EF1 tornado in Ballard County, Kentucky

This tornado crossed the Mississippi River from Mississippi County, Missouri into Ballard County, Kentucky south of Wickliffe. Peak winds were estimated near 100 mph. A power pole was down, and a few trees were uprooted or snapped at a paper mill.

An outbreak of severe thunderstorms and isolated tornadoes occurred ahead of a cold front. Thunderstorms increased in coverage over southeast Missouri and then spread east-northeast into southern Illinois and western Kentucky during the late afternoon and evening. A surface low pressure wave over the Ozark Mountain region accelerated eastward in advance of a compact upper-level shortwave over the southern Plains. A mid-level dry slot overspread the surface warm sector, where dew points were in the low to mid 60's. Extremely strong wind shear compensated for weak instability. Strong forcing along the front and a moist low level air mass contributed to a forced line of storms, including some without lightning.