Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in Kentucky, December 9, 2023

The National Weather Service in Louisville conducted a storm damage assessment survey in Logan County, Kentucky from the storms on Saturday, December 9th. The survey was conducted in very cold conditions with temperatures in the mid to upper 30s with storm damage over 22 miles.

This storm damage survey is only for the Logan County and Simpson County, Kentucky, portion of a long-track EF3 tornado that touched down on Fort Campbell in Montgomery County, Tennessee. The tornado tracked east northeast across the southern part of Todd County, Kentucky. The tornado continued eastward from Todd County, Kentucky, dropping debris from Allensville into farmers fields between the county line and Gossett Hines Road. The tornado sucked up leftover corn and beans from the fields, throwing them in all directions and covering portions of the roadway. It also knocked some power lines down in this area with wind speeds estimated at 95 mph (EF1) and a path width of 125 yards.

The tornado continued east northeastward, topping some trees near the intersection of Paul Young Road as well as doing significant structural roof damage to a barn. Wind speeds were estimated at 90 mph (EF1), with a path width of 100 yards.

The tornado increased in width and intensity as it approached Lickskillet. A series of small vortices inside the tornado increased the width to 250 yards, with wind speeds estimated at 115 mph (EF2) in a small area off of Lickskillet Road. A well-built two-story house sustained extensive roof damage, had its foundation shifted, windows blown out, 3 vehicles thrown and severely damaged, and 2 barns destroyed with impalement of barn boards. Debris was thrown several hundred yards from the north to |the east southeasterly direction. NWS drone footage clearly showed a large forested area had trees snapped, uprooted, twisted and facing numerous directions. The drone footage also showed debris deposited up to 500 yards to the east northeast.

Several barns and outbuildings were destroyed along Lickskillet Road, with barn metal sheeting wrapped around trees and insulation on the front and back sides of homes. The survey team once again observed leftover corn and beans from harvested crops thrown all over the place. Wind speeds in this area ranged from 95 to 105 mph (EF1) with a damage width of 250 yards.

Witness testimony and video clearly showed several small vortices mainly rain wrapped in this area. Numerous people heard the strong wind and roar and felt a severe pressure drop in their eardrums.

The tornado next hit a couple of homes on Watermelon Road (Hwy 1041). Significant roof damage occurred, including major loss of shingles, loss of gutters and large sections of the roof ripped off and mangled. There were several uprooted trees, and 2 outbuildings were destroyed. Some damage was thrown 400 yards to the east northeast. Wind speeds in this area ranged from 95 to 105 mph (EF1) with a width of 250 yards.

The next concentrated damage area was near the intersection of Johnson Young Road (Highway 739) and McIntosh Road. Several greenhouses had their roofing material ripped apart and bent, and two outbuildings and one barn were destroyed. Several witnesses had video of the tornado, which showed several small vortices. This was extremely helpful to determine why some areas had almost no damage, while other areas had substantial damage. Dozens of large trees were uprooted and snapped on the west side of McIntosh Road behind the greenhouses. Wind speeds in this area were between 100 and 105 mph (EF1) with a width of 250 yards.

The tornado significantly damaged roofing structures of two homes on Orndorff Mill Road (Highway 96). One middle section of the home on the west side of Hwy 96 was completely destroyed, and the home on the east side of Hwy 96 had most of its roof ripped off. There were some structural flaws to these homes and pine trees next to the home were not significantly affected. Thus, wind speeds were kept at 95 mph (EF1). Two barns were destroyed at this location as well.

Along Nashville Road (Highway 431), there was some metal uplift of some barns and one outbuilding, while no foundation support was destroyed. Wind speeds were between 80 and 85 mph (EF0) with a width of 175 yards.

Along Franklin Road (Highway 100), there were several power poles snapped or knocked down, and some shingle, gutter, and soffit damage to one home. Wind speeds were 90 mph (EF1) with a width of 175 yards.

Along Dennis Corinth Road (Highway 2369), there was a partial uplift of an old barn. The debris from the barn was thrown to the north and east directions. The eastern debris struck a single- family residence, doing roof, gutter, and broken glass damage. Wind speeds were between 80 and 85 mph (EF0) with a width of 100 yards.

The last observed damage from the December 10th survey was roof damage to a barn on Carter Road with debris thrown into a farmer's field, stopping before Montgomery Road. Wind speeds were 85 mph (EF0) with a width of 60 yards.

Upon further investigation by emergency personnel on December 18th, the tornado was found to have crossed Montgomery Road across mostly rural locations before more damage was observed at Matlock Road and Pamela Lane. Roof damage to barns and outbuildings were found to be at EF0 strength at 80 mph. The tornado then continued across Friendship Road and did damage along Harris Road where a barn under construction was leveled. Winds in excess of 90 mph were determined to occur here at EF1 strength.

The tornado continued across Logan Middleton Road where EF0 damage occurred to a home and barns just to the east of the highway. At this point, the tornado crossed just into Simpson county along Clifford Peart and J Wilson Road where additional barn damage occurred. No additional damage was observed from the tornado beyond |Clifford Peart Road. In total, the damage track was extended an additional 4.59 miles for a total of 22.82 miles in the NWS Louisville warning area, and a total of 47.75 miles from the origination point of Montgomery County TN.

The National Weather Service in Louisville conducted a storm damage assessment survey for the Logan County and Simpson County, Kentucky, portion of a long-track EF3 tornado that touched down on Fort Campbell in Montgomery County, Tennessee.

The tornado tracked east-northeast across the southern part of Todd County, Kentucky and across Logan County before entering Simpson County along Clifford Peart and J Wilson Road where additional barn damage occurred. No additional damage was observed from the tornado beyond Clifford Peart Road.

In total, a total of 22.82 miles of the 47.75 mile tornado track was in the NWS Louisville warning area.

The National Weather Service conducted a storm damage assessment survey in Warren County on the south side of Bowling Green from the storm on Saturday afternoon December 9.

The tornado touchdown was just east of I-165 near Paradise playground. Damage consisted of twisting and topping some trees, with wind speeds of 80 mph, EF0 and then quickly increased to 90 mph, EF1, with uprooted and snapping trees, roof shingle and soffit damage, destroyed a greenhouse, and uprooting more trees on top of home on Smallhouse Rd. Trees were facing from the northwesterly direction to an East northeasterly direction. The tornado's width along Smallhouse Road was 125 yards wide. The tornado was skipping as it went eastward and was very intermittent. The damage in the next subdivision was shingle and gutter related, with yard furniture thrown northeasterly through easterly direction. Wind speeds were 85 mph, EF0, with a width of 75 yards.

The next significant damage was along Three Spring Road consisting of two large metal warehouses having significant roofing damage. Unfortunately, the area was locked and we are unable to fly the drone due to air space restrictions. Wind speeds in this area were 90 mph, EF1, with a width of 70 yards. The tornado was skipping as it crossed Scottsville Road and Interstate 65, and then did significant roofing damage to the Super 8 Hotel on Cumberland Trace Road. Many sections of the galvanized roofing structure were thrown several hundred yards into the trees and up again against apartments. The roofing material was thrown from the north northeast to the easterly direction. Wind speeds in this area were 90 mph, EF1, with a width of 70 yards. The tornado lifted halfway between Cumberland Trace Road and Deer Meadow Avenue.

A photo on social media showed a funnel cloud at the Intersection of Interstate 65 and Interstate 165 south of Bowling Green.

A tree fell on a power line.

A brief EF-1 tornado touched down just south of the Kentucky border in Clay County where it blew down a few trees on Barber Shop Road (EF-0). The tornado intensified to EF-1 as it moved northeast into Kentucky and caused significant roof and siding damage to several chicken barns in Harlan Crossroads. A home also lost its porch and part of its roof on Red Hill-Beech Grove Road. A few more trees were blown down west of of Beech Grove-Boles Road before the tornado lifted.

An equipment shed flipped over from thunderstorm winds.