Top Western KY Events: #32- 2/24/2018 Tornadoes/Flooding

^^ High-end EF-2 Tornado Damage from southern Logan County (Dot/Keysburg area), from the NWS of Louisville ^^

February 24th, 2018 was one of the most destructive/active days of the 2010s for Western KY. Storms formed along a mod There were two rounds of severe weather that significantly impacted the area, in addition to rounds of heavy rain that added to a very wet February. Several areas received 5 to 9 inches of rain over the last 5 days leading up to 2/24/2018. Sadly two fatalities occurred (1 in Simpson and 1 in Union) due to Flash Flooding as well as some roads and structures damaged.

The first round occurred with a discrete supercell (see the IEM Radar image below) that formed in the mid-afternoon. This produced 2 tornadoes, including a deadly high-end EF-2 tornado in Southern Logan County. Significantly damaging a few homes and a family farm. Sadly 1 fatality occurred, which at the time ended a 10-year streak for our area, in which we went without a tornado fatality. Another tornado (EF-1) occurred near the Warren/Barren County line with this round.

Supercell in Logan County, producing the deadly Keysburg/Dot Tornado

The storm that produced the deadly EF-2 tornado over the Dot/Keysburg area

The second round was a QLCS (a line of storms with both bow echos/supercells). This produced 10 tornadoes, including those that impacted the Hopkinsville (EF-2), Lewisburg (EF-1), and Murray areas (EF-1). The one that hit the southeast side of Hopkinsville was also rated a high-end EF-2 and did $6-7 million dollars in damage and caused 9 injuries when it struck a series of apartments. Damage was also done to several businesses in town on US 41-A (Ft. Campbell Blvd). Two homes were destroyed with an EF-1 tornado that struck the southside of Murray. Damaging winds up to 70MPH also occurred with this line.

Comparing from before the tornado (2015) to after the tornado (2022) on this series of apartment complexes on the southeast side of Hopkinsville.

Forgive me for the typo on enhanced. This line of rotating thunderstorms would go on and produce tornadoes in Logan (Lewisburg), Butler, and Simpson Counties.

Photo from LaDonna Knoth, published by the NWS of Paducah showing the widespread flash flooding that was also developing with repeated rounds of showers and thunderstorms. This was from Lyon County.

Why Was This Event Significant

This event produced 3 fatalities. Many of our Top 32 events sadly have produced fatalities. Showing us the need to be prepared and ready for the extreme weather that we are prone to.
We had widespread flash flooding causing over 2 million dollars in damage. This also led to river flooding which was the worst in 7 years.
This tornado outbreak, even if it didn’t produce EF-3+ tornadoes, these tornadoes inflicted over 8 million dollars of damage and produced several injuries and a fatality. Just to show you that an EF-1 or EF-2 tornado is still capable of damaging or even occasionally destroying homes, and can be deadly.
This is the largest winter-time tornado outbreak to ever occur in a winter month (Dec-Feb), with 12 tornado tracks. Making this one of the larger tornado outbreaks overall.

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