Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Kentucky, March 14, 2019

Flash flooding of Red Duck Creek was concentrated in a two to three block residential area near downtown Mayfield. Emergency services personnel assisted some residents that were affected. Numerous streets and roads were closed in the Mayfield area. Around three to four inches of rain fell during the pre-dawn hours, bringing many creeks out of their banks.

A low spot was flooded in a typical problem area. The highway department was dispatched to provide traffic control.

Floodwaters closed U.S. Highway 62 in the West Fork Creek bottoms between Bardwell and Highway 121.

Kentucky Highway 339 was closed near the Graves County line due to flooding of Mayfield Creek. Highways 994 and 1014 near Hendron were closed due to flooding of Champion Creek. Around three inches of rain fell during the pre-dawn hours, which brought creeks out of their banks.

Trained spotters reported creeks were out of their banks in the Dexter area.

Water rescues were conducted on Highway 1539 a few miles east of Henderson. The creek flooding may have been aggravated by backwater from the Ohio River, which was near flood stage. Around two inches of rain fell during the predawn hours, causing flash flooding of creeks.

This multi-county tornado first touched down near the intersection of Highways 1820 and 1628 in northeast Carlisle County. Only a very small portion of the track occurred in Carlisle County. The tornado proceeded northeast, passing mostly over undeveloped wetlands along Mayfield Creek. The damage path started with spotty tree damage and minor shingle damage. As the tornado approached the Ballard County line, a wider and more definitive path of snapped and uprooted trees became evident. Peak winds in Carlisle County were estimated near 105 mph as it was entering Ballard County.

This multi-county tornado crossed extreme southeast Ballard County on its way from Carlisle County to McCracken County. The tornado track passed just northwest and north of the community of Lovelaceville. The two primary structural damage areas were the crossing points along Highway 1837 west of Lovelaceville and Hamburg Road north of Lovelaceville. West of Lovelaceville on Highway 1837, there was major roof damage to a few structures, including a mobile home and a farm outbuilding. A well-defined path of broken and uprooted trees was also evident. As the tornado reached Hamburg Road, the first evidence of EF-2 damage became visible. A large portion of the exterior wall of a house collapsed, and there was significant roof damage to the house. A nearby farm outbuilding was demolished. A swath of snapped and uprooted trees crossed the area. Building debris was deposited well downwind of the damaged or destroyed structures. Four cows were killed. The tornado path widened quickly, reaching 300 yards shortly after exiting Carlisle County. Peak winds in Ballard County were estimated near 115 mph. The tornado then crossed into McCracken County, where the majority of the damage path was located.

This multi-county tornado entered McCracken County from Ballard County near the community of Lovelaceville. The tornado tracked within a couple of miles either side of U.S. Highway 62 for most of its path in McCracken County. The tornado intermittently reached EF-2 intensity from the Ballard County line to about two miles southeast of Barkley Regional Airport. A total of 25 dwellings were damaged along the path in McCracken County. Five businesses were damaged, and 20 residences were damaged. The damage was categorized as minor for 14 of the residences, major for one, and five were destroyed. Major structural damage included partial loss of roofs or walls. Minor damage to homes included the loss of shingles. Dozens of barns, outbuildings, garages, or grain bins were destroyed. A church, located on U.S. Highway 62 near Highway 305, lost much of the roof structure as well as a large part of a second story exterior wall. This is where the tornado reached its maximum intensity, with estimated peak winds near 125 mph. A total of 40 pre-schoolers were inside a day care facility in the church, but none were directly injured. At least ten vehicles sustained damage in this area near the church. The only injury occurred on U.S. Highway 62 near the church, where a grain bin was blown on top of a pickup truck traveling eastbound. During the final few miles of its track, the tornado weakened as it moved through the western part of the city of Paducah. In the western part of Paducah, the tornado moved across U.S. Highway 60 and the city's main shopping mall. The tornado dissipated shortly after crossing Interstate 24 between exits 3 and 4. The roofs of the shopping mall and a nearby strip mall were damaged. Several businesses in the mall area and along Interstate 24 sustained minor damage, mostly to roofs. Windows were blown out of vehicles and buildings. A moving semi truck was lifted along Interstate 24 and was blown into the median in a jack-knife position. Along the entire track, dozens of utility poles were down, causing extensive power outages for nearly 10,000 customers. Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted. Video of the tornado was captured by personnel at the Paducah National Weather Service office, which the tornado missed by about two miles.

Tree limbs were blown down, including a few large ones.

The tornado touched down on Highway 109 in western Union County, where a semi truck and trailer was blown over. The driver sustained minor injuries. Where the tornado crossed Highway 947 a couple miles northwest of Morganfield, a Ford Taurus sedan was picked up and flipped onto its roof. The car was moved approximately 25 feet. Along the path of the tornado, dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted, and numerous power poles were broken. The roof of a farm building was partially ripped off. The tornado was widely seen and videoed by local residents. Peak winds in the tornado were estimated near 110 mph.

Several small to medium size trees were uprooted or lost branches. Peak winds were estimated near 75 mph.

Two large trees were uprooted, and several tree limbs were broken. A picture of the tornado was taken from Hickory. Peak winds in this short-lived tornado were estimated near 80 mph.

A few trees were down around town.

In downtown Clay, there was shingle damage to a business, and trees were down.

A small metal garage was destroyed.

Numerous shingles were blown off a house. A couple trees were uprooted. Large branches were down. Peak winds were estimated near 85 mph. A funnel cloud was reported near Poole shortly before this tornado. The tornado continued into Henderson County.

The tornado continued from Webster County into Henderson County. A few small limbs were blown down. Peak winds were estimated near 65 mph in the Henderson County portion of the path.

Power poles were blown down on U.S. Highway 60 between Stanley and Owensboro. In Stanley, trees were reported to be down. A barn about 100 feet wide by 50 feet long was leveled on Highway 815 near West Louisville.

The tornado was captured on video near its beginning. A television antenna tower near a home was knocked over. Otherwise, damage was limited to disturbed corn stubble in agricultural fields along U.S. Highway 41 north of Slaughters. Peak winds were estimated near 70 mph.