Tornadoes · United States · Kentucky · 2011

EF1 tornado, Beaver, Kentucky, April 4, 2011

This EF1 tornado ran 0.4 miles across Floyd County on April 4, 2011, touching down at 6:21 PM EDT and reaching 100 yards wide. It killed nobody, and did $10,000 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.

  1. EF065 to 85 mph

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. EF186 to 110 mphthis tornado

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. EF2111 to 135 mph

    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.

  4. 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.

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. 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.

  7. 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
EF1
Date
April 4, 2011
Touchdown
6:21 PM EDT (22:21 UTC)
Lifted
6:26 PM EDT (22:26 UTC)
On the ground
5 minutes
Path length
0.4 miles (0.6 km)
Path width
100 yards (91 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$10,000
County
Floyd County
Touchdown point
37.390, -82.640
Lift-off point
37.390, -82.640
Record number
1104041621-01

What the Weather Service recorded

Widespread wind damage occurred across eastern Kentucky as a squall line moved across the area.

The storm survey team confirmed an EF1 tornado touched down 2.7 miles south of Teaberry in extreme southeastern Floyd county Monday April 4th. The estimated max winds were around 90 MPH. The path length was 0.4 miles with a path width of 100 yards. The tornado touched down on Smokey Branch and destroyed a trailer home and downed close to 100 trees.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

The warnings

13 minutes of warning. NWS JKL issued a tornado warning for this county at 22:08 UTC, 13 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 22:45 UTC.

The county was under a severe thunderstorm watch, issued at 19:06 UTC and running to 23:15 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
14:00 UTC23:31 UTCWind AdvisoryJKL
19:06 UTC23:15 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WatchJKL
19:38 UTC19:51 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningJKL
21:46 UTC22:39 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningJKL
21:48 UTC22:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningJKL
22:08 UTC22:45 UTCTornado WarningJKL
22:09 UTC00:14 UTCFlood AdvisoryJKL
22:16 UTC22:32 UTCTornado WarningJKL

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 0.02 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 19:53 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.

Cncnati-Daytn, OH (KILN), 12:00Z

10.4 hours before the tornado, 248 km from the path. April 4, 2011.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 12:00Z on 2011-04-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 6 joules per kilogram, CIN -333, lifted condensation level 1160 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 12:00Z on 2011-04-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 324 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 50 knots.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
6 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-333 J/kg
Surface CAPE
32 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1160 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
40 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
324 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
410 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
4.7 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Cncnati-Daytn, OH (KILN), 00:00Z

1.6 hours after it, 248 km from the path. April 5, 2011.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 00:00Z on 2011-04-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 2 joules per kilogram, CIN 0, lifted condensation level 515 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Cncnati-Daytn, OH at 00:00Z on 2011-04-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 8 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 92 knots.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
2 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
0 J/kg
Surface CAPE
29 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
515 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
92 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
8 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
256 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
3.8 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Wise/Lonesome Pine (LNP), 46 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
20:40 UTC62.655.4190° 9 kt171005.1
21:00 UTC62.655.4180° 10 kt151004.4
21:20 UTC62.655.4180° 10 kt171004.1
21:40 UTC62.653.6210° 13 kt181003.4
22:00 UTC64.453.6220° 16 kt211003
22:20 UTC64.455.4180° 12 kt271003.4
23:00 UTC57.253.6240° 12 kt211006.4
23:01 UTC57.253.6240° 11 kt211006.4
23:20 UTC57.253.6230° 7 kt151006.1
23:40 UTC57.253.6240° 9 kt1006.1
00:00 UTC55.453.6230° 7 kt1005.8
00:20 UTC55.453.6190° 9 kt1005.4

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

The radar

The Jackson,KY radar (KJKL), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 22:20 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)ReportWhereCountyRemark
19:42 UTCHAIL 13 W MyraPike, KYHAIL FELL AT MARSHALL/S BRANCH OF LONG FORK.
20:15 UTCNON-TSTM WND DMGFleming-NeonLetcher, KYMETAL FRAME CAR PORT PICKED UP BY HIGH WINDS BLOWN INTO A POWER LINE.
21:38 UTCTSTM WND DMG5 E JacksonBreathitt, KYTHREE LARGE LIMBS WERE BLOWN DOWN ALONG KY HIGHWAY 30 BETWEEN MILEMARKERS 19 AND 23. THE TIME IS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
21:38 UTCTSTM WND DMGSalyersvilleMagoffin, KY3 TREES WERE KNOCKED DOWN ACROSS SALYERSVILLE AND POWER LINES WERE KNOCKED DOWN ALONG ROUTE 40 TO PAINTSVILLE
21:43 UTCTSTM WND DMGSalyersvilleMagoffin, KY3 TREES WERE KNOCKED DOWN ACROSS SALYERSVILLE AND POWER LINES WERE KNOCKED DOWN ALONG ROUTE 40 TO PAINTSVILLE
21:47 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Ese SalyersvilleMagoffin, KYLARGE LIMBS WERE BLOWN DOWN ALONG KY HIGHWAY 114 BETWEEN MILEMARKERS 0 AND 1. THE TIME IS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
22:05 UTCTSTM WND GST 695 N HindmanKnott, KY
22:18 UTCTSTM WND DMGDanaFloyd, KYSEVERAL TREES SNAPPED AND SOME MINOR DAMAGE TO A HOUSE.
22:18 UTCTSTM WND DMGLeanderJohnson, KYPOWER LINES AND MANY TREE LIMBS DOWN NEAR FLOYD/JOHNSON COUNTY LINE.
22:20 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Ese LigonPike, KYA TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN BLOCKING JOHN BROWN FORK ROAD. THE TIME IS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
22:21 UTCTORNADO1 Ese BeaverFloyd, KYSTORM SURVEY TEAM CONFIRMED AN EF1 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN 2.7 MILES SOUTH OF TEABERRY IN EXTREME SOUTHEASTERN FLOYD COUNTY MONDAY APRIL 4TH. ESTIMATED MAX WINDS WERE AROUND 90 MPH. THE PATH LENGTH WAS 0.4 MILES WITH A PATH
22:25 UTCTSTM WND DMGCoal RunPike, KYROOF BLOWN OFF OF THE ROLLER SKATE CENTER AT MULLINS.
22:28 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 S Coal RunPike, KYTWO LARGE TREES DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 23.
22:28 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Nnw PikevillePike, KYTRAFFIC LIGHTS WERE BLOWN DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION OF US HIGHWAY 119 AND US HIGHWAY 23. THE TIME IS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
22:28 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Sw PikevillePike, KYA TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN ON A GAS LINE AND THE LINE WAS REPORTED TO BE LEAKING. THE TIME IS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
22:28 UTCTSTM WND DMG4 Ne VirgiePike, KYTREES WERE BLOWN DOWN ON POWERLINES. THE TIME IS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
22:28 UTCTSTM WND DMGCoal RunPike, KYROOFS DAMAGED ON A SELF STORAGE FACILITY AND MACHINE SHOP.
22:29 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 N PikevillePike, KYSHINGLES BLOWN OFF OF HOUSE WITH MULTIPLE TREES DOWN IN NEARBY NEIGHBORHOOD.
22:30 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Ne ZebulonPike, KYA TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN ONTO POWERLINES AND INTO THE ROAD A HALF OF A MILE UP RACCOON CREEK. THE TIME IS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
22:30 UTCTSTM WND DMGShelbianaPike, KYROOF BLOWN OFF OF HOME. POWER LINES AND TREES ALSO DOWN IN AREA.
22:31 UTCTSTM WND DMGPikevillePike, KYSEVERAL TREES DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 1426.
22:33 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Nw RaccoonPike, KYPOWERLINES WERE BLOWN DOWN ON A HOUSE ALONG FROZEN CREEK. THE TIME IS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
22:38 UTCTSTM WND GST 704 Ne MetaPike, KYESTIMATED WIND GUST OF 60 TO 70 MPH.
22:42 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Sse McandrewsPike, KYA TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN ON KY 1056 NEAR THE MOUTH OF BALL FORK HOLLOW. THE TIME IS ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.
22:50 UTCTSTM WND DMGBelfryPike, KYLARGE BRANCHES BROKEN. EVENT OCCURRED BETWEEN 658 PM AND 713 PM.
23:07 UTCTSTM WND DMGSalyersvilleMagoffin, KY3 TREES WERE KNOCKED DOWN ACROSS SALYERSVILLE AND POWER LINES WERE KNOCKED DOWN ALONG ROUTE 40 TO PAINTSVILLE
23:13 UTCTSTM WND DMGBelfryPike, KYLARGE BRANCHES BROKEN. EVENT OCCURRED BETWEEN 658 PM AND 713 PM.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2011 tornado in KentuckyEvery tornado in Kentucky since 1950Warnings in force in Kentucky nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of April 4, 2011

42 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
April 48:10 AM CDTEF1Little River, AR4.8150$25,000
April 48:38 AM CDTEF1Hempstead, AR3.9100$300,000
April 48:40 AM CDTEF2Hempstead, AR1.82002$500,000
April 48:50 AM CDTEF1Miller, AR2.6150$100,000
April 49:08 AM CDTEF1Clark, AR4.0200$50,000
April 49:28 AM CDTEF1Columbia, AR0.975$75,000
April 410:12 AM CDTEF1Union, AR1.3100$150,000
April 410:18 AM CDTEF1Ballard, KY3.7200$40,000
April 410:20 AM CDTEF2Ballard, KY6.43001$700,000
April 410:30 AM CDTEF0McCracken, KY0.550$30,000
April 411:55 AM CDTEF1Muhlenberg, KY7.1150$100,000
April 412:04 PM CDTEF2Christian, KY5.32007$2.0 million
April 412:26 PM CDTEF1Butler, KY3.450
April 412:38 PM CDTEF1Grayson, KY3.4125
April 412:41 PM CDTEF1Grayson, KY1.0200
April 41:19 PM CDTEF1Humphreys, TN2.975$150,000
April 41:33 PM CDTEF1Dickson, TN7.3150$110,000
April 41:52 PM CDTEF0Cheatham, TN0.850$2,000
April 42:20 PM CDTEF1Davidson, TN4.9100$500,000
April 42:42 PM CDTEF1Grant Parish, LA9.3275$250,000
April 43:46 PM EDTEF0Licking, OH0.950$60,000
April 42:55 PM CDTEF1Monroe, KY0.275
April 42:58 PM CDTEF2LaSalle Parish, LA12.6440$110,000
April 43:14 PM CDTEF1Clinton, KY0.3150
April 43:16 PM CDTEF0Clinton, KY0.260
April 43:43 PM CDTEF2Tensas Parish, LA to MS28.08801$4.0 million
April 45:03 PM EDTEF1Whitley, KY1.7880$200,000
April 44:42 PM CDTEF1Hinds, MS4.0440$20,000
April 46:36 PM EDTEF0McMinn, TN0.125$10,000
April 45:36 PM CDTEF1Simpson, MS7.41,320$550,000
April 45:48 PM CDTEF1Lincoln, MS17.3600$1.5 million
April 46:40 PM CDTEF1Washington Parish, LA0.275$30,000
April 46:42 PM CDTEF1Livingston Parish, LA0.550$10,000
April 46:50 PM CDTEF0Saint James Parish, LA0.950$50,000
April 47:01 PM CDTEF1Washington Parish, LA0.275$50,000
April 47:43 PM CDTEF1Pearl River, MS0.350$30,000
April 47:43 PM CDTEF1Greene, MS19.4100$500,000
April 49:33 PM EDTEF1Gilmer, GA2.6880$1.0 million
April 49:34 PM EDTEF0Gilmer, GA1.8880$500,000
April 48:45 PM CDTEF1Jackson, MS0.175$35,000
April 41:25 AM EDTEF1Surry, NC2.7250$1.0 million
April 41:30 AM EDTEF1Bibb, GA1.150$300,000

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.