Tornadoes · United States · Kentucky · 2008
EF2 tornado, Franklin Xrds to Tunnel Hill, Kentucky, February 5, 2008
From Franklin Xrds to Tunnel Hill, this EF2 tornado ran 7.1 miles across Hardin County on February 5, 2008, touching down at 12:21 AM EST and reaching 400 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $3.0 million of property damage.
The rating scale
Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Enhanced Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.
EF065 to 85 mph
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
EF2111 to 135 mphthis tornado
Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.
EF3136 to 165 mph
Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
EF5over 200 mph
Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.
Unrated
The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.
The record
- Rating
- EF2
- Date
- February 5, 2008
- Touchdown
- 12:21 AM EST (05:21 UTC)
- Lifted
- 12:25 AM EST (05:25 UTC)
- On the ground
- 4 minutes
- Path length
- 7.1 miles (11.4 km)
- Path width
- 400 yards (366 m)
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $3.0 million
- County
- Hardin County
- Touchdown point
- 37.663, -86.013
- Lift-off point
- 37.681, -85.885
- Record number
- 0802052321-01
What the Weather Service recorded
A cold front along with a strong upper level low produced a squall line that crossed central Kentucky. This set off widespread severe weather, and spawned several tornadoes.
The tornado destroyed a trailer and an outbuilding along Hansborough Road. It caused major roof damage along Bethlehem Academy Road, with one home losing the roof completely. Several boats were flipped over, and a large bus was pushed two feet. The tornado pushed in garage doors at an industrial building along Ring Road. This building also suffered significant roof damage. At Central Hardin High School, the tornado snapped concrete pillar stadium lights at the football stadium. The press box was thrown on to the playing field and destroyed. The basketball gym and a wing of the school suffered roof damage consistent with an EF2 tornado. Along Black Branch Road just east of the school complex, the tornado caused some structural damage to homes.
The tornado knocked a trailer off its foundation at the intersection of Miller Road and Porter Lane. Another trailer near this location was completely destroyed. Another trailer along Miller Road was turned on to its roof.
From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.
The warnings
No tornado warning for this county appears in the archive as in force at the moment the tornado touched down. One was issued for the county at another hour that day.
The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 01:10 UTC and running to 07:00 UTC.
| Issued (UTC) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01:10 UTC | 07:00 UTC | Tornado Watch | LMK |
| 05:01 UTC | 05:30 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK |
| 05:15 UTC | 05:45 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK |
| 05:27 UTC | 06:00 UTC | Tornado Warning | LMK |
Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.
The forecast that day
The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Moderate Risk, with a 0.15 chance of a tornado within 25 miles, in the hatched area where significant tornadoes were expected. The outlook in force was issued at 00:48 UTC.
SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.
The air that afternoon
The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.
Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), 00:00Z
5.4 hours before the tornado, 181 km from the path. February 6, 2008.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 706 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -45 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 750 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 812 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 54 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 32 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 300 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 362 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 1.6
- Supercell composite
- 3.2
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 6.3 K/km
Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), 12:00Z
6.6 hours after it, 181 km from the path. February 6, 2008.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -75186 J/kg
- Surface CAPE
- 15 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 675 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 75 kt
- 0-1 km bulk shear
- 29 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- -77 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 221 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
- 0-3 km lapse rate
- 5.0 K/km
The surface observations
Fort Knox/Godman (FTK), 26 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 03:50 UTC | 68 | 62.6 | 200° 18 kt | 29 | 1001.7 | -SHRA |
| 03:55 UTC | 67.82 | 62.24 | 200° 17 kt | 26 | 1001.7 | -SHRA |
| 04:55 UTC | 67 | 63.86 | 190° 24 kt | 37 | 999 | -RA BR |
| 05:12 UTC | 66.2 | 64.4 | 280° 27 kt | 37 | 1000.7 | TSRA BR |
| 05:55 UTC | 57.2 | 55.76 | 270° 16 kt | 22 | 1004.7 | -TSRA |
| 06:55 UTC | 55.58 | 54.68 | 200° 5 kt | 1004.1 | -TSRA BR |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.
The radar
The Louisville radar (KLVX), 34 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 05:19 UTC.
Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track
Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.
What was reported nearby
Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04:54 UTC | TORNADO 1 | 3 Wsw Brandenburg | Meade, KY | NWS SURVEY TEAM THAT AN EF-1 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF RICHARDSON ROAD AND ESTES DRIVE AROUND 1154 PM EST. THE TORNADO MOVED NORTHEAST INTO THE CITY OF BRANDENBURG CAUSING SIGNIFICANT TREE AND POWER L |
| 04:54 UTC | TORNADO | 3 Wsw Brandenburg | Meade, KY | NWS STORM SURVEY TEAM FOUND EF-1 DAMAGE IN THE CITY OF BRANDENBURG. TORNADO TOUCHED NEAR RICHARDSON ROAD AND ESTES DRIVE. THE TORNADO THEN MOVED NORTHEAST INTO DOWNTOWN BRANDENBURG CAUSING SIGNIFICANT TREE AND POWERLINE |
| 05:13 UTC | TSTM WND GST 60 | Pleasure Ridge Park | Jefferson, KY | AT TERRY AND GREENWOOD ROAD. SPOTTER REPORTED DEBRIS HITTING THE SIDE OF THE HOUSE. |
| 05:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Clarkson | Grayson, KY | TREE LIMBS WERE DOWNED. THE SPOTTER ESTIMATED THE WIND GUST AT 60 MPH. |
| 05:21 UTC | TORNADO 2 | 2 Sw Cecilia | Hardin, KY | NWS DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM FOUND AN EF-2 TORNADO TOUCHDOWN NEAR CEILIA IN CENTRAL HARDIN COUNTY. TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR HANSBOROUGH ROAD AND MOVED NORTHEAST TOWARD CECILIA. EF-2 DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED NEAR BETHLEHEM ACADEMY |
| 05:21 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Sw Cecilia | Hardin, KY | NWS DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM FOUND AN EF-2 TORNADO TOUCHDOWN NEAR CEILIA IN CENTRAL HARDIN COUNTY. TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR HANSBOROUGH ROAD AND MOVED NORTHEAST TOWARD CECILIA. EF-2 DAMAGE WAS OBSERVED NEAR BETHLEHEM ACADEMY |
| 05:27 UTC | TORNADO 2 | 2 Ese Elizabethtown | Hardin, KY | NWS DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM FOUND A SECOND EF-2 TORNADO TOUCHDOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF PORTER LANE AND MILLER ROAD. A TRAILER WAS KNOCKED OFF ITS FOUNDATION WHILE ANOTHER TRAILER WAS COMPLETELY DESTORYED. THE TORNADO MOVE |
| 05:27 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Ese Elizabethtown | Hardin, KY | NWS DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM FOUND A SECOND EF-2 TORNADO TOUCHDOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF PORTER LANE AND MILLER ROAD. A TRAILER WAS KNOCKED OFF ITS FOUNDATION WHILE ANOTHER TRAILER WAS COMPLETELY DESTORYED. THE TORNADO MOVE |
| 05:30 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 E Clermont | Bullitt, KY | TWENTY TREES WERE DOWNED. |
| 05:32 UTC | TORNADO 1 | 3 Nne Priceville | Hart, KY | *** 1 INJ *** INITIAL TOUCHDOWN OF EF-1 TORNADO. THE TORNADO DESTROYED SEVERAL BARNS AND ONE MOBILE HOME IN A 1/2 MILE LONG PATH BEFORE LIFTING. IT TOUCHED DOWN A SECOND TIME FOR A NEAR U.S. HIGHWAY 31W WHERE IT DESTOYED |
| 05:32 UTC | TORNADO | 3 Nne Priceville | Hart, KY | INITIAL TOUCHDOWN OF EF-1 TORNADO |
| 05:34 UTC | TSTM WND GST 68 | Mount Washington | Bullitt, KY | LIMBS WERE DOWNED. PEA SIZE HAIL ALSO REPORTED. |
| 05:34 UTC | HAIL 0.88 | 5 E Shepherdsville | Bullitt, KY | NICKEL SIZE HAIL FELL FOR THREE MINUTES. |
| 05:37 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Elizabethtown | Hardin, KY | POSSIBLE TORNADO. THE ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF CENTRAL HARDIN HIGH SCHOOL AT HIGHWAY 62 AND RING ROAD. |
| 05:38 UTC | TORNADO 1 | 4 S Boston | Nelson, KY | *** 2 INJ *** NWS SURVEY TEAM FOUND EF-1 TORNADO DAMAGE NEAR NELSONVILLE ROAD IN WESTERN NELSON COUNTY. THE TORNADO WAS EMBEDDED WITHIN A SWATH OF STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. ON NELSONVILLE LOOP...A LARGE GRAIN SILO WAS DESTORY |
| 05:38 UTC | TORNADO | 4 S Boston | Nelson, KY | *** 2 INJ *** NWS SURVEY TEAM FOUND EF-1 TORNADO DAMAGE NEAR NELSONVILLE ROAD IN WESTERN NELSON COUNTY. THE TORNADO WAS EMBEDDED WITHIN A SWATH OF STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. ON NELSONVILLE LOOP...A LARGE GRAIN SILO WAS DESTORY |
| 05:38 UTC | TORNADO | 5 Sw Taylorsville | Spencer, KY | NWS DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM FOUND ONE EF-0 TORNADO TOUCHDOWN ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TAYLORSVILLE WHERE TWO MOBILE HOMES WERE DESTROYED AND EXTENSIVE ROOF AND TREE DAMAGE OCCURRED. THE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR ABOUT A |
| 05:43 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Ese Hammonville | Hart, KY | FINAL TOUCHDOWN OF INTERMITTENT EF-1 TORNADO |
| 05:43 UTC | TORNADO | 2 Ese Hammonville | Hart, KY | FINAL TOUCHDOWN OF INTERMITTENT EF-1 TORNADO THAT BEGAN 3 NNE PRICEVILLE. |
| 05:45 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Nw Priceville | Hart, KY | TWO BARNS WERE BLOWN DOWN NEAR 9758 HIGHWAY 1140. |
| 05:45 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Cecilia | Hardin, KY | THE ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF A SCHOOL. ELSEWHERE IN HARDIN COUNTY...TRAILERS WERE DESTROYED...MAJOR ROOF DAMAGE WAS REPORTED...SOME REPORTS OF INJURIES. |
| 05:45 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Cecilia | Hardin, KY | UPDATED REPORT...THE ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF A SCHOOL. MULTIPLE HOMES WERE DAMAGED ELSEWHERE IN CECILIA. |
| 05:45 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Elizabethtown | Hardin, KY | TWO MOBILE HOME TRAILERS WERE DESTROYED OR ROLLED OVER JUST OUTSIDE THE ELIZABETHTOWN CITY LIMITS. ONE WAS ON VALLEY CREEK ROAD...AND THE OTHER WAS ON PORTER ROAD. |
| 05:45 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Elizabethtown | Hardin, KY | UPDATED REPORT...TWO MOBILE HOME TRAILERS WERE DESTROYED OR ROLLED OVER JUST OUTSIDE THE ELIZABETHTOWN CITY LIMITS. ONE WAS ON VALLEY CREEK ROAD...AND THE OTHER WAS ON PORTER ROAD. THERE WAS MASSIVE DAMAGE TO HOMES IN TH |
| 05:47 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 5 Ne Bardstown | Nelson, KY | A DOUBLEWIDE MOBILE HOME WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED IN THE DOUBLE SPRINGS AREA OFF KY HIGHWAY 605 AND WOODLAWN ROAD. THERE WAS ONE MINOR INJURY. TREES WERE DOWNED. POSSIBLE TORNADO. |
| 05:55 UTC | TSTM WND GST 60 | Bardstown | Nelson, KY | |
| 06:02 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Bloomfield | Nelson, KY | POWER LINES WERE DOWNED. |
| 06:04 UTC | HAIL 1 | Mount Washington | Bullitt, KY | CARS WERE DAMAGED BY HAIL. HAIL SIZE ESTIMATED. |
| 06:05 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Lebanon | Marion, KY | ONE GARAGE HEAVILY DAMAGED. |
| 06:05 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Shively | Jefferson, KY | POWER LINES WERE DOWNED ALONG CANE RUN ROAD AT NEW LYNVIEW. |
| 06:30 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 5 E Bardstown | Nelson, KY | BARNS WERE DAMAGED. A MAINTENENCE BUILDING WAS FLATTENED. |
From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.
This ground now
The live radar over the trackEvery 2008 tornado in KentuckyEvery tornado in Kentucky since 1950Warnings in force in Kentucky nowThe forecast where you are
The other tornadoes of February 5, 2008
61 more were confirmed in the United States that day.
| Date | Time | Rating | Where | Path (mi) | Width (yd) | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February 5 | 3:26 PM CST | EF1 | Ashley, AR | 0.6 | 50 | $40,000 | ||
| February 5 | 4:04 PM CST | EF0 | Chicot, AR | 1.1 | 50 | |||
| February 5 | 4:27 PM CST | EF0 | Phillips, AR | 0.2 | 25 | |||
| February 5 | 4:45 PM CST | EF0 | Bolivar, MS | 3.4 | 50 | $70,000 | ||
| February 5 | 4:49 PM CST | EF4 | Atkins–Clinton tornado, AR | 121.8 | 1,320 | 13 | 139 | $119 million |
| February 5 | 4:50 PM CST | EF1 | Smith, TX | 1.0 | 300 | $30,000 | ||
| February 5 | 5:00 PM CST | EF2 | Shelby, TN | 8.1 | 150 | 1 | $1.0 million | |
| February 5 | 5:02 PM CST | EF2 | Marion, AR | 12.5 | 880 | 1 | 36 | $18 million |
| February 5 | 5:18 PM CST | EF0 | Tipton, TN | 0.2 | 50 | $7,000 | ||
| February 5 | 5:18 PM CST | EF0 | DeSoto, MS | 2.6 | 100 | $50,000 | ||
| February 5 | 5:23 PM CST | EF1 | Tipton, TN | 0.7 | 50 | $75,000 | ||
| February 5 | 5:31 PM CST | EF0 | Yell, AR | 0.6 | 30 | |||
| February 5 | 5:32 PM CST | EF1 | Tipton, TN to MS | 0.3 | 50 | $50,000 | ||
| February 5 | 5:32 PM CST | EF2 | DeSoto, MS to TN | 10.2 | 440 | 3 | 13 | $128 million |
| February 5 | 5:53 PM CST | EF0 | Panola, MS | 0.2 | 25 | $12,000 | ||
| February 5 | 5:55 PM CST | EF1 | Weakley, TN | 5.1 | 150 | $160,000 | ||
| February 5 | 5:57 PM CST | EF1 | Lafayette, MS | 6.9 | 25 | $25,000 | ||
| February 5 | 5:57 PM CST | EF3 | Lafayette, MS | 7.2 | 1,000 | 14 | $35 million | |
| February 5 | 6:02 PM CST | EF0 | Shelby, TN | 4.9 | 50 | $50,000 | ||
| February 5 | 6:12 PM CST | EF0 | Marion, IL | 0.1 | 40 | |||
| February 5 | 6:12 PM CST | EF0 | Marion, IL | 0.2 | 30 | |||
| February 5 | 6:21 PM CST | EF3 | Fayette, TN | 31.1 | 600 | 3 | 14 | $10 million |
| February 5 | 6:25 PM CST | EF1 | Calloway, KY | 1.4 | 150 | $35,000 | ||
| February 5 | 6:36 PM CST | EF0 | Tippah, MS | 1.4 | 50 | $50,000 | ||
| February 5 | 6:45 PM CST | EF1 | Trigg, KY | 0.1 | 40 | $8,000 | ||
| February 5 | 6:50 PM CST | EF0 | Tippah, MS | 2.5 | 50 | $100,000 | ||
| February 5 | 6:50 PM CST | EF1 | Trigg, KY | 5.6 | 150 | $60,000 | ||
| February 5 | 6:56 PM CST | EF1 | Alcorn, MS | 2.6 | 100 | 4 | $250,000 | |
| February 5 | 6:59 PM CST | EF4 | Jackson tornado, TN | 7.6 | 125 | 51 | $100 million | |
| February 5 | 7:05 PM CST | EF1 | Faulkner, AR | 5.5 | 100 | $140,000 | ||
| February 5 | 7:09 PM CST | EF2 | Christian, KY | 14.1 | 275 | 2 | $4.4 million | |
| February 5 | 7:13 PM CST | EF2 | Madison, TN | 0.4 | 150 | $200,000 | ||
| February 5 | 7:13 PM CST | EF1 | McNairy, TN | 8.9 | 150 | $250,000 | ||
| February 5 | 7:19 PM CST | EF0 | St. Francis, AR | 0.1 | 25 | $1,000 | ||
| February 5 | 7:20 PM CST | EF1 | Randolph, AR to MO | 31.9 | 200 | 4 | $280,000 | |
| February 5 | 7:30 PM CST | EF0 | Union, AR | 7.0 | 100 | $200,000 | ||
| February 5 | 7:40 PM CST | EF4 | Hardin County tornado, TN | 16.2 | 880 | 3 | 5 | $18 million |
| February 5 | 7:44 PM CST | EF3 | Muhlenberg, KY | 18.1 | 375 | 3 | 24 | $21 million |
| February 5 | 7:48 PM CST | EF0 | Monroe, AR | 8.0 | 75 | $15,000 | ||
| February 5 | 7:59 PM CST | EF0 | Lee, AR | 0.1 | 25 | $1,000 | ||
| February 5 | 8:03 PM CST | EF1 | Butler, MO | 3.4 | 300 | $100,000 | ||
| February 5 | 8:05 PM CST | EF1 | Benton, TN | 2.0 | 50 | |||
| February 5 | 8:07 PM CST | EF2 | Benton, TN | 6.6 | 440 | $10 million | ||
| February 5 | 8:10 PM CST | EF1 | Lewis, TN | 22.9 | 200 | $900,000 | ||
| February 5 | 8:10 PM CST | EF1 | Wayne, TN | 10.1 | 50 | |||
| February 5 | 9:15 PM EST | EF1 | Greene, IN | 2.0 | 50 | $1.3 million | ||
| February 5 | 8:18 PM CST | EF2 | Butler, MO | 13.9 | 200 | $300,000 | ||
| February 5 | 8:40 PM CST | EF2 | Hickman, TN | 25.3 | 300 | 1 | $750,000 | |
| February 5 | 10:02 PM CST | EF3 | Sumner, TN to KY | 50.3 | 880 | 22 | 63 | $28 million |
| February 5 | 11:54 PM EST | EF1 | Meade, KY | 6.5 | 350 | $2.0 million | ||
| February 5 | 11:17 PM CST | EF0 | Catahoula Parish, LA | 1.5 | 50 | $2,000 | ||
| February 5 | 12:27 AM EST | EF2 | Hardin, KY | 1.0 | 300 | $150,000 | ||
| February 5 | 11:32 PM CST | EF1 | Hart, KY | 10.5 | 150 | $500,000 | ||
| February 5 | 12:38 AM EST | EF0 | Spencer, KY | 0.7 | 220 | $150,000 | ||
| February 5 | 12:38 AM EST | EF2 | Nelson, KY | 1.3 | 300 | $50,000 | ||
| February 5 | 11:41 PM CST | EF0 | Perry, TN | 0.1 | 20 | |||
| February 5 | 12:43 AM EST | EF0 | Spencer, KY | 0.6 | 220 | 1 | $200,000 | |
| February 5 | 12:46 AM EST | EF2 | Shelby, KY | 7.0 | 250 | $175,000 | ||
| February 5 | 12:50 AM EST | EF2 | Nelson, KY | 0.8 | 300 | 2 | $250,000 | |
| February 5 | 11:51 PM CST | EF0 | Hickman, TN | 0.1 | 20 |
What this means
Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.
Sources
NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.