Eastern Kentucky experienced multiple rounds of severe weather from May 16th into the early morning hours of May 17th. The initial round of severe weather, occurring during the morning and early afternoon, produced swaths of large to significant hail (approaching baseball size), localized damaging winds, and heavy rainfall.
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 JKL wrote it up.
Eastern Kentucky experienced multiple rounds of severe weather from May 16th into the early morning hours of May 17th.
The initial round of severe weather, occurring during the morning and early afternoon, produced swaths of large to significant hail (approaching baseball size), localized damaging winds, and heavy rainfall. Notably, intense thunderstorm wind gusts impacted downtown London, tearing a roof off the Wedding Shoppe and a portion of the Copper Penny, which subsequently landed on vehicles in a nearby parking area. A lull in storm activity from mid-afternoon through early evening allowed the atmosphere to become highly unstable.
Scattered supercell thunderstorms then moved in from the west through the evening, generating multiple brief but strong to violent tornadoes across parts of eastern Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana, and western Kentucky. A particularly long-lived supercell tracked east from the Ozarks of southern Missouri, intermittently producing brief tornadoes and wind damage as it moved through the southern portions of Western and Central Kentucky.
The storm's final, and most destructive, tornado touched down in Russell County, approximately 4 miles southeast of Russell Springs. Initially, the damage path was fairly narrow, in the EF-2 to low EF-3 range, as it tracked through southeast Russell County and into Pulaski County, causing significant damage to structures and trees. After impacting the southern end of Somerset, inflicting considerable damage on residential homes and the Southern Kentucky RECC headquarters, the tornado strengthened and widened. It reached EF-4 strength with estimated winds of around 170 mph as it moved toward Mount Victory. The tornado's path of devastation continued eastward through the rugged and forested terrain of the Daniel Boone National Forest, reaching a maximum width of 1,700 yards. Radar indicated that debris was lofted at least 27,000 feet above the ground. The tornado narrowed again as it approached and crossed I-75, scouring neighborhoods south of downtown London and impacting the London-Corbin Airport, before lifting about 6 miles southeast of London.
The most extensive residential damage and the largest number of casualties occurred in the Sunshine Hill community, just southwest of the London city limits. Official reports confirm 19 fatalities from this tornado, making it the deadliest tornado in the history of NWS Jackson. Seventeen of these deaths occurred in Laurel County, with one fatality each in Pulaski and Russell counties. At least 11 individuals sustained serious injuries, and an unknown number sustained less serious injuries. CHI St. Joseph Hospital in London reported treating 108 patients for injuries after the tornado. In Laurel County alone, the London mayor reported 817 homes affected, including 280 completely destroyed and 195 sustaining major damage. (For more detail, see the Official NWS Storm Survey summary and the NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit Viewer.)
Following the tornado's dissipation, the parent supercell gradually weakened as it moved eastward through Clay, Leslie, Perry, and Letcher counties, producing substantial wind damage. Separately, another strong supercell tracked from the Bluegrass region into Rowan and Elliott counties, but fortunately caused only sporadic wind damage and up to egg-sized hail. Behind these supercells, additional intense thunderstorms accompanied the passage of a cold front, primarily producing strong to damaging straight-line wind gusts.
Beyond the thunderstorms, the initial round of heavy rainfall early in the day occurred along a west-southwest to east-northeast axis, roughly from Rockcastle to Pike counties. Excessive rainfall, exceeding 3 inches in parts of Breathitt County, led to localized flash flooding. Additional isolated flash flooding occurred with the second round of thunderstorms late on May 16th and into the early morning hours of May 17th. The cumulative effect of the heavy rainfall resulted in high water at multiple river forecast points, including the South Fork Kentucky River at Oneida and Booneville, the Licking River at Salyersville, and the Levisa Fork at Prestonsburg. Minor flood stage was also exceeded at Heidelberg and Ravenna along the main stem of the Kentucky River.
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 Jackson, KY wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at May 16, 7:40 AM EST, 1 hour 4 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED National Weather Service Jackson KY 840 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - There is an enhanced to moderate risk of organized severe thunderstorms with significant severe weather possible from today into tonight. - After Saturday, shower/storm chances continue at times through the middle of next week, mainly during the afternoon and evening hours. - Temperatures will be 5 to 10 degrees above normal today - then nearer to normal from Saturday through Tuesday. && .UPDATE... Issued at 118 AM EDT FRI MAY 16 2025 After a few early evening elevated thunderstorms over the southwest part of the forecast area, the night has turned quiet, with convection well upstream also dying out. Can't rule out some showers or storms yet, mainly toward dawn, but the real action should hold off at least until the day on Friday. UPDATE Issued at 942 PM EDT THU MAY 15 2025 Elevated convection has moved through our southwest counties this evening, leaving very little precip due to a layer of very dry air below the convective base. Below this dry layer there is warm and moist surface layer which has remained capped. The early evening activity likely resulted in dry lightning for some locations-- an extremely rare event for this area. Models suggest the elevated moist layer could result in precip overnight, but with the same dry layer expected to persist between about 850 and 600 mb, it's still questionable how much could get to the ground vs remaining virga. The night time POP is being held generally no higher than 20%. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Friday night) Issued at 220 PM EDT THU MAY 15 2025 There is not much change to the ongoing near-term forecast. PoPs have been lowered below 15 for the remainder of this afternoon as convection has remained suppression given rapidly rising mid-level heights. PoPs are gradually increased again into the evening and overnight as subtle height falls occur with a shortwave impinging into the mid-level ridge axis as it crosses far eastern Kentucky. This will be the beginnings of a much more favorable environment for upstream convection to sustain itself into eastern Kentucky, but will also increasingly provide a more favorable environment (i.e., increased shear and moisture/instability advection) for new convective development over the area. The atmospheric environment over eastern Kentucky becomes extremely conducive for multiple rounds of thunderstorms beginning as early as Friday morning and lasting into Friday night, with the potential for scattered to numerous severe thunderstorms as a stout mid-level jet moves over a warm sector characterized by mid-60s dew points. The primary uncertainty late tonight through Friday afternoon is the timing of storms, and whether these storms will take on a more discrete nature or develop in clusters. Any discrete storms during the morning through late afternoon will be particularly capable of producing large damaging hail, as indicated by long straight hodographs in the 3 to 9 km layer. However, damaging winds and an isolated tornado or two also cannot be ruled out. Any tornado threat would be maximized along any warm front or other mesoscale boundaries over the area. Models show unusually high confidence in one, maybe two, fast- moving mesoscale convective systems moving east across the forecast area Friday evening into the overnight Friday night, with the severe threat increasingly becoming damaging winds, some of which may be significant (gusts greater than 75 mph). Large hail and isolated QLCS tornadoes will also be possible. A flash flood risk will also exist during the evening and overnight, especially where storms repeat over the same area in fairly rapid succession. .LONG TERM...(Saturday through Thursday) Issued at 455 PM EDT THU MAY 15 2025 The models, and their individual ensemble suites, are in pretty good agreement aloft through the weekend and for the start of the new week, but that similarity fades by the middle of the new week. They all depict a strong but weakening closed low trough moving through the Great Lakes, well north of strong ridging over the Gulf of America. This is supporting fast mid level flow through Kentucky to start the weekend with a key impulse passing through to the east as the period kicks off. This flow then takes on more of a northwest tilt with weak energy moving through the area into Sunday morning. However, the next area of troughing upstream will let more energy stream east to the Tennessee Valley by midday Sunday providing upper support for potentially more active weather. This energy from the west will serve to counteract and blunt the rising heights of the ridging building north from the Gulf Coast into Monday morning. That Western trough then deepens and digs through the Four Corners region early Tuesday building the downstream ridging more effectively, but temporarily. It is also at this point that the model differences become more stark with the ECMWF holding its version of the Southern Plains trough as a deeper, slower, and closed one compared to the GFS ensembles. This leads to higher uncertainty for weather conditions from late Tuesday through Thursday. Even the operational ECMWF then pushes 5h height falls into eastern Kentucky on Wednesday with its trough arriving in the western Ohio Valley by evening. The core of this trough then moves into Kentucky on Thursday along with its core mid-level energy - still slow compared to the GFS solutions. The small model spread through Tuesday supported using the NBM as the starting point with minimal adjustments needed - mainly to factor in some radiational cooling based, terrain distinctions, in temperatures at night at the start of the new week. Sensible weather features improving conditions for Saturday in the wake of a storm lined cold front passing southeast of the area around dawn, then after a lull in activity convective chances pick up again later in the weekend and Monday but with much higher chances through mid-week. The rest of Saturday should be dry after the main fropa that morning, though a secondary cold front passes through in the evening with a small potential for a shower or storm as it does so. A drier air mass, but low clouds, and CAA will support uniformly cooler low temperatures into Sunday morning. It is Sunday that will be in doubt, weather-wise, as the NAM12 lifts the boundary northeast toward the Cumberland Valley by midday with another potential cluster of storms working through southwestern parts of the JKL CWA. Meanwhile, the ECMWF (and for the most part GFS) keep any activity to the west and south of the area. Another night of dry weather is expected into Monday morning though there is better agreement for that southern boundary lifting into the area later in the day with showers and storms a better bet with higher confidence in occurrence . Low pressure approaching from the Plains will then support additional storm chances through the night into Tuesday and continuing on Wednesday as the sfc low settles over the area per the ECMWF - perhaps clearing out early with a more easterly low from the GFS at midweek. Likewise, the slowly progressing ECMWF cluster keeps convection around through the day, Thursday, compared to the GFS's high pressure driven drying. Either way cool temperatures are anticipated for Thursday. The changes to the NBM starting point consisted primarily of adding enhanced terrain distinction to the temperatures for Saturday and, especially, Sunday nights. As for PoPs - did not deviate from the NBM solution given the similar model solutions aside from Sunday and late in the period - when uncertainty is highest. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Saturday morning) ISSUED AT 636 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025 Scattered showers and thunderstorms are currently moving across portions of the area early this morning. Additional showers and thunderstorms will move into the area by the mid morning hours with better coverage expected with this the activity. This activity will move out of the area by early this afternoon. Additional isolated showers and storms will be possible at times this afternoon but coverage will be more limited and not all locations will be impacted. Then another round of showers and storms will move across the area this evening into tonight. Thunderstorms today will bring temporary sub- VFR conditions to. Thunderstorms today and especially this evening into tonight will bring the potential for high winds and hail. The storms will move out of the region tonight with MVFR ceilings expected to develop into early Saturday morning. && .JKL WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... None. && UPDATE...HAL SHORT TERM...CMC LONG TERM...GREIF AVIATION...WFO SGF
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Jackson KY 630 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025 KYZ044-050>052-058>060-068-069-079-080-083>088-104-106>120-171100- Fleming-Montgomery-Bath-Rowan-Estill-Powell-Menifee-Rockcastle- Jackson-Pulaski-Laurel-Wayne-McCreary-Whitley-Knox-Bell-Harlan- Elliott-Morgan-Johnson-Wolfe-Magoffin-Floyd-Lee-Breathitt-Knott- Owsley-Perry-Clay-Leslie-Letcher-Martin-Pike- 630 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for a portion of eastern Kentucky. .DAY ONE...Today and tonight. Multiple rounds of thunderstorms are expected to affect the area today through tonight, with severe thunderstorms likely. The greatest and most widespread severe weather risk is this evening into the overnight. Damaging winds and large hail are the primary concerns, but isolated tornadoes are also possible. Excessive rainfall could also lead to localized flooding. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday. A few thunderstorms could linger into early Saturday over southeast Kentucky. Thunderstorms are also possible at times late Sunday night through Wednesday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will likely be needed. CMC
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
648 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025
KYZ052-104-106-161115-
Rowan KY-Elliott KY-Morgan KY-
648 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN MORGAN...EAST
CENTRAL ROWAN AND ELLIOTT COUNTIES THROUGH 715 AM EDT...
At 648 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Little Sandy, or over Sandy Hook, moving east at 55 mph.
HAZARD...Half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible.
Locations impacted include...
Sandy Hook, Culver, Wagner Store, Fannin Valley, Farley, Little
Sandy, Lytten, Isonville, Newfoundland, Minor, Bruin, and Stark.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 3817 8298 3817 8292 3811 8289 3809 8293
3805 8295 3803 8300 3800 8302 3802 8327
3818 8327 3820 8306 3818 8305 3820 8304
3820 8301
TIME...MOT...LOC 1048Z 269DEG 49KT 3809 8317
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH
CMCSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
755 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025
KYZ058-059-068-069-161230-
Jackson KY-Estill KY-Rockcastle KY-Powell KY-
755 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT WEST CENTRAL POWELL...ESTILL...
NORTHWESTERN JACKSON AND NORTHERN ROCKCASTLE COUNTIES THROUGH 830 AM
EDT...
At 755 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Lancaster, or 13 miles southwest of Richmond, moving east at 50 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Irvine, McKee, Boone, Clay City, Ravenna, Threelinks, Kimbrell, Rice
Station, Kings Station, Bradshaw, Calloway Crossing, Wiseman Crossing
Station, Climax, Winston, Wisemantown, Disputanta, Hardwick, Brazil,
Weedon, and Shirley.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway near mile marker 17.
Interstate 75 in east central Kentucky between mile markers 67 and
72.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 3748 8444 3747 8438 3754 8435 3751 8426
3757 8409 3764 8413 3767 8409 3774 8408
3778 8411 3781 8408 3782 8410 3781 8412
3784 8410 3782 8407 3785 8406 3783 8400
3785 8401 3786 8393 3741 8392 3745 8446
TIME...MOT...LOC 1155Z 269DEG 42KT 3760 8447
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JMWSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
827 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025
KYZ058-069-108-111-112-114-161300-
Jackson KY-Lee KY-Breathitt KY-Estill KY-Owsley KY-Wolfe KY-
827 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN OWSLEY...SOUTHEASTERN
ESTILL...NORTHEASTERN JACKSON...NORTHWESTERN BREATHITT...LEE AND
SOUTHERN WOLFE COUNTIES THROUGH 900 AM EDT...
At 826 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Alumbaugh, or 8 miles southeast of Irvine, moving east at 55 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Irvine, Jackson, Beattyville, Booneville, Simpson, Fincastle,
Ravenna, White Ash, Fillmore, Earnestville, Noctor, Ida May,
Delvinta, Lerose, War Creek, Alumbaugh, Evelyn, Elkatawa, Tallega,
and Levi.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 3749 8403 3768 8402 3773 8330 3743 8330
TIME...MOT...LOC 1226Z 267DEG 48KT 3758 8390
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JMWSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
856 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025
KYZ108>110-112-113-161330-
Breathitt KY-Floyd KY-Knott KY-Magoffin KY-Wolfe KY-
856 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN KNOTT...
NORTHWESTERN FLOYD...BREATHITT...SOUTHERN MAGOFFIN AND SOUTHEASTERN
WOLFE COUNTIES THROUGH 930 AM EDT...
At 855 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Elkatawa, or over Jackson, moving east at 55 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Jackson, Simpson, Estill, Wayland, Fredville, Vail, Hippo, Handshoe,
Gunlock, Pence, Carver, Copebranch, Daisydell, Noctor, Orchard, Rock
Lick, Vancleve, Dotson, West Royalton Station, and Carver Station.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
Kentucky Highway 80 in Floyd County between mile markers 1 and 5.
Kentucky Highway 80 in Knott County between mile markers 18 and 20.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3745 8279 3750 8353 3765 8352 3772 8295
3771 8291 3770 8290 3773 8287 3774 8280
TIME...MOT...LOC 1255Z 267DEG 49KT 3757 8341
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JMWSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
926 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025
KYZ109-110-119-120-161400-
Martin KY-Floyd KY-Pike KY-Magoffin KY-
926 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHERN MARTIN...NORTHERN
FLOYD...NORTHWESTERN PIKE AND SOUTHEASTERN MAGOFFIN COUNTIES THROUGH
1000 AM EDT...
At 926 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Blue River, or 8 miles southwest of Prestonsburg, moving east at 60
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and half inch hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Pikeville, Prestonsburg, Coal Run Village, Martin, Forest Hills,
Allen, Huddy, Meta, Fredville, Hippo, Gunlock, Printer, Lancer,
Aluba, Piso, Betsy Layne, Orchard, Dotson, Ivel, and Honaker.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
Kentucky Highway 80 in Floyd County between mile markers 4 and 14.
U.S. Highway 119 in Pike County between mile markers 1 and 19.
U.S. Highway 23 in Floyd County between mile markers 1 and 18.
U.S. Highway 23 in Pike County between mile markers 26 and 32.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3748 8226 3752 8297 3753 8298 3766 8299
3777 8231 3774 8233 3773 8232 3770 8230
3769 8230 3767 8229 3767 8228
TIME...MOT...LOC 1326Z 265DEG 50KT 3761 8288
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JMWSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service JACKSON KY
932 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025
KYZ058-068-069-079-080-111-114-161400-
Jackson KY-Lee KY-Estill KY-Owsley KY-Rockcastle KY-Laurel KY-
Pulaski KY-
932 AM EDT Fri May 16 2025
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHERN LAUREL...NORTHWESTERN
OWSLEY...ESTILL...NORTHEASTERN PULASKI...JACKSON...ROCKCASTLE AND
SOUTHWESTERN LEE COUNTIES THROUGH 1000 AM EDT...
At 931 AM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a cluster of strong
thunderstorms along a line extending from near Gum Sulphur to Pongo.
Movement was northeast at 55 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Irvine, Mount Vernon, McKee, Boone, Ravenna, Donaro, Travellers Rest,
Bummer, Blake, Robinet, Gum Sulphur, Shop Branch, Tyner, Privett,
Horse Lick, Earnestville, Spiro, Wiseman Crossing Station, Climax,
and Winston.
THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS...
Interstate 75 in east central Kentucky between mile markers 46 and
72.
Kentucky Highway 80 in Pulaski County between mile markers 33 and
37.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
These storms may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio
stations and available television stations for additional information
and possible warnings from the National Weather Service.
&&
LAT...LON 3748 8445 3747 8438 3754 8435 3751 8426
3752 8420 3756 8416 3756 8409 3764 8413
3767 8409 3771 8410 3779 8395 3776 8388
3734 8370 3735 8378 3731 8388 3727 8389
3714 8442 3733 8451
TIME...MOT...LOC 1331Z 245DEG 49KT 3747 8445 3721 8431
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
JMWThe Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 58 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:42 UTC.
57 thunderstorm wind, 15 hail, 3 flood, 3 flash flood, 2 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Photos on social media showed hailstones estimated to be 2 to 3 inches in diameter around the Tyner Lake (Beulah Lake) area of Jackson County.
Hail, up to approximately egg size, was reported along KY-290 between Annville and McKee.
Nickel to quarter-sized hail was observed at the Wendell H. Ford Airport north of Hazard.
The Perry County Emergency Manager reported golf ball-sized hail along Noble Branch Road just off KY-476.
A photo was shared on social media of multiple hail stones at least 2 inches in diameter near the community of Ned.
A photo on social media showed 2 to 2.50-inch diameter hail stones in the community of Ned.
A picture on social media shows approximately quarter-sized hail near the Wabd community.
Floyd County dispatch reported a tree had been blown down and was partially blocking KY-2030 in the Blue Moon community.
A picture on social media showed approximately egg-sized hail near the Sandgap community.
A spotter sent a photo of hail falling between 12:15 and 12:20pm EDT in the Elkhorn City area.
Pulaski County dispatch received a report of a tree blocking the road near the 200 block of Old Bronston School Road in the community of Bronston.
Trees and powerlines were reported down along KY-3106 as well as KY-1275 N, between Monticello and Steubenville.
A tree was reported down near the community of Grade.
Several trees were downed and blocking Close Road.
A couple of trees were downed and blocking the road near the intersection of Clay Hill Road and Kettlehead Road, ESE of the Ruth community.
A report of large hail was reported just SW of Welchburg.
A photo was submitted showing two hailstones with a diameter greater than 2 inches in the Lost Creek community. The largest stone appears to be 2.75 inches or larger.
A report came in of a roof being peeled off a business, falling onto multiple adjacent vehicles which sustained unspecified damage.
Multiple photoes show a large tree snapped and split three ways, blocking the intersection of Whitley Street and Jody Street in London. The tree also caused a power pole to snap when it came down, resulting in downed power lines.
A spotter in southeast London noted that trees were downed along Barrett Road as storms moved through.
Laurel County dispatch reported a couple of trees downed near the intersection of Sasser School Road and Shields Lane in London.
A tree was downed and blocking Moores Creek School Road in the community of Moores Creek.
Trees were reported to have been blown down along KY-80 near Bush Elementary School in eastern Laurel County according to pictures sent to the office by a HAM radio operator.
The Pike County EM sent in a reported of a measured 2.0 inch hailstone in the Fedscreek community.
Several trees were downed in the Curry Branch Road and KY-80 area, southwest of Manchester.
Laurel county dispatch reported a couple of trees down in the Sublimity Springs subdivision on the south side of London.
Trees were downed between the 400 and 500 block of Lick Branch Road, just south of Shelbiana.
Multiple trees were reported down along Bar Creek Road, south of Oneida.
Trees were downed on East Shelbiana Road in the Garden Village community, between Peyton Creek Road and Greasy Creak Road.
Several trees were reported downed in the Otter Creek Road and Goose Creek Road (Hwy 1524) areas of Clay County.
Trees and powerlines were reported to have been blown down in and near the community of Whick, mainly along KY-1110.
A power line was reported downed on the Hal Rogers Parkway near mile marker 26, near Hector Road.
Trees were reported downed in the Big Creek community of Clay County.
County dispatch reported a tree bringing down power lines onto a residence in the 2600 block of Big Creek Road, near the communty of Whitaker, southwest of Hazard.
A tree was reported downed onto a powerline in the Haven community, near Woollum.
Kentucky State Police reported a tree knocked down onto KY-7 in the vicinity of Cornettsville.
A power pole was reported blown down, leaving power lines on a residence and transformer on a driveway in the 2000 block of KY-463, just west of the Delphia community.
Leslie County received at least ten reports of trees down with power outages throughout the county, impacting major thoroughfares, including US-421 and KY-80. Multiple storms moved through from approximately 1:30pm until 2:50pm EDT leading to the tree and powerline damage.
Pike County dispatch reported a tree blown down and partially blocking Hurricane Road at the 4400 block, near Cynthiann Church.
Kentucky State Police reported a tree blown down near the Millstone community in Letcher County.
A photo was shared that showed at least a foot of water over Quicksand Road at the Happy Church in the Quicksand community. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet trucks were manning both sides of the water to deter vehicles from crossing.
Pike County dispatch reported a tree blown down and blocking Raccoon Road at the 6500 block in the community of Raccoon.
Pike County dispatch reported a tree downed and hanging over East Shelbiana Road in the 4000 block, causing the road to be partially blocked.
Pike County dispatch reported a utility line knocked down onto a roof and a power pole blown over in the 3000 block of Fedscreek Road in the community of Fedscreek.
A photo shared on social media showed a small stream (Cockrell Fork) flooding out of its banks and over Cockrells Fork Road in the community of Ned.
A video on social media showed flash flooding at the intersection of Whick Lick Branch Road and Bowling Road, northwest of the Whick community, likely due to Lick Branch rising out of it's banks.
The Floyd County Sherriff reported flash flooding over Salt Lick Road (KY-2029) around the 700 block, causing the road to be impassable.
Trees were reported blown down and blocking half of Morehead Road in the 15400 block, just north of Plummers Mill.
A tree was blown down and blocking Rawlins Road, just southwest of Plummers Mill.
A tree was uprooted and hanging over the road, stuck in another tree, along the 4800 block of Goddard Road, east of the community of Goddard.
A large tree was reporeted blown down onto Big Perry Road in the 2200 block, northeast of Morehead.
A trained spotter called to report two trees downed near the intersection of Majestic Dr in Estill County.
Pictures on social media show multiple trees blown down on Tipton Ridge, along KY-52 (Tipton Ridge Road), northeast of Ravenna.
A tree was blown down along the eastbound lane of the Mountain Parkway, between the Pine Ridge and Campton exits.
A mPING report from a member of the public stated they were receiving 1 inch hail 1 mile NW of the Rodburn community, just northeast of Morehead.
The Rowan County Emergency Manager reported lopsided hail measuring 2 inches in diameter in the Lakeview Heights subsdivision east of the Farmers community.
At least 8 trees blown down along KY-191 at the gap between Stillwater (creek) and the Trent community.
Jackson County dispatch reported at least a dozen instances of trees blown down around the county, including along Wind Cave Road, KY-89, and Ledger Fork Road. Some of the trees also took down power lines.
Rowan County dispatch reported up to golfball-sized hail in the city of Morehead.
NWS survey teams dispatched on Saturday morning to Russell and |Pulaski Counties, where they were able to confirm a touchdown |along KY-619, about 2.5 miles northeast of Jamestown. Upon |touchdown it caused damage to a garage, two antenna towers, and |several trees. Sporadic damage east of KY-619 seems to suggest |that the tornado may have briefly lifted for a few hundred yards |after its initial touchdown point, before touching back down in a |grove of trees between KY-619 and John Streat Road. EF-1 damage |was observed in this area, with winds estimated between 95 and 100|mph. The tornado caused roofing damage to a house along John |Streat Road as it continued east, also producing a swath of |uprooted trees as it crossed a finger of Lake Cumberland. The |tornado gradually intensified as it crossed Parks Ridge and |continued through the community of Eli and points eastward. The|damage in this area was consistent with high-end EF-1 and EF-2 |winds, between 100 and 130 mph.
The tornado then continued across the Pulaski County line, where |it caused considerable damage near the Faubush and Nancy |communities, before making it's way to the south side of Somerset.|Here it strengthened as it came down a steep hillside into the |city. Some residences and numerous businesses were affected, with |survey results showing high end EF-2 damage along Parkers Mill |Way and S Hwy 27. On the eastern edge of the city it affected the |South Kentucky RECC, causing catastrophic damage to all buildings,|as well as surrounding businesses. Damage in this region shows a|likely strengthening to low-end EF-3 winds.
The damage path continued on eastward towards the Daniel Boone |National Forest, where additional EF-3 damage was incurred. This|includes the lifting, twisting, and throwing of a high tension |power pole eastward several hundred yards downwind in a nearby |field off of Rush Branch Road, and destroying multiple residences.|High-resolution satellite imagery shows the tornado plowing |through the Daniel Boone Forest, with complete destruction of |trees through the middle of the path. It also reveals a path width|of nearly a mile wide during this time, including the strongest |inflow into the storm. This was also confirmed by the survey crew |on Monday.
The tornado then exited the forest and moved towards the south|side of London between 11:35 and 11:45 EDT. It is at this point |that it started impacting large residential areas as it set sites |on the London-Corbin Airport. Two teams surveyed the damage in |southern London for several days. The survey results showed that |the tornado continued to strengthen just west of the I-75 |corridor, as it started towards the Sunshine Hills subdivision. It|was here that some of the heaviest damage occurred, with the |tornado taking a direct path through the subdivision. Many homes |were wiped clean from their foundations, with vehicles thrown and |trees debarked with only stubs of the largest limbs left. It is in|this subdivision where the majority of casualties occurred. |Survey teams and subject- matter experts all looked at the damage |that had occurred in this location and agreed that the tornado had|increased again to around 170mph based on the damage, making it |an EF-4 rated tornado.
After the tornado passed over I-75 around 11:45 EDT, it headed |for the airport, continuing to cause high end EF-3 damage to both |the airport and residential communities adjacent to the west along|the center of it's path. After exiting the airport, it caused |extensive damage at Levi Jackson Park, the Laurel County |Fairgrounds, Crooked Creek Golf Course, and neighboring |subdivisions. The tornado began to lose considerable strength |after this point, with generally EF-0 damage reported as it |neared East Laurel Road (Hwy-80) and Mt. Salem Rd (KY-488). The |tornado appears to have lifted just east of KY-488, based on NWS |ground surveys, satellite, and aerial video. NWS survey teams |followed the circulation path eastward through Clay and Leslie, |but were unable to find any reports that the tornado touched back |down in these counties.
By the time it lifted, just a few minutes before midnight, the |tornado had carved out a damage path of just shy of 60 miles over|the course of 3 counties. One death was reported in Russell and |another in Pulaski County. Sadly, 17 lives were lost in Laurel |County.
Pictures on social media showed multiple trees blown down, including onto residences and vehicles along Fallen Road, in the Insko community. Minor wind damage was also sustained to the siding and roofing of a single wide trailer.
A tree was reported down along CCC Trail, near Elliottville.
A tree was blown down into powerlines near the instersection of Rocky Branch Road and Main street, between Jeffersonville and Means.
Two trees were blown down along Turkey Road, near the intersection with Stepstone Road, just northeast of Mt. Sterling.
NWS survey teams dispatched on Saturday morning to Russell and |Pulaski Counties, where they were able to confirm a touchdown |along KY-619, about 2.5 miles northeast of Jamestown. Upon |touchdown it caused damage to a garage, two antenna towers, and |several trees. Sporadic damage east of KY-619 seems to suggest |that the tornado may have briefly lifted for a few hundred yards |after its initial touchdown point, before touching back down in a |grove of trees between KY-619 and John Streat Road. EF-1 damage |was observed in this area, with winds estimated between 95 and 100|mph. The tornado caused roofing damage to a house along John |Streat Road as it continued east, also producing a swath of |uprooted trees as it crossed a finger of Lake Cumberland. The |tornado gradually intensified as it crossed Parks Ridge and |continued through the community of Eli and points eastward. The|damage in this area was consistent with high-end EF-1 and EF-2 |winds, between 100 and 130 mph.
The tornado then continued across the Pulaski County line, where |it caused considerable damage near the Faubush and Nancy |communities, before making it's way to the south side of Somerset.|Here it strengthened as it came down a steep hillside into the |city. Some residences and numerous businesses were affected, with |survey results showing high end EF-2 damage along Parkers Mill |Way and S Hwy 27. On the eastern edge of the city it affected the |South Kentucky RECC, causing catastrophic damage to all buildings,|as well as surrounding businesses. Damage in this region shows a|likely strengthening to low-end EF-3 winds.
The damage path continued on eastward towards the Daniel Boone |National Forest, where additional EF-3 damage was incurred. This|includes the lifting, twisting, and throwing of a high tension |power pole eastward several hundred yards downwind in a nearby |field off of Rush Branch Road, and destroying multiple residences.|High-resolution satellite imagery shows the tornado plowing |through the Daniel Boone Forest, with complete destruction of |trees through the middle of the path. It also reveals a path width|of nearly a mile wide during this time, including the strongest |inflow into the storm. This was also confirmed by the survey crew |on Monday.
The tornado then exited the forest and moved towards the south|side of London between 11:35 and 11:45 EDT. It is at this point |that it started impacting large residential areas as it set sites |on the London-Corbin Airport. Two teams surveyed the damage in |southern London for several days. The survey results showed that |the tornado continued to strengthen just west of the I-75 |corridor, as it started towards the Sunshine Hills subdivision. It|was here that some of the heaviest damage occurred, with the |tornado taking a direct path through the subdivision. Many homes |were wiped clean from their foundations, with vehicles thrown and |trees debarked with only stubs of the largest limbs left. It is in|this subdivision where the majority of casualties occurred. |Survey teams and subject- matter experts all looked at the damage |that had occurred in this location and agreed that the tornado had|increased again to around 170mph based on the damage, making it |an EF-4 rated tornado.
After the tornado passed over I-75 around 11:45 EDT, it headed |for the airport, continuing to cause high end EF-3 damage to both |the airport and residential communities adjacent to the west along|the center of it's path. After exiting the airport, it caused |extensive damage at Levi Jackson Park, the Laurel County |Fairgrounds, Crooked Creek Golf Course, and neighboring |subdivisions. The tornado began to lose considerable strength |after this point, with generally EF-0 damage reported as it |neared East Laurel Road (Hwy-80) and Mt. Salem Rd (KY-488). The |tornado appears to have lifted just east of KY-488, based on NWS |ground surveys, satellite, and aerial video. NWS survey teams |followed the circulation path eastward through Clay and Leslie, |but were unable to find any reports that the tornado touched back |down in these counties.
By the time it lifted, just a few minutes before midnight, the |tornado had carved out a damage path of just shy of 60 miles over|the course of 3 counties. One death was reported in Russell and |another in Pulaski County. Sadly, 17 lives were lost in Laurel |County.
A tree was blown down and partially blocking Rockcastle Road, near the instersection with Abb's Lane, north of Inez.
Montgomery County dispatch reported a tree blocking Willoughby Town Road near the intersection of KY-213, south of Jeffersonville.
A picture on social media shows trees blown down onto Stacy Lane Road, near West Irvine.
Multiple trees were blown down in the vicinity of Stanton.
Miller Creek Fire Rescue said they cleared out over 50 trees blown down onto local roadways.
Lee County dispatch reported that many individual trees were blown down across the county, but did not have any specific details on locations.
Wayne County dispatch reported multiple trees blown down along KY-92, west of Monticello.
A tree was blown down onto a mobile home, also causing electrical lines to fall on the home, in the 500 block of South Main Street in Monticello.
The CWOP station at Conley Bottom on Cumblerland Lake reported a 59 mph gust as storms began to move through at 12:30am EDT.
A tree was blown down and was blocking Michigan Avenue in Monticello, adjacent to the Monticello Wayne County Park.
Martin County dispatch reported over a dozen instances of trees blown down onto or along highways in the county. Some of the trees involved power and phone lines. The Pilgram, Warfield, and Inez communities may have been the most affected.
KY-7 is closed due to a large tree blown down and blocking both lanes near the Dema community, north of Raven.
Letcher County dispatch reported trees blown down in many parts of the county, but did not provide specific details. KY-160 and KY-1103 apparently stood out as highways which saw a greater number of trees down.
Chloe Road was closed near Pikeville Elementary School due to water over the roadway from Lower Chloe Creek.
Water was reported over the road at Meatscaffold Road, off KY-30 East, as well as at Bert Barnett's and Slate Branch.
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, Pulaski | 2025-05-16 | 69 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 74 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 25 | Male | Permanent Structure | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 47 | Female | Unknown | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 68 | Female | Unknown | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 63 | Male | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 50 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 76 | Male | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 73 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 57 | Male | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 72 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 71 | Male | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 67 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 66 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 73 | Male | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 67 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 88 | Male | Permanent Home | Direct |
| Tornado, Laurel | 2025-05-16 | 69 | Female | Permanent Home | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Kentucky in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Kentucky, 2025Warnings in Kentucky, May 2025
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: 1291956, 1292588, 1291955, 1291954, 1292487, 1291922, 1291957, 1291960, 1291944, 1291914, 1291945, 1291958, 1291952, 1291953, 1291946, 1291942, 1291918, 1291920, 1291937, 1291949, 1291950, 1292490, 1292589, 1291915, 1292501, 1291921, 1291940, 1292502, 1291938, 1292500, 1292590, 1292493, 1292494, 1292503, 1292526, 1292497, 1292531, 1292586, 1292492, 1292498, and more.