EF1 tornado in Calloway County, Kentucky

This EF-1 tornado crossed the southern part of the city of Murray, damaging about 40 homes. The tornado touched down several blocks west of Highway 641 and lifted on the east edge of the city at the Clarks River floodplain. Most of the damage consisted of roof damage, mainly shingle loss. Two homes were a total loss, with roof decking removed, windows blown out, and part of an exterior wall caved in due to projectile impacts. At least four businesses were damaged, with the majority of the roof removed from one. Dozens of trees were uprooted or broken. The mayor of Murray declared a state of emergency. Peak winds were estimated near 105 mph.

An outbreak of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes occurred across western Kentucky. Most of the severe weather was along and south of a Paducah to Madisonville line. North of that line, serious flash flooding resulted in a fatality. A surface low pressure center tracked rapidly north-northeast from Arkansas to the upper Mississippi Valley, dragging a warm front north across western Kentucky. Instability was adequate for tornadoes and severe storms in the presence of very strong wind shear. A very moist air mass resulted in heavy rainfall, which produced localized flash flooding due to the water-logged ground. Locally 5 to 6 inches of rain had fallen over the previous week. Rainfall rates in these thunderstorms were locally one-half to one inch per hour.