Tornadoes hit South Central Kentucky

June 11, 2009

Two tornadoes struck southern Kentucky on the evening of June 11, 2009.  Strong thunderstorms had developed earlier in the afternoon over southern Illinois and southwestern Indiana, and the storms became more numerous as they moved to the southeast into western and central Kentucky.  Several of the storms had persistent rotation within them, and the National Weather Service received many reports of rotation and a few funnel clouds.  However, as is usually the case, most of the rotation and funnel clouds visible in the storms did not touch down.   Only three tornadoes have been found in the region so far:  an EF0 about midway between Owensboro and Evansville, and the two EF1's presented here.

The first tornado in central Kentucky touched down at 7pm CDT near the Edmonson/Warren county line about six and a half miles south of Brownsville.  It moved to the east-southeast for 18 miles, occasionally lifting off the ground, and ending six and a half miles west of Glasgow.  Maximum wind speeds were around 105mph and the maximum width was about 150 yards.

 

 

The second central Kentucky tornado was also an EF1.  It touched down at 8:01pm CDT in Metcalfe County near the Monroe County line three miles south of Summer Shade.  It traveled to the east-southeast for 1.3 miles, ending one-third of a mile south of Cyclone in Monroe County.  Its maximum winds were 105mph and its maximum width was 150 yards.  Most of the damage with this tornado was found at its touchdown and liftoff points.  At touchdown the tornado uprooted many trees in a wooded area and damaged a metal shed on Harold Paull Road.   When the storm struck KY 163 south of Cyclone it uprooted trees and flattened crops.  On the west side of the highway it caused roof and antenna damage to a home, and across the road it moved a large tobacco barn three feet and damaged a front porch by moving columns nearly a foot to the north and south.

Warren County Emergency Management

429 1/2 East 10th Ave Suite B

Bowling Green, KY 42101

270-781-8776

Fax 270-780-9550