EF3 tornado in Morgan County, Kentucky

A storm damage survey team from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Jackson, Kentucky confirmed that an EF-3 tornado tracked from Menifee County into Morgan County on March 2, 2012. The tornado entered Morgan County at around 546 pm EST, just to the northwest of Ezel, and tracked east-northeast making a direct hit on downtown West Liberty at around 558 pm EST. The tornado caused extensive damage to nearly every structure in town, including the 105 year old courthouse, the depression-era WPA building that houses the community center and the 100 year old West Liberty United Methodist and Christian churches. The tornado continued northeast from West Liberty through the remainder of Morgan County, causing extensive damage to numerous structures and downing thousands of trees with a consistent path width of 3/4 to 1 mile throughout the county. Estimated peak winds in Morgan County were 140 mph. The tornado crossed into Lawrence county at 610 pm EST between Moon and Terryville. Six fatalities occurred in Morgan county as a direct result of the tornado.

During the afternoon and evening hours of March 2nd, 2012, an historic tornado outbreak occurred in eastern Kentucky. Tornadoes struck Menifee, Morgan, Bath, Wolfe, Laurel, Johnson and Martin Counties causing a combined 16 deaths in those counties. The hardest hit areas were West Liberty in Morgan county, Salyersville in Magoffin county, and East Bernstadt in Laurel county. One of the strongest tornadoes in this outbreak, rated at EF-3 with winds estimated at 140 mph, caused extensive damage in Menifee and Morgan counties. This tornado killed 2 people in Menifee county and took an additional 6 lives in Morgan county. The town of West Liberty was particularly hard hit, with every building in the downtown area suffering some degree of damage. Several homes were swept off their foundations.

A second EF-3 tornado touched down in extreme southeast Wolfe County and cut a path of damage across portions of Magoffin, Johnson, and Martin Counties. This twister was at its most intense strength in Magoffin and Johnson Counties, with winds estimated at 160 mph. This tornado caused catastrophic damage in parts of Salyersville. This second tornado killed 2 people in Johnson County.

A third strong tornado caused extensive damage in and near the community of East Bernstadt in Laurel County. This tornado was rated at EF-2 and caused 6 fatalities. Most of these deaths occurred when several trailer homes were picked up and destroyed by the tornado.

An EF-1 tornado was also confirmed in Bath County. This tornado caused extensive damage to trees, farm buildings and residences along its track. Fortunately, no deaths or injuries occurred as a result of this tornado.

The storms that occurred on March 2nd also produced very large hail. Reports were received of hailstones as big as baseballs. Extensive damage to trees and structures due to thunderstorm wind gusts also occurred. To top it all off, the heavy rain produced by the large and powerful thunderstorms lead to flash flooding in several counties where tornadoes also occurred.