EF2 Tornado — Logan, Kentucky
2018-02-24 · near Keysburg, Logan, Kentucky
Event narrative
The National Weather Service conducted a storm damage survey in Logan county Kentucky. The damage moved in from Robertson County Tennessee near the end of McGee Road where two homes received extensive damage. The first home, a well built stone home had significant roof damage and the screened in porch was destroyed. The family pick up truck was tossed around 40 yards to the north. On the family cemetery plot several tombstones were knocked over and one headstone was destroyed. There were several outbuildings and 2 pole Barnes were destroyed on the property as well.
The second home experienced significant foundation damage and the roof was completely thrown off. The family pick up truck was thrown 250 yards and thrown down into a field. Insulation from the home was thrown down wind over 300 yards. The debris field from the two homes was thrown in a farmers field between 100 yards in a quarter mile down wind with several 2 x 4 and 2 x 10 and bricks being impaled into the ground. Winds were estimated between 120 and 130 mph.
The tornado then moved through several farmers fields doing extensive tree damage and fence damage. Power lines were down throughout this entire stretch.
The tornado then hit 901 Dot Road destroying 2 barns, moving heavy farm equipment, blowing out exterior walls and destroying the roof at the property. Tragically, a woman in the home was killed by falling debris. The family pet dog was found alive by rescuers underneath extensive rubble. Debris was thrown up to 500 yards and debris with a width of between 250 and and 300 yards in a farmers field. Winds were estimated to be 135 mph at this location.
Next, the tornado hit a large family farm at 3604 Schley Road destroying the second story. Three farm silos that were empty or destroyed with the metal sheets being thrown over a quarter mile down wind. The tornado continued through farm fields destroying several trees and uprooting them.
The tornado became more elevated at the intersection of Mortimor Station Road and Mirriaheh Road. In this area trees we snapped, and several homes experienced shingle siding and roof damage. Winds were estimated to be 100 to 110 mph here.
As the tornado was lifting, it snapped some trees in the Schochoh community.
Wider weather episode
A stalled frontal boundary interacting with highly anomalous moisture from the Gulf of Mexico interacted with multiple weather systems that brought widespread heavy rainfall and severe thunderstorms to central Kentucky February 24 through the early morning hours February 25. A Flash Flood Emergency was issued for Jefferson County, KY including Louisville metro. There were over 50 water rescues alone in Jefferson County that evening. Widespread flash flooding occurred with most streams and creeks reaching record levels.
In addition, across south central Kentucky, 7 tornadoes developed along a warm front during the afternoon and evening hours. The strongest tornado was an EF-2 that tracked over 11 miles in Logan County and tragically killed a woman in her home. As a squall line moved through during the late evening and early morning hours, damaging winds occurred across central Kentucky.
View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.6441, -87.0049)
Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 735022. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.