Tornadoes

Tornadoes are violent and rapidly rotating columns of air that form inside thunderstorms. They connect with the ground, via a funnel, to the cloud. Tornadoes typically last only a few minutes, but sometimes they can last for more than an hour. They can also travel short distances (0.5 miles), but some can be ‘on the ground' for upwards of 100 miles.

From 1950-2015, 949 tornadoes have been recorded in Kentucky. There have been two (2) EF-5 (winds over 200 mph) tornado recorded in the state, 19 EF-4 (166 - 200 mph) and 73 EF-3 (136 - 165 mph) rated tornadoes.

Did You Know?

Both EF-5 tornadoes recorded in Kentucky happened during the historic April 1974 Tornado Outbreak. On April 3, 1974, 20 tornadoes occurred over central and eastern portions of Kentucky, causing more than $100 million in damages, injuring over 1,200 people and were responsible for the deaths of 75 people.