A long-lived bow echo that had produced widespread wind damage over southern Illinois moved east into Kentucky during the late morning hours. As it moved east, the system encountered a strengthening low-level jet across the Ohio Valley, which helped modify the motion of the line, resulting in training storms of extremely heavy rain that caused flash flooding.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS LMK wrote it up.
A long-lived bow echo that had produced widespread wind damage over southern Illinois moved east into Kentucky during the late morning hours. As it moved east, the system encountered a strengthening low-level jet across the Ohio Valley, which helped modify the motion of the line, resulting in training storms of extremely heavy rain that caused flash flooding. Individual storms developing ahead of the line continued to produce damaging winds, with two storms producing tornadoes, before the main area of convection moved through.
NWS damage surveys determined the tornado in south-central Kentucky to be EF-1 in intensity, while the east-central Kentucky was ranked as a strong EF-3. The EF-3 tornado resulted in two fatalities and numerous injuries.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Louisville, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 8, 1:03 AM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 303 AM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009 .SHORT TERM (TODAY AND TONIGHT)... A LOT OF WEATHER PACKED INTO THE SHORT TERM TODAY AND TONIGHT. FIRST...EARLY THIS MORNING WIDESPREAD SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE ENTERING THE WABASH AND LOWER OHIO VALLEY AT 07Z. THESE SHOWERS AND STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE TO THE EAST AND WILL CROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY...ESPECIALLY NORTHERN PARTS...THIS MORNING. THE MASS OF SHOWERS AND STORMS IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN TO BREAK UP AND DIMINISH BY MID MORNING. SKIES WILL AT LEAST PARTIALLY CLEAR BEHIND THE SHOWERS AND STORMS...ALLOWING THE ATMOSPHERE TO BECOME MODERATELY UNSTABLE THIS AFTERNOON. AN UPPER DISTURBANCE IS PROGGED TO MOVE OVERHEAD WHICH WILL HELP TO TRIGGER THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT. THERE IS ALSO A SUGGESTION FROM SOME MODEL DATA THAT ADDITIONAL STORMS FIRING UP INVOF THE OZARKS THIS MORNING MAY MAKE IT INTO THE LMK CWFA THIS AFTERNOON. EITHER WAY...THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE BEST CHANCES FOR THE MOST STORMS TO BE ACROSS SOUTHERN KENTUCKY. SEVERE STORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH LARGE HAIL...AS WAS SEEN IN THE STORMS TO OUR WEST OVERNIGHT/THIS MORNING...AND A FEW STRONG WIND GUSTS. ALSO...SREF IS PAINTING 0-6KM BULK SHEAR ON THE ORDER OF 45KT AND 0-1KM HELICITY OF 150 TO 200 M2/S2 THIS AFTERNOON...AGAIN ESPECIALLY OVER SOUTHERN KENTUCKY. IF THESE NUMBERS COME TO FRUITION...PLUS STORM INTERACTIONS WITH ANY BOUNDARIES LEFT OVER FROM THIS MORNING/S CONVECTION...ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE A THREAT AS WELL. THE MOST LIKELY WINDOW FOR SEVERE STORMS APPEARS TO BE BETWEEN 21Z AND 03Z. THERE IS STILL AT LEAST ONE MORE SIGNIFICANT CONCERN...AND THAT IS HEAVY RAIN. WE HAVE HAD QUITE A BIT OF RAIN RECENTLY...HOWEVER THERE HAVE BEEN ENOUGH BREAKS IN BETWEEN RAIN EVENTS SO THAT OUR RIVERS AND STREAMS ARE NOT ABNORMALLY HIGH. HOWEVER THE GROUND IS PLENTY WET AND ANY ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN WILL PROBABLY CAUSE AT LEAST LOCAL PROBLEMS. PRECIPITABLE WATER AMOUNTS INCREASE DRAMATICALLY TONIGHT INTO THE 1.5 TO 1.9 INCH RANGE ALONG WITH K INDEX INTO THE MIDDLE 30S...850 HPA DEW POINTS UP TO 15C...AND A GOOD 850HPA THETA E RIDGE FROM THE RED RIVER VALLEY TO EASTERN KENTUCKY. A 40 TO 50 KNOT LOW LEVEL JET IS ALSO FORECAST TO DEVELOP...AND WILL IMPINGE ON A WEAK COLD FRONT ADVANCING FROM THE NORTHWEST. SO...IT SEEMS THAT SCATTERED SEVERE STORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING MAY TRANSITION TO A HEAVY RAIN EVENT LATER THIS EVENING INTO THE OVERNIGHT HOURS...ESPECIALLY OVER SOUTHERN AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE CWFA. AFTER TALKING WITH SURROUNDING OFFICES AND CONSIDERING THAT THE MAIN WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN THREAT WILL BE AFTER 00Z TONIGHT...WILL HOLD OFF ON LOCKING US INTO A FLOOD WATCH AT THIS TIME AND WILL LET THE DAY SHIFT TAKE A GOOD DETAILED LOOK AT IT. IT WILL ALSO DEPEND ON THE AMOUNT OF THUNDERSTORM COVERAGE WE END UP GETTING THIS AFTERNOON AND WHETHER OR NOT ANY STORMS MOVING OUT OF THE OZARKS HOLD TOGETHER OR BREAK UP BEFORE GETTING THIS FAR EAST. TEMPERATURES TODAY WILL BE SIMILAR TO YESTERDAY...PERHAPS A DEGREE OR TWO COOLER. A LOT WILL DEPEND ON HOW QUICKLY THIS MORNING/S CLOUDS AND RAIN BREAK UP. EXPECT LOWS TONIGHT AROUND 60. .LONG TERM (SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY)... SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT... SHORT TO MEDIUM RANGE MODELS ARE COMING IN TO BETTER AGREEMENT WITH THE FRONTAL PLACEMENT/MOVEMENT IN THE EARLY PORTIONS OF THE FCST PD. BOTH THE GFS AND EURO SOLUTIONS SHOW THE FRONT PUSHING THROUGH THE REGION LATE FRIDAY NIGHT AND EARLY SATURDAY. IT APPEARS THAT THE BEST CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION FOR SATURDAY WILL BE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FA WITH ONLY SMALL CHANCES OF PRECIPITATION ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF. BY SUNDAY MORNING...THE FRONT SHOULD BE WELL TO OUR SOUTH MAINLY ACROSS SOUTHERN TN AND NORTHERN MS/AL/GA. BOTH THE GFS AND EURO HAVE GOOD AGREEMENT HERE. WITH THAT SAID...WILL TAPER POPS FROM NORTH TO SOUTH ON SATURDAY WITH ALL AREAS GOING DRY BY SATURDAY EVENING. SUNDAY SHOULD BE PARTLY CLOUDY AND DRY AS COOLER AND DRIER AIR PUSH INTO THE REGION. HIGHS SATURDAY SHOULD BE IN THE LOWER 70S WITH COOLER TEMPS ON SUNDAY. GENERALLY TRENDED TEMPS SLIGHTLY DOWNWARD BASED ON THE LAST FEW MODEL RUNS. WENT CLOSE TO A BLEND OF THE RAW GFS AND THE ENSEMBLE MEAN WHICH RESULTS IN HIGHS ON SUNDAY IN THE UPPER 60S IN THE NORTH TO AROUND 70 IN THE SOUTH. OVERNIGHT LOWS SAT NIGHT WILL BE IN THE LOWER 50S...WITH SUNDAY NIGHT LOWS DROPPING INTO THE LOW TO MID 40S. FOR MONDAY...PREVIOUS FCST AND MODEL RUNS WERE GENERALLY DRY FOR THE MONDAY AND TUESDAY TIME FRAME. TONIGHTS GFS RUN HAS TRENDED WETTER FOR MONDAY NIGHT AND EARLY TUESDAY WITH A SMALL DISTURBANCE COMING THROUGH WITHIN THE MEAN TROUGH ALOFT. THE EURO SOLUTION IS MUCH MORE SUPPRESSED AND THE GFS ENSEMBLES ARE NOT TOO SUPPORTIVE OF THE NEW GFS OP RUN. FOR NOW...AM GOING TO LEAVE MONDAY NIGHT DRY...BUT WILL HAVE TO MONITOR LATER RUNS TO SEE IF SOME TREND BECOMES ESTABLISHED. ONLY MINOR ADJUSTMENTS WERE MADE TO THE MONDAY AND TUESDAY HIGHS. HIGHS MONDAY WILL BE IN THE UPPER 60S TO AROUND 70 IN THE NORTH WITH LOWER TO MID 70S ACROSS THE SOUTH. A BIT MORE WARMING IS EXPECTED FOR TUESDAY AS TEMPERATURES WARM INTO THE LOWER TO MID 70S ACROSS THE ENTIRE FCST AREA. OVERNIGHT LOWS WILL MODERATE AS WELL WITH MONDAY NIGHT LOWS IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S IN THE NORTH AND AROUND 50 IN THE SOUTH. TUESDAY NIGHT LOWS LOOK TO DROP INTO THE LOWER TO MID 50S. WEDNESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... NO REAL CHANGES MADE TO THE FCST HERE. LONG TERM MODEL SOLUTIONS ARE IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH H5 RIDGE SLOWLY TRANSLATING EASTWARD TOWARD THE EAST COAST AS UPPER LEVEL TROF AXIS SWINGS INTO THE MIDWEST. THE 08/00Z GFS AND 07/12Z EURO AMPLIFY THE TROF AS IT PASSES THROUGH THE GREAT LAKES...THOUGH THE 08/00Z GFS IS A BIT MORE AMPLIFIED IN THIS RUN THAN IN PREVIOUS RUNS. ASSOCIATED SFC COLD FRONT LOOKS TO PASS THROUGH THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY BRINGING A ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA. THERE IS SOME SPREAD ON THE MOVEMENT OF THE FRONT WHICH MAY AFFECT THE THURSDAY FORECAST. GIVEN THE SPREAD...AM RELUCTANT TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO THE FCST AT THIS TIME. && .AVIATION (06Z TAFS)... LARGE AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD MOVE INTO SDF AROUND 08Z AND LEX TOWARDS 10Z. BWG IS A BIT MORE OF A QUESTION MARK...BUT FOR NOW WILL INTRODUCE SHOWERS THERE AT 09Z. THESE SHOWERS AND ISOLATED STORMS WILL CONTINUE FOR A FEW HOURS BEFORE MOVING EAST AND BREAKING UP BY MID MORNING. THIS AFTERNOON THE ATMOSPHERE DESTABILIZES AND A FEW STORMS COULD CROP UP ACROSS THE AREA AS AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES OVERHEAD...SO WILL ACCOUNT FOR THIS POSSIBILITY WITH CB CLOUDS IN THE TAFS. ANY AFTERNOON STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO WANE AFTER SUNSET...BUT THEN MORE SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD DEVELOP AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHWEST. && .LMK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... .KY...NONE. .IN...NONE. && WEATHER.GOV/LOUISVILLE SHORT TERM...TWF LONG TERM....AML AVIATION.....13
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 419 AM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009 INZ076>079-083-084-089>092-KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067- 070>078-081-082-090830- ORANGE IN-WASHINGTON IN-SCOTT IN-JEFFERSON IN-DUBOIS IN- CRAWFORD IN-PERRY IN-HARRISON IN-FLOYD IN-CLARK IN-HANCOCK KY- BRECKINRIDGE KY-MEADE KY-OHIO KY-GRAYSON KY-HARDIN KY-BULLITT KY- JEFFERSON KY-OLDHAM KY-TRIMBLE KY-HENRY KY-SHELBY KY-FRANKLIN KY- SCOTT KY-HARRISON KY-SPENCER KY-ANDERSON KY-WOODFORD KY- FAYETTE KY-BOURBON KY-NICHOLAS KY-NELSON KY-WASHINGTON KY- MERCER KY-JESSAMINE KY-CLARK KY-LARUE KY-MARION KY-BOYLE KY- GARRARD KY-MADISON KY-BUTLER KY-EDMONSON KY-HART KY-GREEN KY- TAYLOR KY-CASEY KY-LINCOLN KY-LOGAN KY-WARREN KY-SIMPSON KY- ALLEN KY-BARREN KY-MONROE KY-METCALFE KY-ADAIR KY-RUSSELL KY- CUMBERLAND KY-CLINTON KY- 419 AM EDT (319 AM CDT) FRI MAY 8 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL INDIANA AND CENTRAL KENTUCKY. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT. A ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION EARLY THIS MORNING. LIGHTNING AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN WILL BE THE MAIN THREATS FROM THESE STORMS. AN ISOLATED SEVERE STORM WITH LARGE HAIL IS NOT ENTIRELY OUT OF THE QUESTION THROUGH DAWN SOUTH OF A MORGANTOWN TO GLASGOW LINE. THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON THROUGHOUT THE REGION. SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS AS THE PRIMARY THREATS...HOWEVER AN ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO WILL BE POSSIBLE AS WELL. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL BE BETWEEN 300 PM AND 900 PM...THOUGH ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE OUTSIDE OF THAT TIME FRAME. TONIGHT THE SEVERE THREAT WILL TRANSITION TO A HEAVY RAIN THREAT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS SOUTHERN AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE AREA. OVER AN INCH OF RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE ON TOP OF SOAKED GROUND IN THIS AREA...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS IN THUNDERSTORMS. FLOODING ISSUES MAY ARISE IN FLOOD PRONE SPOTS TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH SOUTHWARD THROUGH THE REGION ON SATURDAY BRINGING A GOOD CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE AREA EARLY IN THE DAY. ANY THUNDERSTORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINS...GUSTY WINDS AND LIGHTNING. ANOTHER WEATHER SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO AFFECT THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. THIS SYSTEM LOOKS TO BRING ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS TO THE OUTLOOK AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS ARE ASKED TO CALL IN ANY INSTANCES OF SEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING TODAY AND TONIGHT. 13/MJ
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 427 AM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009 KYZ023-024-026-027-080930- BRECKINRIDGE-GRAYSON-HANCOCK-OHIO- 327 AM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING SOUTHEAST ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL KENTUCKY... AT 325 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING SOUTHEAST THROUGH BRECKINRIDGE...OHIO AND GRAYSON COUNTIES. THIS LINE WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THIS CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS IS LIKELY PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINS ALONG WITH NEARLY CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. SMALL PEA OR MARBLE SIZED HAIL IS ALSO LIKELY WITH THIS ACTIVITY. WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THE STRONG GUSTY WINDS WILL LIKELY IMPACT OHIO AND GRAYSON COUNTIES OVER THE NEXT HOUR. THIS LINE WILL AFFECT THE COMMUNITIES OF HARTFORD...BEAVER DAM...PINE KNOB...LEITCHFIELD AND CANEYVILLE OVER THE NEXT HOUR. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS...SEEK SHELTER INDOORS AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA ALL HAZARDS RADIO...WEATHER.GOV/LOUISVILLE ON THE INTERNET...OR LOCAL MEDIA FOR LATER UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. && MJ
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY 448 AM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009 KYZ061>064-070-071-074-080945- BARREN-BUTLER-EDMONSON-GREEN-HART-LOGAN-WARREN- 348 AM CDT FRI MAY 8 2009 ...LINE OF STRONG STORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND VERY DANGEROUS LIGHTNING HEADING FOR BOWLING GREEN AND SURROUNDING COUNTIES... AT 443 AM EDT/343 AM CDT/...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE FROM 15 MILES WEST OF HODGENVILLE TO 10 MILES NORTH OF MORGANTOWN TO 18 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GREENVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH. CONTINUOUS DEADLY LIGHTNING...HEAVY RAIN WITH RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF AROUND ONE INCH PER HOUR REDUCING VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN ONE MILE...SMALL HAIL...AND GUSTY WINDS TO 40 MPH...ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. THESE STORMS WILL BE... NEAR MORGANTOWN BY 400 AM CDT. NEAR MUNFORDVILLE BY 425 AM CDT. NEAR RUSSELLVILLE BY 440 AM CDT. NEAR BOWLING GREEN BY 445 AM CDT. THESE STORMS WILL BE... NEAR ROCHESTER BY 350 AM CDT. NEAR ABERDEEN BY 355 AM CDT. NEAR SOUTH HILL BY 400 AM CDT. NEAR WOODBURY BY 405 AM CDT. NEAR ROUNDHILL BY 410 AM CDT. NEAR WINDYVILLE BY 415 AM CDT. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT INTERSTATE 65 IN KENTUCKY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 28 AND 71. THESE STORMS WILL AFFECT THE NATCHER PARKWAY BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 7 AND 27. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... TORRENTIAL RAINFALL IS OCCURRING. EXPECT PONDING OF WATER ON LOCAL ROADWAYS. DRIVERS SHOULD SLOW DOWN IF ENCOUNTERING HEAVY RAINS. STAY OFF THE PHONE AND AVOID PLUMBING AS THESE STORMS COME THROUGH WITH THEIR FREQUENT LIGHTNING. && 13
The Louisville radar (KLVX), 87 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:13 UTC.
12 thunderstorm wind, 9 flash flood, 4 tornado, 2 heavy rain. Local standard time, as filed.
A large tree was blown down in the Mammoth Cave area. Time is estimated based on radar data.
A roof was blown off of a front porch and a tree was blown down in Breckton.
A tree was downed on U.S. 31W north of Bowling Green.
A tree was downed near the intersection of U.S. 68/80 and Highway 101.
Spotter reported 4.5 inches of rain since midnight.
A couple of trees and power lines were downed along Highway 88 near Hardyville.
The EF-1 tornado tracked along a roughly 6 mile long intermittent path from northeastern Barren County into far northern Metcalfe County. It first touched down as an EF-0 tornado 1 mile northeast of Hiseville. The tornado then produced EF-1 damage along its path before lifting about one mile south of the town of Center in Metcalfe County. A home was damaged along with several out-buildings - including a well constructed barn which was destroyed - and numerous trees were uprooted. The tornado was 30 yards wide and ended seven minutes later at 311 pm CDT. Maximum winds ranged from 75 to 90 mph. No injuries or fatalities were associated with this tornado.
This tornado first touched down in Barren County, about one mile northeast of Hiseville, before tracking into Metcalfe County. While the tornado produced EF-1 damage in Barren County, only EF-0 damage occurred along the Metcalfe part of its path, uplifting a pole barn and scattering it across a field. The tornado then lifted about one mile south of Center near State Highway 1243.
Very large trees were downed along Highway 1243.
Trees were downed along Highway 70 at 8202 Sulpher Well Knob Lick Road. A shed was also blown onto the road.
Water was running through the Tucks Apartments on Saw Mill Road.
Seventh and Berry Streets were closed due to high water. Other intersections were closed due to high water. Manhole covers were blown off in some locations.
The tornado first touched down in the Nina Ridge Road area three miles ESE of McCreary in Garrard County. The tornado caused EF-1 damage at this location before strengthening to EF-2 just before entering Madison County.
Near the intersection of Highways 1295 and 52 in Madison County, the tornado reached EF-3 intensity. Near this intersection, two adults were killed when the mobile home they were in was picked up and thrown by the tornado. The bodies were recovered from a nearby pond. Five other occupants of the mobile home, including three children, were injured. A female relative in a brick home just yards away from the mobile home received only minor injuries despite being pinned under a collapsed wall in the house.
The tornado weakened and lifted at times as it continued east across the county, but still caused significant damage. It tore much of the roof off a fire station on the south side of Richmond before moving over the Bluegrass Army Depot toward the community of Waco in the eastern part of the county. After doing extensive damage to mainly roofs in a subdivision of brick homes near Waco, the tornado destroyed a mobile home in the area, carrying two teenage male occupants of the home through the air before dropping them near an elementary school 300 yards away. The teens miraculously received only minor injuries. The tornado weakened significantly from this point on, doing only minor roof damage and downing trees as it continued eastward before lifting near the end of Drowning Creek Road.
The tornado was up to 150 yards wide with maximum estimated wind speeds up to 140 mph. Approximately 150 homes received damage, the most severe being several brick homes where only interior walls remained standing in the wake of the tornado.
The tornado first touched down in the Nina Ridge Road area three miles ESE of McCreary in Garrard County. The tornado caused EF-1 damage at this location before strengthening to EF-2 just before entering Madison County.
Near the intersection of Highways 1295 and 52 in Madison County, the tornado reached EF-3 intensity. Near this intersection, two adults were killed when the mobile home they were in was picked up and thrown by the tornado. The bodies were recovered from a nearby pond. Five other occupants of the mobile home, including three children, were injured. A female relative in a brick home just yards away from the mobile home received only minor injuries despite being pinned under a collapsed wall in the house.
The tornado weakened and lifted at times as it continued east across the county, but still caused significant damage. It tore much of the roof off a fire station on the south side of Richmond before moving over the Bluegrass Army Depot toward the community of Waco in the eastern part of the county. After doing extensive damage to mainly roofs in a subdivision of brick homes near Waco, the tornado destroyed a mobile home in the area, carrying two teenage male occupants of the home through the air before dropping them near an elementary school 300 yards away. The teens miraculously received only minor injuries. The tornado weakened significantly from this point on, doing only minor roof damage and downing trees as it continued eastward before lifting near the end of Drowning Creek Road.
The tornado was up to 150 yards wide with maximum estimated wind speeds up to 140 mph. Approximately 150 homes received damage, the most severe being several brick homes where only interior walls remained standing in the wake of the tornado.
Strong wind gusts on I-75 between mile markers 75 and 85. A pickup truck was blown over the median.
Numerous roads were closed including State HWY 49 and 84 in Lebanon. The Marion County Emergency Manager also reported several county roads were covered by water and debris and that up to two feet of water covered some roads in Lebanon.
Vehicles were blown off the road at the intersection of Morin Mill Road and KY 52W. Estimated wind speeds of 80 mph in Richmond.
A mobile home was blown across Moran Mill Road near KY 52W.
A rail car was blown over in Richmond.
Barns and houses were damaged. trees and power lines were downed near the intersection of KY 1131 and 1295. This was straight line wind damage associated with the line of storms that shortly after this report produced a tornado in Garrard and Madison Counties.
Four inches of water was flowing across the road in Highview.
Water was covering Dixie Highway between Upton and Sonora.
Sections of HWY 222 were closed due to high water between Hodgenville and Glendale.
Two roads were covered and overflowing with water in the city. Out in the county, Palastine Road, Miller Park Drive and Bear Track Road were covered with water.
Many roads in Perryville are impassable.
Three people were rescued after a walking bridge was washed away. The event occurred near KY 210 at the soccer field.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tornado, Madison | 2009-05-08 | 35 | Male | Mobile/Trailer Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Madison | 2009-05-08 | 46 | Female | Mobile/Trailer Home | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kentucky, 2009Warnings in Kentucky, May 2009
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 174628, 172679, 174647, 174648, 174644, 174634, 172667, 172959, 174642, 174643, 172682, 174635, 172699, 172960, 174639, 174641, 174630, 174637, 174638, 174640, 174629, 172683, 174633, 174636, 174645, 172680, 174646.