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EF1 tornado in Mercer County, Kentucky

Tornado February 6, 2008 · Mercer County, Kentucky

EF1
Rating
0.9 mi
Path length
350 yd
Path width
$1.0M
Damage as recorded
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 350 yards (0.20 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What EF1 means. On the Enhanced Fujita scale, EF1 is moderate damage: roofs badly stripped, mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned, windows broken, consistent with estimated gusts of 86–110 mph. The rating comes from a survey of the worst damage after the storm, not from a wind measurement, so it says as much about what the tornado hit as about how strong it was.

What the National Weather Service wrote

The tornado touched down on the east side of Harrodsburg and collapsed three walls of a warehouse. Near the intersection of KY 152 and Mac Court extensive tree damage occurred. Metal sheeting was found in trees. A large tree fell on a house and power lines, and that same house had its garage destroyed. A small branch was driven into the side of a car and a chimney was knocked down from a house. Near KY 152 and Montrose Street the roof of a factory was blown in and extensive tree damage occurred. An elementary school suffered extensive roof and ceiling damage.

The wider storm

A cold front along with a strong upper level low produced a squall line that crossed central Kentucky. This set off widespread severe weather, and spawned several tornadoes.

Began near Stringtown (37.7603, -84.8393).

Other tornadoes from the same storm system

17 more tornadoes the National Weather Service filed under this storm episode.

EF3 Macon County 24 deadEF3 Allen County 4 deadEF2 Shelby CountyEF2 Nelson CountyEF2 Nelson CountyEF2 Harrison CountyEF2 Hardin CountyEF2 Hardin CountyEF2 Washington CountyEF1 Hart CountyEF1 Meade CountyEF1 Franklin CountyEF1 Washington CountyEF0 Shelby CountyEF0 Clark CountyEF0 Spencer CountyEF0 Spencer County

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 80219. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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