The NWS in Louisville has posted their findings on the long-track EF4 tornado that struck parts of Washington, Clark, Scott, Jefferson, and Trimble county Kentucky on Friday. Here is the survey in its entirety.
Begin Time: 2:50 PM EST
End Time: 3:39 PM EST
EF Scale: EF-4
Maximum wind Speed: 175 mph
Begin Point: South side of Fredericksburg
End Point: 3 miles NW of Bedford, Kentucky
Path Length: Approximately 49 miles
Path Width: One-third to one-half mile maximum (diameter of damage)
Injuries: Unknown
Fatalities: 11
Narrative:
The tornado first touched down on the south side of Fredericksburg
just south of U.S. 150 where several trees were snapped off. In this
area, winds were estimated to be 90 mph (EF1) with a damage width of
30 yards along the south fork of the Blue Lick River.
Additional tree damage was observed as the tornado moved east-
northeast across farmland. Near the intersection of Horners Chapel
Road and Fredericksburg Road, a high tension metal power structure
was toppled along with numerous trees uprooted and snapped. Here,
damage was estimated as EF2 with 130 mph winds. Along Palmyra Road
near Strickland Road, several trees were snapped with EF1 damage
50-100 yards wide and estimated winds of 100-110 mph. High tension
wires were down and trees snapped along West End Road just north of
Shanks Hill Road.
The tornado then traveled over a ridge and intensified as it hit
State Route 135 at Dutch Creek Road. Here, large chunks of 3-inch
thick asphalt from an approximately 4-by-4-yard section of roadway
was blown 10 to 30 yards into the adjacent grass next to the road.
Just east of Route 135, tremendous tree damage was observed. At this
location, the tornado was estimated to be of EF3 strength with 150
mph winds. The width of the damage path also began to widen,
increasing to 200 yards.
Tree and structural damage was widespread northeast of Route 135 as
the tornado crossed Trainer Lane and then State Road 335 to Robbs
Lane. The width of observable damage increased to one-quarter to
one-third of a mile. Countless trees were snapped and uprooted. The
degree of damage suggested a mix of EF2 and EF3 damage in this area,
with estimated winds of 120-150 mph.
The tornado crossed U.S. 60 just south of New Pekin. Immediately
east of the highway, tremendous structural damage was observed. A
well-constructed and large factory building (Airgo Industries) was
cleared to its foundation slab with numerous anchoring bolts bent in
the direction of the storm. Debris from this building was observed
one-half to three-quarters of a mile downwind. Large power poles
were snapped. Another metal out building on the right periphery of
the damage path had sheeting pulled off the back of the building
apparently from the force of the inbound winds into the tornado.
This was the area where 5 people were tragically killed in a mobile
home. In this location just east of U.S. 60, damage suggested an
EF4 tornado with 170 mph estimated winds, and a width of observed
damage from 0.3-0.4 mile.
Damage continued to the east along and south of Hurst Road in
extreme southeast Washington County. The tornado crossed into
extreme northwest Clark County along and near Daisy Hill Road. In
this area, a well-constructed one-story brick house at the top of a
small ridge was completely destroyed with no walls standing. People
onsite reported that cows were missing and could not be located.
They also stated that the tornado looked like a black wall as it
approached. A heavy trailer cab was blown from this house to another
demolished brick home about one-quarter mile away. Damage here
suggested EF4 damage with 170 mph winds.
As the tornado re-entered Washington County near the intersection of
Daisy Hill Road and Williams Knob Road, widespread damage occurred.
This included a home which was totally leveled as well as a couple
of anchored down double wide trailers. A car was destroyed and
tossed about 100 yards in the direction of storm motion from its
origin at the home. At one of the destroyed trailers, a Dodge Ram
pickup truck was tossed onto its side and destroyed in the opposite
direction from the car (i.e., on the left side of the tornado
track). Here, EF3-EF4 damage was estimated with winds of 150-170
mph. There were also snapped trees and structural damage along
Whiskey Run Road. The width of the observed damage straddling the
Washington-Clark County line was estimated to be one-third to
one-half mile wide, although the width of the most concentrated
damage was narrower. The last observed damage in Washington County
was near S. Flatwood Road in a wooded area before the tornado
entered Clark County.
Across Washington County, particularly east of U.S. 135, thousands
of trees were uprooted and snapped.
The tornado continued east-northeast in far northwest Clark County
on Dan Gray Road where the twister leveled many well-built homes and
caused extensive tree damage. The tornado here was rated EF4 with
estimated wind speeds of 170 mph and a damage width of one-third
mile.
The tornado moved into far southeast Washington County before
reappearing in Clark County. In Clark, the damage width narrowed to
one-quarter mile as the tornado crossed Pixley Knob Road and
decreased in intensity to EF2 with wind speeds of 115-120 mph.
Farther east, the tornado intensified again as it destroyed two
double wide homes on Speith Road. One family residence on the west
side of the road was severely damage reflecting EF3 damage with 150
mph winds.
The tornado crossed Interstate 65 damaging several vehicles and
semis, and closing the interstate for several hours. Several people
were trapped in these vehicles, but were later rescued.
The tornado continued to strengthen just east of Exit 19 of
Interstate 65 in a heavily industrialized area. Here, buildings
containing several businesses were severely damaged. A home was
destroyed on the east side of North Fraucke Road. The violent
tornado also seriously damaged several homes on the north side of
State Highway 160. Here, EF4 damage was apparent with 175 mph
estimated winds.
The tornado then struck the south buildings of the Henryville middle
and high school complex, with severe damage and 170 mph winds (EF4).
The middle school experienced the worst damage. The cafeteria was
completely destroyed. Two school buses were ripped off their
chassis.
There was also extensive structural damage on the east side of
Henryville on North Front Street and Pennsylvania Street. A high
tension tower and other homes were damaged on Pine Drive. Incredible
tree damage also occurred just west of Pine Drive as the tornado
traveled up a ridge. In this region, the tornado was an EF3 with 150
mph winds.
On Brownstown Road, many homes were severely damaged especially on
the north side of the tornado track with estimated speeds of 150 mph
(EF3). Farther east, there was massive deforestation on the east
side of a ridge just west of and along Henryville Otisco Road.
Several more homes were severely damaged along this road. One of
these homes reflected EF4 damage and 170 mph winds.
The tornado rapidly narrowed to a rope-like structure and ended as
an EF1 with 90-95 mph winds and an 80 yard wide path. This occurred
near the intersection of Blackberry Trail and State Highway 3.
Simultaneously, a new tornado vortex rapidly formed near Mahan Road
and Old State Road 3 immediately southwest of the first tornado. The
second tornado began as an EF1 and damaged a church. The vortex
quickly intensified to EF3 strength as it crossed the south part of
the town on Marysville, severely damaging several homes.
A Civil Air Patrol flight on Sunday, March 4 revealed extensive
ground scouring in farmers` fields east of Marysville all the way to
the Jefferson-Scott County line. This scouring was evidence of a
multi-vortex tornado, which was confirmed by multiple videos and
photographs.
Several homes were severely damaged near and south of the
intersection of Nabb New Washington Road and Marysville Nabb Road
(EF3, 150 mph winds, one-third mile damage path width).
The tornado continued north of Barnes Road damaging several clusters
of trees in open country. The tornado intensified east of the
intersection of Kettle Bottom and State Highway 362.
In Scott County, immediately north of Highway 362 molished and thrown downwind several hundred yards, within which
there were 3 fatalities. The garage of this house was destroyed with
one vehicle thrown 30 yards and another tossed 75 yards. A piece of
farm equipment was thrown 200 yards as well. A third well-built
brick home had its roof completely lifted and thrown over 300 yards
downwind. Also, an above ground pool half filled with water was
missing. Wind speeds in the area were estimated at 170-175 mph (EF4)
with a damage width of one-quarter mile.
The tornado tracked to the north of Paynesville and south of Lee
Bottom extensively damaging forests in southern Jefferson County
before crossing the Ohio River into Trimble County, Kentucky. The
damage width narrowed in this area to only a couple hundred
yards.
[KENTUCKY PORTION BELOW]
The tornado crossed the Ohio River from Jefferson
County Indiana and narrowed to about 200 yards wide; however, we are
hopeful to receive an aerial survey to refine this later this week.
The tornado damaged a home on Rogers Road as well as two barns. The
barns were overturned and several trees were knocked down and/or
twisted. This is consistent with high-end EF-1 damage of 105-110 mph
winds.
The tornado then went through a heavily wooded area near the
intersection of Hwy 625 and Hwy 1838 where one more barn was damaged
along with a garage roof with shingle damage. Three single-wide
mobile homes near the intersection of Joyce Mill and Highway 625
(Corn Creek Rd) were destroyed along with extensive tree damage
and downed power lines and poles. This is consistent with high-end
EF-1 damage of 100-105 mph with a path width of 75 yards.
No evidence of damage was observed until Rawlett Lane, where some
trees were snapped or downed. There could have been damage in
between; however, the survey team was unable to access this area.
The tornado once again struck two homes and a single-wide mobile
home on New Hope Ridge Road about two miles west of Hwy 421 on Hwy
2870. This is consistent with low-end EF-1 damage of 90 mph with a
path width of 50 yards.
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