938
NOUS43 KLMK 311428
PNSLMK
INZ076>079-083-084-089>092-KYZ023>043-045>049-053>057-061>067-
070>078-081-082-010230-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE, KY
1028 AM EDT SAT MAY 31 2025 /928 AM CDT SAT MAY 31 2025/
...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 05/30/25 TORNADO EVENT IN WASHINGTON
COUNTY KENTUCKY...
WASHINGTON
RATING: EF2
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 125 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 5.55 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 450 YARDS
FATALITIES: 1
INJURIES: 14
START DATE: 05/30/2025
START TIME: 06:49 AM EDT
START LOCATION: 1 NNE POTTSVILLE / WASHINGTON COUNTY / KY
START LAT/LON: 37.667 / -85.0586
END DATE: 05/30/2025
END TIME: 06:59 AM EDT
END LOCATION: 1 NNW PERRYVILLE / BOYLE COUNTY / KY
END LAT/LON: 37.6677 / -84.958
SURVEY SUMMARY:
AN NWS LOUISVILLE DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM CONCLUDED THAT A STRONG
TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN SE WASHINGTON COUNTY ON FRIDAY MORNING,
MAY 30TH. THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ON A RIDGETOP NEAR THE
INTERSECTION OF COYLE LANE AND LONG RUN ROAD, INITIALLY SNAPPING
AND TWISTING SOME HARDWOOD TREES, AND THROWING A CHICKEN CAGE
ALMOST A QUARTER MILE TO THE NE OF THE PATH. FROM THERE, THE
TORNADO QUICKLY INTENSIFIED INTO SOLID EF-2 STRENGTH AS A VORTICE
WITHIN THE PARENT CIRCULATION PRODUCED A THIRD OF A MILE LONG
SWATH OF INTENSE DAMAGE STARTING ONLY ABOUT 100-200 YARDS FROM
THE TOUCHDOWN POINT. HERE, A WELL BUILT BARN WITH LIVING QUARTERS
WAS COMPLETELY SWEPT OFF THE CONCRETE FOUNDATION AND THROWN INTO
THE VALLEY BELOW. SILL PLATES WERE ANCHORED TO THE CONCRETE
FOUNDATION, SO CONSTRUCTION WAS GOOD, HOWEVER 3 LARGE OVERHEAD
DOORS LIKELY CONTRIBUTED TO THE DEMISE OF THE STRUCTURE AS THEY
FACED THE DIRECTION OF THE TORNADO PATH DIRECTLY. EYEWITNESS
ACCOUNTS FROM INSIDE THE STRUCTURE SAID THE OVERHEAD DOORS CAVED
INWARD FIRST, AND THEN THE WHOLE BUILDING WENT. SEVERAL OCCUPANTS
WERE THROWN INTO THE VALLEY BELOW AMONG THE DEBRIS, BUT
MIRACULOUSLY SURVIVED.
FROM THERE, THE INTENSE EF-2 VORTICE TRAVELED ENE ACROSS LONG RUN
ROAD AND COMPLETELY DESTROYED ANOTHER STRUCTURE/HOME JUST TO THE
EAST OF THE ROAD. HERE, DEBRIS FROM THE COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF
THE HOME WAS THROWN ABOUT 75 YARDS DIRECTLY TO THE NORTH OF THE
PATH INTO A RAVINE. SADLY, ONE OCCUPANT OF THE HOME WAS KILLED,
WITH AT LEAST TWO OTHERS INJURED. THE FOUNDATION OF THIS STRUCTURE
WAS ON CINDER BLOCKS, WITH QUITE A BIT OF OPEN SPACE BENEATH THE
FLOOR. PEAK WINDS REACHED 125 MPH FOR BOTH OF THESE STRUCTURES,
WITH BROADER EF- 1 DAMAGE NOTED ON EITHER SIDE OF THE PATH. PEAK
WIDTH WAS RIGHT AT A QUARTER OF A MILE, OR ROUGHLY 450 YARDS HERE
BEFORE THE TORNADO NARROWED CONSIDERABLY AND WEAKENED.
EF-1 STRENGTH WINDS CONTINUED ALONG AND JUST NORTH OF LONG RUN
ROAD AS THE TORNADO TRAVELED ESE TOWARD THE BOYLE COUNTY LINE.
HERE, SEVERAL HARDWOODS WERE SNAPPED AND UPROOTED, ALONG WITH SOME
ROOF AND MINOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO A HOME. A BARN WAS ALSO
PARTIALLY COLLAPSED. THE TORNADO CROSSED DEEP CREEK, AND DEEP
CREEK ROAD DOING MORE TREE DAMAGE, BUT LARGELY SPARING MUCH
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. FROM HERE, IT CROSSED INTO BOYLE COUNTY WERE
SOME HARDWOODS WERE NOTED TO BE SNAPPED NORTH OF COCANOUGHER ROAD,
AND AGAIN IN A GROVE OF TREES NORTH OF WHITE ROAD. THE FINAL
DAMAGE POINT WAS NOTED ALONG BATTLEFIELD ROAD ABOUT 1.25 MILES NNW
OF PERRYVILLE, WERE SOME HARDWOODS WERE UPROOTED AND SOFTWOODS
WERE SNAPPED. FROM HERE THE TORNADO LIFTED.
NWS LOUISVILLE WOULD LIKE TO THANK WASHINGTON COUNTY EMERGENCY
MANAGER KEVIN DEVINE, AREA 5 EMERGENCY MANAGER KENNA MARTI BURTON,
AND AREA 10 EMERGENCY MANAGER BRUCE CROUCH FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE
WITH THIS SURVEY.
EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE
FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
EF0.....65 TO 85 MPH
EF1.....86 TO 110 MPH
EF2.....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3.....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4.....166 TO 200 MPH
EF5.....>200 MPH
NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT AND PUBLICATION IN
NWS STORM DATA.
BJS/CRG/JH
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