About the National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky
A look at the NWS Paducah Weather Forecast Office
What We Do
Operations
The National Weather Service in Paducah, KY is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. At any time, there are at least 2 meteorologists on staff, even during the middle of the night.
The primary duties at our office are to observe and forecast the weather for the next 7 days and to issue watches and warnings ahead of impactful weather.
Our County Warning Area (CWA) covers 58 counties across 4 different states (Southern Illinois, Western Kentucky, Southeast Missouri, and Southwest Indiana). The total population in our forecast area is nearly 1.6 million.
Rivers (Hydrology)
We have an extensive hydrology program. We work closely with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), Army Corps of Engineers, and 3 different River Forecast Centers (RFCs). The Paducah Hydrologic Service Area (HSA) has responsibility for monitoring 86 river gauges and issuing timely warnings for 30 locations along 12 different rivers. This includes the confluence of the two largest navigable waterways in the country, the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.
Aviation
At NWS Paducah, we are focused on providing aviation forecasts across our 58 county, 4 state region, including individualized forecasts for 5 airports: Paducah, KY Cape Girardeau, MO Evansville, IN Owensboro, KY Mount Vernon, IL
Aviation forecasts are created 4 times per day for a 24 hour period in the future. Pilots rely on our forecasts to fuel planes properly and plan routes. Additionally, pilots need a special qualification to land in conditions with reduced visibility like fog and heavy rain or thunderstorms. Our forecasts let them know they're able to land at the airport towards which they are flying.
Fire Weather
Large wildfires are uncommon in our region, due in large part to the amount of rain we receive and how humid it is. However, we still provide crucial forecasts for weather elements like wind, relative humidity, mixing height, and temperature for use by state and federal fire officials. This includes the Shawnee National Forest in Illinois, Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri, and Land Between the Lakes in Kentucky.
DSS
An ever growing focus of the National Weather Service is on what we call Impact-Based Decision Support Services (IDSS). IDSS are forecast advice and interpretative services that we provide to core partners, such as emergency managers and public safety officials, to help them make decisions when weather, water and climate impacts the lives and livelihoods of Americans. This can be on-site or virtual (over the phone or by video). We also have deployed, at the request of emergency management agencies, to Emergency Operations Centers for large public events such as the West Side Nut Club Festival (Evansville, IN) and Romp Fest (Owensboro, KY).
Outreach
Part of our job includes going out into the public to form partnerships and friendships with people and organizations so everyone can know about where to receive reliable weather forecasts and safety information. Learning about the community we serve, and the people who live there, is essential to our success.
Outreach events we participate in include school talks, spotter training sessions, and tabletop exercises. We also have booths at certain events, such as BBQ on the River in Paducah.
Observation Program
The Cooperative Observer Program (COOP) is a robust network of volunteers who record daily weather observations across the nation. COOPs are led locally by the Observing Program Leader, or OPL. The COOP program was formally created in 1890 under the Organic Act, which was the same legislation that established the U.S. Weather Bureau (predecessor to the NWS). Today there are over 8700 observers across the country that participate in this program. There are currently 56 COOP stations across the NWS Paducah area.
These observations consist of 24 hour precipitation (rain and snow) along with max and min temperatures. This data provides support for our forecasts, warnings, and other public service programs of the NWS. It also helps to extend the climate record and measure long-term climate changes.
A new initiative, known as Cellular COOP or CCOOP, has come about over the past several years. This is an automated observation station that uses cell service to transmit the data.
Office History
1870
In February 1870, US Congress authorized the War Department to take weather observations at key marine ports, assigning this function to the Army Signal Service. Little meteorological science was used to make weather forecasts during those early days. Instead, weather that occurred at one location was assumed to move into the next area downstream.
1871
The National Weather Service in Paducah, KY had its origins in Cairo, IL as a signal service station. Sergeant Henry Fenton of the US Army Signal Corp recorded the Bureau’s first weather data at 3:36 pm on Thursday June 1st, 1871 at the office which was located at the old City National Bank building on the Ohio River levee. “Skies were partly cloudy, temperature was 84 degrees after an overnight low of 78 degrees. Winds were northwest at 7 mph and barometer read 29.91”.
1877
The office was moved to the Custom House in Cairo.
1891
The agency was moved to the Department of Agriculture and became known as the Weather Bureau.
1940
Realizing that the Weather Bureau played an important role for the aviation community, and therefore commerce, President Franklin D. Roosevelt transferred the Weather Bureau to the Department of Commerce where it remains today.
1970
The Weather Bureau was renamed the National Weather Service (NWS).
1984
In 1984, a new temporary facility, a double wide trailer, opened here at Barkley Regional Airport in West Paducah. The office consisted of 6 staff members. A WSR-74C radar was installed at the airport to improve coverage for the region.
1987
Daily operations at the Cairo weather office ceased in 1987, and the office officially closed in 1990, after nearly 120 years of service.
1995
In February 1995, the current NWS Paducah facility was built and the staff increased to 21 to handle additional forecast functions. Finally, in September 1995 NWS Paducah assumed responsibility of additional Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky counties that were formerly in the county warning area of WSO Evansville, IN. That same month, the WSR-88D (Doppler radar) was commissioned.
2004
The Evansville Indiana radar, KVWX, was commissioned. The new radar provides improved weather radar coverage over southern Indiana and Western Kentucky
Meet The Staff
NWS Paducah is staffed with 22 personnel. The office is managed by the Meteorologist-in-Charge (MIC). Additional management personnel include the Warning Coordination Meteorologist, Science and Operations Officer, and Electronics Systems Analyst.
Operational personnel includes 12 meteorologists (6 lead meteorologists, 6 meteorologists). Our office also has a Service Hydrologist (manages the river program for our forecast area) and an Observation Program Leader (who is in charge of the data acquisition program). The Paducah office is supported by a talented team including the Information Technology Officer, 2 Electronics Technicians, and an Administrative Support Assistant.
Here are the descriptions and duties for each position at our office:
Meteorologist-in-Charge (MIC): Manages all operational and personnel aspects of the office. Serves as the head position in a Weather Forecast Office and makes sure the office is running smoothly and efficiently.
Science & Operations Officer (SOO): Supervises meteorologist training and operational proficiency. Serves as the office's scientific advisor and makes sure all products and services provided by the office meet local, regional, and national NWS standards.
Warning Coordination Meteorologist (WCM): Serves as the liaison between NWS Paducah and partners to ensure quality products and services. Leads area-wide public awareness, outreach, and preparedness programs. Leads and coordinates staff in conducting weather service operations.
Electronics System Analyst (ESA): Oversees all forecast office equipment, including the ASOS & radar.
Administrative Assistant (ASA): Handles all administrative duties for the office.
Information Technology Officer (ITO): Maintains the office computer systems.
Observation Program Leader (OPL): Oversees data collection, quality, and dissemination in the forecast office. This includes the NWS Cooperative Observer Program, climate data, and river basin information.
Service Hydrologist (SH): Manages river gauge data and develops relationships with hydrology partners.
Electronics Technicians (ET): Repair & maintain the office equipment and facilities.
Lead Meteorologists: Shift supervisor on the operations floor and ensures all products and services are issued when needed.
Meteorologists: Creates and issues the forecast for the next 7 days. This includes aviation, hydrology, and the general public forecast in a text and gridded format. Issues watch, warning, and advisory products when needed.
NWS Paducah Meteorologists come from all over the country. Here's a look at where we attended college.
Map of where NWS Paducah Meteorologists went to school
Severe Weather
Our office is located in a busy area of the country that encounters severe thunderstorms year round. It's rather rare to go much more than 1 month without issuing a Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado Warning. The bar graphs below show the number of warnings issued each year by our office, broken up into Severe Thunderstorm, Tornado, and Flash Flood.
Total # of Severe Thunderstorm, Tornado, and Flash Flood Warnings issued across our 58 county forecast area each year.
Climatology
Winters are usually cool with little snowfall (annual average of 9”) and occasional periods of mild weather. It is not uncommon to have temperatures reach the 50s and 60s, even during January and February. Summers are consistently hot and humid. High temperatures in January average in the mid 40s, while low temperatures average in the upper 20s. In July, highs are typically around 90, with lows in the upper 60s. The wettest time of year lasts from late winter through early summer, with a secondary maximum in late autumn. The driest month is August, with an average of 3.11 inches of rainfall. Severe thunderstorms can occur in any month, but are most frequent in Spring and late Winter, peaking around May 1 st . A secondary maximum occurs during Autumn.
Monthly Temperature and Precipitation Normals for Paducah, KY
Around Our Area
Paducah is located in the Purchase region of Western Kentucky, in McCracken County. The city is located at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers, and just 47 miles upstream from the confluence with the Mississippi river. The terrain is increasingly flat to the west of the city, with rolling hills ranging from 300 to 500 feet in elevation to the south and east. An area of hilly terrain ranging from 400 to 1000 feet in elevation called the Shawnee Hills extends in a west to east arc across southern Illinois. The terrain rises locally over 1200 feet in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, in the extreme northwestern portion of the CWA.
The area features a unique blend of Southern and Midwestern culture. Paducah is known as the ‘Quilt City’, as the American Quilting Society holds its annual main event here, the “Quilt Show”, in late April. The National Quilt Museum of the United States is located downtown. Paducah prides itself in its local music and art scene, as the Artist Relocation Program has used the arts to stimulate the economy of the downtown area with the fastest growing arts district in the nation. Paducah is located in the ‘Bible Belt’, with dozens of churches catering to nearly every faith. In addition, Paducah offers an arts district which includes: The Luther F Carson Performing Arts Center, the Paducah Symphony, the Market House Theater, and the Yeiser Art Center. Paducah also has several museums, including the Market House Museum, the Railroad Museum, Tilghman Civil War Museum, the Alben Barkley Museum, the River Discovery Center and many more.
As of the 2020 census, Paducah had a population of 27,137, with McCracken County having a total of 67,875 people. Other population centers located within the bounds of the county warning area include Marion and Carbondale Illinois, Cape Girardeau and Poplar Bluff Missouri, Owensboro, Hopkinsville, and Henderson Kentucky, with the largest being Evansville, Indiana (city: 118,414, as of the 2020 census).
Restaurants are plentiful in and around Paducah, and the area is known for its barbecue. Dozens of casual eating establishments along with most of the national fast food chains are located within 4 to 5 miles of the office, mainly around the Kentucky Oaks Mall area. Several opportunities for fine dining are located in the downtown area, along with more unique casual dining.
We are conveniently located in close proximity to 4 major cities. It is about a 2-hour drive to Nashville, 2.5 hours to St Louis, and 3 hours to Memphis and Louisville. The Appalachian Mountains are about 6 hours to the east. The Gulf of Mexico can be reached in a 9-hour drive, and it takes about 10 hours to reach the Atlantic Ocean. Barkley Regional Airport is located adjacent to our office, and provides direct flights to Charlotte, NC. Meanwhile, there are numerous recreation and entertainment opportunities nearby.
Paducah is an incredibly family friendly area, and it has something for everyone. Whether it’s sports, the arts, or broadening your horizons in science and education, Paducah has it covered. We are not a big city, but we have so much to offer without the big city hassles.
We have 2 public schools and 2 private schools. This results in some exciting rivalries!
Beyond our schools and all of the school activities, we also have county sponsored kids and adults sports programs, and a 105-acre Sports Complex is in the works! If your kids are even more sports oriented, we have Club/Travel sports teams (baseball, softball, soccer, etc) that compete across our region and beyond.
If you love biking or running, the 5 mile long Greenway Trail runs through some beautiful, nature filled areas of Paducah.
The Market House Theater has year round theater and performing arts productions and programs for both kids and adults. We also have several studios where kids and adults can take art classes and attend workshops.
The National Inventors Hall of Fame hosts a week-long camp here in town each summer called Camp Invention, which is a great mix of science and creativity.
We have an award winning community college, West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC), right here in Paducah. WKCTC is not just for adults, as WKCTC holds science camp programs for kids, including Club Challenger.
Murray State University has a satellite campus in Paducah, with the Murray State main campus less than an hour away. Four other universities are within a one and a half hour drive: Southern Illinois University, Austin Peay State University, University of Tennessee at Martin, and Southeast Missouri State University.
Low cost of living and minimal traffic problems leads to less stress, and more time to spend doing the things you want to do. Most of the NWS Paducah employees have less than a 20-minute commute to work, with several driving less than 7 minutes. The great conditions both inside and outside the office result in most of our employees remaining here through the rest of their career.
