Thunderstorm Wind in Daviess County, Kentucky

Severe thunderstorms with widespread damaging winds moved east from southern Illinois, passing across Union, Henderson, and Daviess Counties. A series of intense downbursts with peak winds up to 120 MPH struck northern Daviess County. The severe damage was concentrated in a 5-mile wide path from Stanley through Owensboro to Yelvington. Approximately 40 to 50 houses received major damage, mostly due to trees falling on them. Another 40 to 50 homes received minor damage. Several barns and garages were destroyed. A house roof was blown off. Hundreds of downed trees, power lines, and power poles blocked numerous roads. A woman was trapped in her vehicle when a tree fell on it. An irrigation rig was overturned in the Stanley area, and at least one trailer was blown off its foundation. Debris and even a whole building blocked roads in the Stanley area of Daviess County. Damage in Union and Henderson Counties consisted of widespread tree damage. Trees were down across many primary roads, including the Pennyrile Parkway and U.S. Highways 41 and 60. A National Weather Service damage survey estimated peak winds near Geneva in Henderson County were near 75 MPH. At Geneva, numerous trees were down, a sun room was blown off a house, and there was minor structural damage such as broken windows and shingles off roofs. One large tree limb fell through the wall of a house. A survey of the damage in eastern Henderson County revealed a very short-track tornado near Spottsville. In Union County, many trees were down in Uniontown and Morganfield, and some power poles were snapped off. Some roof damage occurred at a shopping center on Highway 60 West near Morganfield, as well as two job corps center buildings in the same area. In the same location about a mile west of Morganfield, 50 to 75 trees were down. A garage was damaged in Uniontown. A National Weather Service damage survey indicated peak winds were near 75 MPH at Uniontown. The vast majority of significant damage was in the northern half of Union, Henderson, and Daviess Counties. Several trees were blown down in extreme northern Mclean County at Beech Grove.