Power Outage in Hopkinsville, KY

A destructive downburst containing peak winds of 100 mph occurred on the north side of Hopkinsville, including parts of the downtown area. Approximately 125 homes had some damage. Most had roof, soffit, or siding damage. The roof of a high school was damaged. At least one home had a tree fall on it and severely damaged it. Hundreds of trees were uprooted or snapped. Significant damage occurred at Ruff Park, where ballfields sustained damage and at least one power pole was snapped. Adjacent to the downtown area, much of the roof was blown off an old elementary school on Second Street, and the Salvation Army office building was damaged. Near the end of the damage area, numerous trees were down along Highway 107 northeast of the city. The path of the most concentrated damage was about 1.6 miles long and 0.9 miles wide.

The tornado touched down on the northern perimeter of the Fort Campbell military base and proceeded northeast across U.S. Highway 41. Trees were uprooted and snapped along the path. Several barns were damaged or destroyed, including one that had its roof thrown several hundred yards into trees. Power lines were downed, and 13 empty rail cars were tipped over along the path. A couple of homes received some minor damage. The tornado lifted just northwest of Pembroke. Peak winds were estimated near 100 mph.

Widespread wind damage occurred south through southwest of Hopkinsville, including the Interstate 24 corridor. Several miles northwest of Oak Grove, building and roof damage occurred at a power tool company. Trees were down along Interstate 24 near mile marker 83. Seven miles west of Pembroke, a fiberglass pole was down. Many trees were down in that area. Five miles northeast of Herndon, a tree fell on a house. A wind gust to 63 mph was measured at the Fort Campbell airfield.

Wind gusts to 80 mph were estimated on Highway 91 northwest of Hopkinsville. Trees were blown down, and power outages were reported.

Tree damage was reported from Hopkinsville northeastward. Near Honey Grove, trees were down across an intersection on Highway 507. Highway 107 was blocked by downed trees several miles north-northeast of the city of Hopkinsville. A tree fell across power lines in the city.

Tree damage was reported from Hopkinsville northeastward. Near Honey Grove, trees were down across an intersection on Highway 507. Highway 107 was blocked by downed trees several miles north-northeast of the city of Hopkinsville. A tree fell across power lines in the city.

Power lines were down on a residential street on the south side of the city.

Three power poles were broken off on Highway 117. The road was blocked. A wind gust to 55 mph was measured a few miles away at the Fort Campbell automated weather observing system.

Trees were blown down on the southwest side of Hopkinsville, blocking Kentucky Highway 695 near the Highway 68 bypass. In Pembroke, power lines were down on a railroad crossing.

On the east side of the city of Hopkinsville, two trees were blown down. One tree was on a power line.

Numerous trees were blown down north and northeast of Hopkinsville. State Highway 189 and U.S. Highway 41 were both blocked. A barn was levelled. Widespread power outages were reported across the northern half of the county. Around 2500 customers were without power in the county.

Numerous trees were blown down north and northeast of Hopkinsville. State Highway 189 and U.S. Highway 41 were both blocked. A barn was levelled. Widespread power outages were reported across the northern half of the county. Around 2500 customers were without power in the county.

In Hopkinsville, a 22-year-old man sustained an arm injury when a tree landed on his moving car on Highway 380. The injury required hospital treatment, but it was not life-threatening. Another tree fell in Pembroke. Power outages were reported. A wind gust to 57 mph was measured along the west bypass in Hopkinsville at 2:57 P.M. CDT.

This EF-2 tornado touched down just east of the Trigg County line, then moved east-northeast across Highway 91. The tornado continued east-northeast across the Pennyrile Parkway just south of Crofton. The average path width was 100 yards. The tornado path was through farmland interspersed with woodlands. Sixteen barns were destroyed. Ten other barns sustained minor to moderate damage. Two homes sustained moderate damage. Ten tractors or farm implements were damaged. One farmer near Crofton estimated damage was near one-half million dollars just at his farm alone. Nearly 500 utility customers were without power after the tornado. The highest estimated wind speeds of 115 mph were at a farm on Highway 91, where a two-ton truck was overturned.

A wind gust to 60 mph was measured just south of Hopkinsville. A trained spotter estimated a wind gust around 60 mph in Hopkinsville. A large tree was down near Fruit Hill. There were power outages in the city of Hopkinsville.

A wind gust to 60 mph was measured just south of Hopkinsville. A trained spotter estimated a wind gust around 60 mph in Hopkinsville. A large tree was down near Fruit Hill. There were power outages in the city of Hopkinsville.

Four large hollowed trees were blown down. One tree landed on power lines.

The roof was blown off a business. Power lines were blown down. This microburst occurred just to the southeast of a tornado that tracked along Highway 107.

The tornado touched down along U.S. Highway 41A and travelled northeast to U.S. Highway 41. Hundreds of trees were snapped or uprooted. One grain bin was blown 150 feet. Several barns or sheds were levelled. At least two dozen power poles were broken along Highway 1027 and U.S. Highway 41. Several homes received mainly minor roof damage. The tornado had estimated peak winds of 105 mph. The average path width was 175 yards.

The tornado struck the Fort Campbell airfield directly, causing extensive damage. One building structure destroyed was rated for 104 mph winds. Several very large and heavy constructed buildings suffered major damage at the Fort Campbell Army Airfield. Large doors to these buildings, which were rated for 115 to 144 mph winds, were blown in. Several other smaller buildings received minor to major damage. Numerous heavy vehicles were damaged, with at least three flipped over. Immediately north of the airfield, across farmland, several dozen trees were snapped or uprooted, two barns were heavily damaged, three power poles were blown down, and some shingles were blown off a house. A security guard witnessed the tornado during two separate illuminations provided by lightning. The security guard's vehicle was moved backward approximately ten feet during the tornado. A second security guard witnessed the tornado. Two security cameras recorded the tornado passage. One camera showed winds blowing in opposite directions over an approximate 30-second interval. Peak winds were estimated near 140 mph. The average path width was 250 yards.

A wind gust to 55 knots was measured by automated observing equipment at Fort Campbell. A seven-mile stretch of Kentucky Highway 117 was closed due to multiple trees and power lines across it.

Several barns were levelled, and several grain bins were destroyed. A grain bin was carried over two-thirds of a mile. One of the destroyed barns was 20 by 150 feet. There were some homes with primarily roof damage or loss of shingles. Windows were blown out. Dozens of trees were uprooted or snapped. At least ten power poles were snapped, and debris and electrical lines were across roads. State Route 91 was closed for an extended period of time. The tornado lifted as it crossed Highway 109 just a couple of miles northwest of Hopkinsville. Peak winds were estimated near 115 mph. The average path width was 225 yards.

West of Hopkinsville near Julien, a few large trees were blown down, including one that was snapped. One barn was destroyed along Highway 272, along with a small shed and other small outbuildings. Some corn crops were damaged. Near the Hopkinsville-Christian County Airport, a tree fell on a home. The canopy of a gas station was partially blown down in Hopkinsville. Large branches were blown down onto a few Hopkinsville streets. Power outages were sporadic. Three flags were blown down.

West of Hopkinsville near Julien, a few large trees were blown down, including one that was snapped. One barn was destroyed along Highway 272, along with a small shed and other small outbuildings. Some corn crops were damaged. Near the Hopkinsville-Christian County Airport, a tree fell on a home. The canopy of a gas station was partially blown down in Hopkinsville. Large branches were blown down onto a few Hopkinsville streets. Power outages were sporadic. Three flags were blown down.

A mobile storm chase vehicle measured a wind gust of 60 mph on U.S. Highway 68 just west of Hopkinsville. Power lines were blown down on the north side of Hopkinsville, about a mile north of the Pennyrile Parkway interchange with the bypass.

A mobile storm chase vehicle measured a wind gust of 60 mph on U.S. Highway 68 just west of Hopkinsville. Power lines were blown down on the north side of Hopkinsville, about a mile north of the Pennyrile Parkway interchange with the bypass.

Trees, power lines, and power poles were blown down. Trees fell on at least several vehicles. Tree limbs were down on roads, blocking several of them. The roof over an indoor pool at an apartment complex on the southwest side of Hopkinsville was ripped off. Large trees at the complex were snapped or uprooted. Vehicles in the parking lot of the complex were damaged by falling trees. A window was broken, and shingles were blown off apartment building roofs. Northwest of the city, a pole barn was destroyed and the roof of a home was damaged. About 4,000 utility customers lost power.

Several trees and power lines were down in the city.

Numerous trees were blown down throughout the city. Some fell on power lines.

Windows were blown out of a home. Power lines and trees were down.

Several trees and power lines were blown down in rural Christian County.

Trees and power lines were blown down in Hopkinsville and across the county. Some roads were blocked temporarily by fallen trees. More than 6,000 customers were affected by power outages in the Hopkinsville area.

Trees were blown down across Highway 272. Power outages were reported on the west side of Hopkinsville.

Lightning was the indirect cause of a house fire that killed 3 children and their father. The fire was sparked by an unattended candle which was being used because of a power outage.

Areas of light freezing rain and freezing drizzle caused slick spots on roadways. Bridges and overpasses were the most affected surfaces. Traffic accidents were not as numerous as during the winter event the previous day. A pickup truck ran off Kentucky Highway 139 in Trigg County and knocked down a power pole. Areas of dense freezing fog contributed to the light icing. Surface high pressure over the southern Great Lakes region provided a cold low level northeast wind flow. At the same time, milder southwest winds just above the surface were overrunning the cold air.

The center of Tropical Depression Katrina, which was once a powerful hurricane along the Gulf of Mexico coast, moved northward across western Kentucky. The center of the depression passed near Hopkinsville around noon. Peak wind gusts were generally around 45 MPH. At Hopkinsville, the peak wind gust was 44 MPH as measured at the Fort Campbell observing station. The strong winds were generally along and southeast of a line from Henderson to Madisonville to Mayfield. An unofficial measurement of a wind gust to 72 MPH was reported along the west shore of Kentucky Lake in Calloway County, however, minor damage in the area was not supportive of such strong winds. A couple of docks were dislodged or damaged along a bay near Jonathan Creek. Elsewhere in Calloway County, the road department responded to 32 reports of roads blocked by trees or limbs. Across the entire area affected by strong winds, scattered trees and limbs were blown down, including some across roads and power lines. A few large trees were uprooted in Christian County, which fell in yards and across roads. No structural damage was reported. In the city of Henderson, several trees fell on city streets. Power outages affected over 10,000 utility customers in western Kentucky. In the Henderson and Owensboro region, 6000 customers were affected. 2500 customers lost power in the Kentucky Lake region, 2000 customers lost power in the Pennyrile region (Madisonville to Hopkinsville), and 800 were affected in the Purchase area (west of Kentucky Lake). Widespread power outages were reported in Princeton and Marion.

The remnants of Tropical Storm Isidore moved north from the Louisiana coast, passing over central Kentucky. The large size of the storm, combined with its relatively slow movement, contributed to excessive rainfall in excess of 4 inches. The heaviest rainfall was southeast of a line from Mayfield to Owensboro, where 4 to 8 inches fell. The heaviest total was 8.17 inches at the Paradise Steam Plant on the Green River in Muhlenberg County. A co-operative observer measured 8.04 inches at Herndon in Christian County. The next five heaviest totals were 6.26 inches at Hopkinsville (Christian County), 6.50 inches at the Green River Power Plant (Muhlenberg County), 5.88 inches at Canton (Trigg County), 5.73 inches at Cadiz (Trigg County), and 5.34 inches at New Concord (Calloway County). The flooding was mitigated by the ability of the drought-stricken soil to absorb rainfall. Street flooding was the main problem. Portions of several state highways were flooded in Todd County, including Highways 181, 79, 41, 346, and 848. In Calloway County, seven inches of water covered Highway 121 south of New Concord. Several secondary roads were closed in Christian County. Water entered the Trigg County courthouse.