An outbreak of severe thunderstorms was triggered by an unseasonably strong low pressure system over the Upper Mississippi Valley. The trailing cold front swept east across western Kentucky.
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 PAH wrote it up.
An outbreak of severe thunderstorms was triggered by an unseasonably strong low pressure system over the Upper Mississippi Valley. The trailing cold front swept east across western Kentucky. Strong south winds ahead of this front brought adequate moisture and instability for a line of low-topped convection. Minimal lightning activity was reported.
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 Paducah, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Oct 26, 2:17 AM CST, 3 hours 55 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
317 AM CDT TUE OCT 26 2010
.DISCUSSION...
MAIN CONCERN FOR THIS FORECAST IS THE POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT
SEVERE WEATHER EPISODE TO UNFOLD SHORTLY. SPC NOW HAS THE
EVANSVILLE TRI STATE IN A HIGH RISK...WITH MUCH OF THE AREA EAST
OF THE MISSISSIPPI IN A MODERATE RISK...AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI IN A
SLIGHT RISK. WITH THE EXTREME LOW AND HIGH LAYER SHEAR AND MODEST
SURFACE BASED INSTABILITY EXPECTED OVER THE QUAD
STATE...WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS SEEM LIKELY...ESPECIALLY IN THE
13Z TO 16Z TIMEFRAME OVER THE EVANSVILLE TRI STATE. IF DISCRETE
CELLS CAN DEVELOP AHEAD OF OR WITHIN THE LINE...TORNADIC
SUPERCELLS WILL BE A REALITY.
MADE ONLY MINOR TWEAKS TO THE INHERITED POP/WEATHER/QPF GRIDS MAINLY
FOR TIMING WHICH SEEMS TO BE FASTER THAN EARLIER EXPECTED...MORE
IN LINE WITH GFS OR SREF. IT STILL APPEARS THAT THE CONVECTION
WILL BE EAST OF THE AREA BY 18Z. DID MAKE SOME CHANGES TO SHOW NON
DIURNAL TEMPERATURE TRENDS AS THE LINE/FRONT TRAVERSE THE AREA.
MAY SEE QUITE A FEW MORNING HIGHS OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE AREA.
AS FOR THE WIND ADVISORY...IT WILL BE LEFT ALONE. ALREADY HAVE
SEEN GUSTS 34-39KTS AT KCGI AND KMDH...AND FEEL THAT 40KT GUSTS
ARE A SAFE BET FOR MUCH OF THE AREA. IT SHOULD BE WORST AHEAD OF THE
FRONT...WHICH SHOULD BE OUT OF THE AREA AROUND 18Z. HOWEVER...SOME
NEAR SEVERE GUSTS MAY PERSIST FOR AN HOUR OR TWO BEHIND THE
CONVECTIVE LINE ACROSS THE EVANSVILLE TRI STATE AREA. WILL HAVE TO
WATCH THIS AREA FOR A HIGH WIND WARNING LATER. THE 20Z EXPIRATION
OF THE ADVISORY MIGHT BE AN HOUR OR TWO TOO LATE...BUT WILL GIVE
THE WINDS A WIDE BERTH.
FOR TONIGHT AND BEYOND THE FORECAST CONTINUES TO BE DRY. NEXT HOPE
FOR RAIN WILL BE EARLY NEXT WEEK...AT THE EARLIEST. SHOULD SEE
MILD AND DRY CONDITIONS ON WEDNESDAY ALONG WITH WINDS 10 TO 20 MPH
WITH HIGHER GUSTS. THIS SPELLS MORE FIRE CONCERNS DEPENDING ON HOW
WET THE FUELS GET TODAY. DRY COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE
REGION LATE WEDNESDAY. IT WILL BRING A TEMPORARY END TO THE MILD
WEATHER. HIGHS THURSDAY WILL STRUGGLE TO REACH 60 IN SOME
LOCATIONS...WHILE FRIDAY MORNING MAY SEE A FREEZE IN MANY
LOCATIONS. A MODEST WARM UP IS EXPECTED THROUGH THE WEEKEND WHEN
WE WILL LIKELY BE BACK ABOVE NORMAL.
&&
.AVIATION...
BY THE TIME OF THE ISSUANCE OF THE 12Z TUESDAY TAF
PACKAGE...CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY SHOULD BE ONGOING AT KCGI AND
KPAH...WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO KEVV AND KOWB
BETWEEN 13Z-15Z. MVFR CEILINGS BETWEEN 1.5-2.5KFT AGL SHOULD
DOMINATE WITH THE EXPECTED SQUALL LINE AND POSSIBLY DISCRETE
THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE LINE NEAR THE KPAH/KEVV/KOWB TAF SITES.
CEILINGS SHOULD BECOME RAPIDLY VFR FROM WEST TO EAST BETWEEN 14Z
/KCGI/ TO 20Z /KOWB/. THE MAIN CONCERN WILL BE THE WINDS...AS BOTH
PRE-FRONTAL AND POST-FRONTAL WINDS MAY BE SUSTAINED BETWEEN 15-25
KNOTS WITH GUSTS RANGING FROM 20-40 KNOTS WITH THE CONVECTIVE
ACTIVITY. A LAST MINUTE ADJUSTMENT WILL NEED TO BE MADE...ESPECIALLY
FOR THE KEVV/KOWB TO ADD A SHORT PERIOD GROUP /1-2 HOURS LONG/ FOR
POTENTIAL GUSTS NEAR OR EXCEEDING 50 KNOTS IN AND NEAR THE
CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY. THE WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH MARKEDLY BELOW 10
KNOTS BY 23-00Z WEDNESDAY.
&&
.PAH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
KY...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR BALLARD-CALDWELL-
CALLOWAY-CARLISLE-CHRISTIAN-CRITTENDEN-DAVIESS-FULTON-
GRAVES-HENDERSON-HICKMAN-HOPKINS-LIVINGSTON-LYON-MARSHALL-
MCCRACKEN-MCLEAN-MUHLENBERG-TODD-TRIGG-UNION KY-WEBSTER.
MO...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR BOLLINGER-BUTLER-
CAPE GIRARDEAU-CARTER-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID-PERRY MO-
RIPLEY-SCOTT-STODDARD-WAYNE MO.
IL...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR ALEXANDER-
EDWARDS-FRANKLIN-GALLATIN-HAMILTON-HARDIN-JACKSON-JEFFERSON-
JOHNSON-MASSAC-PERRY IL-POPE-PULASKI-SALINE-UNION IL-WABASH-
WAYNE IL-WHITE-WILLIAMSON.
IN...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 3 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR GIBSON-PIKE-
POSEY-SPENCER-VANDERBURGH-WARRICK.
&&
PUBLIC.....DRS
AVIATION...KESHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY 426 AM CDT TUE OCT 26 2010 ILZ075>078-080>094-INZ081-082-085>088-KYZ001>022-MOZ076-086-087- 100-107>112-114-271000- JEFFERSON-WAYNE IL-EDWARDS-WABASH-PERRY IL-FRANKLIN-HAMILTON- WHITE-JACKSON-WILLIAMSON-SALINE-GALLATIN-UNION IL-JOHNSON-POPE- HARDIN-ALEXANDER-PULASKI-MASSAC-GIBSON-PIKE-POSEY-VANDERBURGH- WARRICK-SPENCER-FULTON-HICKMAN-CARLISLE-BALLARD-MCCRACKEN-GRAVES- LIVINGSTON-MARSHALL-CALLOWAY-CRITTENDEN-LYON-TRIGG-CALDWELL- UNION KY-WEBSTER-HOPKINS-CHRISTIAN-HENDERSON-DAVIESS-MCLEAN- MUHLENBERG-TODD-PERRY MO-BOLLINGER-CAPE GIRARDEAU-WAYNE MO-CARTER- RIPLEY-BUTLER-STODDARD-SCOTT-MISSISSIPPI-NEW MADRID- 426 AM CDT TUE OCT 26 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS...SOUTHWEST INDIANA...WESTERN KENTUCKY AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THE ENTIRE QUAD STATE AREA THROUGH NOON. WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED...AS A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS MOVES QUICKLY EASTWARD THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING. A FEW BRIEF TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ALONG THE LINE. THE LINE WILL EXTEND FROM NEAR MT VERNON ILLINOIS TO NEW MADRID MISSOURI BY 7 AM...AND WILL TRAVERSE THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA THROUGH NOON. THE STRONGEST AND MOST WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE EVANSVILLE TRI STATE AREA BETWEEN 8 AM AND 11 AM. AHEAD OF THE LINE OF STORMS...VERY STRONG SOUTH WINDS SUSTAINED AT 25 TO 40 MPH AND GUSTING TO 55 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED THIS MORNING. A WIND ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED THROUGH 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON...BUT A HIGH WIND WARNING MAY BE NEEDED FOR A PORTION OF THE AREA. THESE WINDS SHOULD SUBSIDE AN HOUR OR TWO AFTER THE FRONT AND THUNDERSTORMS PASS THROUGH A GIVEN AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY A FROST OR LIGHT FREEZE WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR ACTIVATION THIS MORNING. DRS
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</html>The Paducah radar (KPAH), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:14 UTC.
10 thunderstorm wind, 4 tornado, 2 hail, 1 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
On Highway 94 near the intersection of Highway 971, a grain bin blew across the road and struck a car. The top of the grain bin was entangled in power lines. A roof corner of a farm shed was peeled back in the same area. A few trees were blown down.
Several trees were blown down.
A 30-by-50 foot tent used as a temporary maintenance shelter was partially blown down.
A few limbs and small trees were blown down.
Two trees were blown down in the city.
Large tree limbs were blown down near Hardin.
A trained spotter reported a funnel cloud south of U.S. Highway 60 and west of West Louisville. Another untrained witness reported a funnel cloud in the same area. The funnel cloud went up and down but did not touch ground.
A few trees were blown down.
Dime-size hail was reported in the Pennyrile State Resort Park area.
Wind gusts to 60 mph were estimated by a spotter just east of the city of Owensboro. A couple of power lines were down. A wind gust to 57 mph was measured in Owensboro.
Large tree limbs up to one foot in diameter were blown down. The street department removed several of them from streets. A rotating wall cloud was photographed just northwest of Crofton.
A National Weather Service damage survey revealed a brief EF-0 tornado along Highway 601. Around 30 small trees were broken off. No structures were in the path of the tornado. The peak wind was estimated at 65 to 70 mph.
The tornado touched down west of Hopkinsville along Highway 272, where a metal building was damaged and a couple of small trees were down. In a subdivision on the north side of Highway 272, there were several homes with partial removal of roof shingles. There was damage to gutters and flashing. Numerous trees were uprooted, mainly small trees. Numerous large tree limbs were broken. One house roof was damaged by a falling tree limb. The tornado was videotaped by storm spotters as it moved through the west side of Hopkinsville. A storage warehouse sustained roof damage. A warehouse side structure was ripped away from a building in Hopkinsville. Peak winds were estimated near 85 mph. The average path width was 70 yards.
Some tree and shingle damage occurred on the north side of Central City. A trained spotter confirmed wind gusts of around 60 mph.
A damage survey revealed a weak tornado caused a path of intermittent tree damage. Several large tree limbs were blown down, one whole tree was down, and tin was damaged on a couple of barns. Peak winds were estimated near 70 mph. The damage path ended near the junction of Highway 1453 and U.S. Highway 41.
A damage survey revealed a brief EF-0 tornado along Highway 475. There was damage to recreational equipment blown from the back yard of a home. Pieces of tin were blown off a barn roof. Peak winds were estimated at 65 mph.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kentucky, 2010Warnings in Kentucky, October 2010
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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 260847, 260848, 260849, 263054, 261005, 260850, 261006, 261007, 261004, 261011, 260851, 261003, 260844, 260843, 261002, 260845, 260846.