TornadoLookup

Home / Kentucky / Clinton

EF1 tornado in Clinton County, Kentucky

Tornado February 28, 2021 · Clinton County, Kentucky

EF1
Rating
3.6 mi
Path length
75 yd
Path width
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 75 yards (0.04 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 National Weather Service in conjunction with Clinton County Emergency Management conducted the storm damage assessment survey.

The initial tornado touchdown was on the western edge of Cumberland City, approximately 5 miles northeast of Albany. There were several snapped trees along with roof damage at several homes, before more extensive structural damage occurred at 5250 Hwy 558.

Several large barns were destroyed or had at least 70% of their walls blown out. A brand new (1 month old) 64' x 56' barn was totally destroyed. The debris from the barn was thrown over a quarter of a mile down wind to the northeast. Another 60' x 43' barn that had recently been remodeled and upgraded had three walls blown out. A Kubota UTV weighing 2500 pounds was moved 30 yards and rotated 180 degrees. There was also extensive snapping and uprooting of trees. Winds were estimated to be 110 mph.

Farther to the northeast, a large 50' x 60' barn was destroyed, and debris went at least a half of a mile down wind. A mobile home along Hwy 829 was lifted off its foundation, and there were several trees uprooted and snapped.

The tornado crossed 829 and then crossed 1009 with extensive tree damage along both sides of the road. A large barn on 1009 had two walls blown out with debris thrown over a half of a mile downwind into Wayne county.

The tornado continued into far western portions of Wayne county.

Clinton County Emergency Management Director Lucas Abner and Dr. Bill Fountain, the Extension Specialist from the University of Kentucky Extension helped with the survey.

The wider storm

A stalled frontal boundary brought waves of heavy rainfall to central Kentucky from February 26 through February 28. This caused record rainfall, isolated severe winds, and even a tornado. As a result, Bowling Green set a February daily rainfall record with 5.11 on the 28th. The severe winds brought down some trees and a power pole, but the most property damage came from a brief EF1 tornado.

Began near Cumberland City (36.7925, -85.0874).

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 946129. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

Tornadoes near your address

See every tornado that passed near a place you know, measured to its path.