F4 Tornado — Spencer, Kentucky

1974-04-03 · near Taylorsville, Spencer, Kentucky

Wider weather episode

Moved from northwest of Elizabethtown, doing damage on the north side of town. Moving into Nelson County, produced significant damage near Cox's Creek where the Whitney Horse Farm was damaged, crossing Lilly Pike where several homes, barns, and trailers were demolished, across Murray Road, and then across KY 44. On Murray Road a father and son were in their milking barn when they saw the storm approach. They got under some heavy equipment for shelter and the barn came down around them. They were rescued several hours later as workers and neighbors cleared Murray Road of trees and debris. The father was taken to the hospital in critical condition but the son was OK. As the twister crossed Murray Road and Elk Creek it was about 300 yards wide.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (37.9651, -85.4417)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 10032307. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.