wateRs had rEcedeD in The higher EleVAtiOns of the cIty. DEep pools of StaNdiNg watEr rEMaineD in iSOlAteD Areas Of thE City until aUgUst 5.

tRAvEl impact

The lOUIsvIlle INteRNationAl AiRport was closed and FLights were diveRted TO lexIngTOn, KeNtUcky until 1 pm EDT. norThBOUnd NorthWeSt Airlines fLight 2287, traVeLIng frOm KnoxVille tO
 at the leading edge of acold front  movi ngacr os s th e Am erican Midwest ,  cau sing a flash flood tha t str uc k  Lou i sv illeand por t io n s  of  t he  su rr o un dingKen tuckian a region.The  N ational Weat h er  Service e sti mated that b etw een  o frai n  fell  ac rossthe ci t y in l ess thanon e  hour, breakin g al l pr evious one-hour r a in f all records in  the a re a .M o stofthe downto wn  area was und e rw a t e r,w ith the delug e reachingdee p in p la ces .  The f loodwa s  th e third maj or d isaster t o stri k e the r e gion in  lesstha n o ne y e ar .(Wi nd s  fr o mHur r ica ne Ike k no ck ed ou t th e e l ectr ica l gr id, a n ice storm t ook  out the  elec trica l gr id , the n theflash  f lood.)

Early d amag e estimat eswe rein  theh undred s o f m illions  of dol l ars .T h e  U niversity of Louis vi l l eand theLouisv i ll eP ublic Li br ary 's m a i n bra nche ac h sustai ned mi l li on s of do ll ars in  d ama ge.  On A u gust  12, G overnorof Ke n tucky Steve Be s hear requeste d  t h e  f e dera l g overnment d ecla r e al l of Je ffe r son C ounty ,K en t ucky a major disast er  area. 

Sto rm

A slow mo ving clust e r of thund erst o rm s  descended fro m cen tral India n a into s outh- centralIndiana a n d  north-c ent ral  Ke ntu c k y.  As it entere d there gion at  th e headofa c old  fr on t, the st orm stre ng th en ed  si gnifi c antly an dbeg an  pr oduci n g hail , str ongwi nd s , a nd heav y  r a i n. A sth e st orm  m ovedinto the  Louisv ille Metr opo l itan  A re a, it c ontinued to s tr engthen as  a  to rrenti a l  downpou r inundated the area. W i thin aone -hour  per iod moretha n  ofrai n  fellon par ts of  t her e gion, b re aki ng  all previ o u s r ainfa ll  rec ords fo r a one-hour perio d . B y the end ofthe  day , mo rer ai n  fe ll tha n is normal for t he entiremo n th  of August .  Do wn town Lo uisvill e, Ne w  Albany , Jeffers onville,an d Cl a r ksv ille wereparticul arly hard hit w i th  wate r d epth s ur pas singfour f e etin so me are as . Cree ks an dstreamsquickly flooded many ne ighbor hoods , a nd flashflo o dsrenderednume rous stree tsand  area s i m passa ble. Se ver e  ligh tnin g  and wind th ata c co mpanied the s t orm  ledtom ore wi desp read damage.

Rai n  continued thr ough o u t t hed ay,le tting up at ar oun d1 pm EDT.Th e ground ha d alread yb een s aturat ed fro m rains i nt he pre cedi ngdays caus ing  w a ter lev el st o drop  slo we r than  norma l . By 3  pm EDT a lightrainr e sumed ,  bu t mos tof thef lood  waters ha d receded i n thehigh er el evation sof the  ci ty . Deep poo l s of stan dingwater r em aine d i n isol ated a reasof t he  ci ty untilA u gu s t5. 
Tr avel  impa ct 

Th e Louisvi l le Inter nat i onal Ai rp ort w as clo s ed a nd flights  we re di v e rted to Le x ingt o n, Kentu cky un til 1pm EDT. Nor th bound N ort h w est Airli nes fligh t  22 87 , tr avelingfr om K no xvi ll e to
 at_the leading_edge of a cold_front moving_across_the American_Midwest,_causing a flash_flood that struck_Louisville and portions of_the surrounding Kentuckiana_region._The National Weather Service estimated that between  of rain fell across the city_in_less than_one_hour,_breaking all previous one-hour rainfall_records in the area. Most_of the_downtown area was underwater, with the deluge reaching__deep in places._The flood was the third major disaster to strike_the region in less than one_year. (Winds from_Hurricane_Ike_knocked out the electrical_grid, an ice storm took out_the electrical grid, then the flash_flood.)

Early damage estimates were in the hundreds_of millions of dollars. The University_of Louisville and the Louisville_Public Library's_main branch each sustained millions_of dollars in_damage. On_August 12, Governor of_Kentucky Steve Beshear requested the federal_government declare all_of Jefferson County, Kentucky a major_disaster_area.

Storm

A slow moving_cluster_of_thunderstorms descended_from central Indiana_into_south-central Indiana_and_north-central Kentucky. As it entered the_region_at the head of a cold front,_the storm strengthened significantly_and_began producing hail, strong_winds, and heavy rain. As_the storm moved into the Louisville_Metropolitan Area,_it continued_to strengthen as a torrential downpour inundated the area. Within a_one-hour period more than  of_rain fell on parts_of the_region,_breaking all previous_rainfall_records for_a one-hour period. By the end of_the day,_more rain fell than is normal_for the entire month_of_August. Downtown Louisville, New Albany, Jeffersonville,_and Clarksville were particularly hard hit_with water depth surpassing four_feet_in_some areas. Creeks and streams_quickly flooded many neighborhoods, and flash_floods rendered numerous_streets and areas impassable. Severe lightning and_wind_that accompanied the storm led to_more_widespread damage.

Rain continued throughout the day,_letting_up_at around 1 pm EDT. The_ground had already been saturated from_rains in the preceding days causing water levels to_drop slower than_normal. By 3 pm EDT_a_light_rain resumed, but most of the flood waters had receded_in the_higher elevations of_the city. Deep pools of standing water remained in isolated_areas of the city until August 5.

Travel_impact

The Louisville International Airport was closed and flights were diverted to_Lexington, Kentucky until 1 pm EDT. Northbound Northwest Airlines_flight 2287, traveling from Knoxville to