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F3 tornado in Adair County, Kentucky

Tornado March 28, 1997 · Adair County, Kentucky

Rating

10.0 mi

Path length

500 yd

Path width

Injuries

$3.0M

Damage as recorded

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The path drawn at its surveyed width of 500 yards (0.28 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F3 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F3 meant severe damage: whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned; the scale paired it with winds of 158–206 mph, figures later judged too high, especially toward the top of the scale, and revised downward in the Enhanced Fujita scale. Ratings then, as now, came from the damage.

The wider storm

A strong F3 tornado touched down in the Cane Valley area destroying 15 mobile homes, 14 homes, a business, a church and 12 barns. Also, 26 homes, 2 businesses and 2 churches were heavily damaged. 51 homes were destroyed and 50 damaged across northern Adair county. The tornado moved northeast skipping at times to Pellyton before lifting. Only 7 minor injuries were reported, however. Many people sought refugee in one of the damaged churches.

Began near Cane Vly (37.1800, -85.3200).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5597226. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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