Thunderstorm Wind in Floyd County, Kentucky

A NWS Storm Survey team was sent out to Floyd County to look at widespread damage that occurred at this location as thunderstorms moved through. The survey team concluded that the damage was in line with straight line winds and not a tornado. Damage was observed along the hillside near Brush Creek at the intersection of KY-550 and KY-850, with several trees uprooted or snapped headed in the northeasterly direction. A residence also received damage at this location ( just north of the intersection), where wind hit the broad side of the barn before peeling the roofing off. Several more trees were snapped and uprooted at this location, including a 300 year old oak tree that sustained damage. Peak winds were likely between 90 and 100 mph at this location.

A deep low pressure system (including a surface low and upper level shortwave) was tracking through the Midwest throughout the day on Sunday March 30th, reaching the Lower Great Lakes region by that evening. A strong cold front draped south and southwest from this low pressure center, finally making its way into western Kentucky around midnight on the 31st. By that point, a strong line of convection had developed ahead of the cold front, and was making its way across the central and eastern portion of the state. The Storm Prediction Center had much of western and central KY in an enhanced risk for severe weather for that time period leading up to the event, but expanded the risk eastward during the Day 1 update to include virtually all of Kentucky and points to the north and south. Much of the higher probabilites for hail and tornadoes remained located west of the WFO Jackson, KY County Warning Area, with the exception of winds - which was still a 30% risk. This proved true as the line moved through and produced numerous instances of wind damage across portions of Kentucky, including eastern Kentucky. By the end of the event, 51 tornado reports were made stretching from Michigan to southern Mississippi. A slew of hail reports were also noted along the Mississippi Valley, transitioning to wind reports across much of the Ohio Valley. Damage in Floyd and Pike counties was substantial enough to warrant a NWS Storm Survey, however the conclusions were embedded microbursts of wind within the storms.