La Fayette, KY Natural Disasters and Weather Extremes
Hot Rankings
The chance of earthquake damage in La Fayette is about the same as Kentucky average and is much lower than the national average. The risk of tornado damage in La Fayette is higher than Kentucky average and is higher than the national average.
Earthquake Index, #355
| La Fayette, KY | 0.08 |
| Kentucky | 0.24 |
| U.S. | 1.81 |
The earthquake index value is calculated based on historical earthquake events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the earthquake level in a region. A higher earthquake index value means a higher chance of an earthquake.
Volcano Index, #1
| La Fayette, KY | 0.0000 |
| Kentucky | 0.0000 |
| U.S. | 0.0023 |
The volcano index value is calculated based on the currently known volcanoes using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the possibility of a region being affected by a possible volcano eruption. A higher volcano index value means a higher chance of being affected.
Tornado Index, #413
| La Fayette, KY | 180.61 |
| Kentucky | 136.89 |
| U.S. | 136.45 |
The tornado index value is calculated based on historical tornado events data using USA.com algorithms. It is an indicator of the tornado level in a region. A higher tornado index value means a higher chance of tornado events.
Other Weather Extremes Events
A total of 3,078 other weather extremes events within 50 miles of La Fayette, KY were recorded from 1950 to 2010. The following is a break down of these events:
| Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count | Type | Count |
| Avalanche: | 0 | Blizzard: | 0 | Cold: | 0 | Dense Fog: | 0 | Drought: | 9 |
| Dust Storm: | 0 | Flood: | 445 | Hail: | 772 | Heat: | 2 | Heavy Snow: | 22 |
| High Surf: | 0 | Hurricane: | 0 | Ice Storm: | 8 | Landslide: | 0 | Strong Wind: | 14 |
| Thunderstorm Winds: | 1,611 | Tropical Storm: | 0 | Wildfire: | 1 | Winter Storm: | 15 | Winter Weather: | 11 |
| Other: | 168 | ||||||||
Volcanos Nearby
No volcano is found in or near La Fayette, KY.
Historical Earthquake Events
No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near La Fayette, KY.
No historical earthquake events found in or near La Fayette, KY.
Historical Tornado Events
A total of 75 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near La Fayette, KY.
| Distance (miles) | Date | Magnitude | Start Lat/Log | End Lat/Log | Length | Width | Fatalities | Injuries | Property Damage | Crop Damage | Affected County |
| 8.4 | 2007-10-18 | 2 | 36°43'N / 87°51'W | 36°46'N / 87°42'W | 9.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 120K | 0K | Trigg |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: Numerous trees were uprooted and blown down. Metal debris was embedded in several trees. Two barns were destroyed. One large garage was destroyed. Debris from the garage was blown up to three quarters of a mile, and projectiles were embedded in the ground up to 200 yards away. Four power poles were snapped. Peak winds were estimated near 120 mph. EPISODE NARRATIVE: The second and more significant severe weather outbreak of the day occurred as a cold front swept east across the Mississippi Valley. Scattered thunderstorms developed along and ahead of the front late in the afternoon. The storms organized into supercells and short lines during the evening. Over a dozen tornadoes occurred in western Kentucky. | |||||||||||
| 9.1 | 1978-05-12 | 2 | 36°41'N / 87°54'W | 36°49'N / 87°40'W | 15.80 Miles | 800 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Trigg |
| 11.2 | 1978-05-12 | 3 | 36°49'N / 87°45'W | 36°50'N / 87°42'W | 3.00 Miles | 800 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Trigg |
| 11.5 | 1978-05-12 | 3 | 36°50'N / 87°42'W | 36°51'N / 87°35'W | 6.50 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 17 | 2.5M | 0 | Christian |
| 11.5 | 1995-05-18 | 2 | 36°52'N / 87°45'W | 36°49'N / 87°32'W | 4.00 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Trigg |
| Brief Description: Six houses were damaged, one extensively. Vehicles were moved, including a camper trailer picked up and tossed across a road. A mobile home was blown over 300 feet. Numerous trees were downed, and two barns were destroyed. The tornado moved into Christian County. | |||||||||||
| 14.5 | 1963-04-29 | 3 | 36°52'N / 87°40'W | 36°52'N / 87°25'W | 13.70 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Christian |
| 19.7 | 1999-01-22 | 3 | 36°32'N / 87°21'W | 36°35'N / 87°18'W | 4.30 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 5 | 72.7M | 0 | Montgomery |
| Brief Description: An F3 tornado struck Clarksville at 415 AM, travelled through the downtown area and dissipated near St. Bethlehem. There were 5 injuries, 2 of them were for broken bones. Clarksville has a population of 89,000 people is Tennessee's fifth largest city. 25,000 people were without power. The Tornado Warning was issued by the NWS at 354 AM CST. The NOAA Weather Radio alerted the sleepy resident s of Clarksville and urge them to take cover immediately. The tornado ripped apart a 5 block area of downtown Clarksville and teared up buildings in Austin Peay State University. Once the tornado ravaged the city, downtown Clarksville resembled bombed-out London during World War 2. Bricks and glass were strewn everywhere. The photo editor of the Leaf-Chronicle newspaper s, Fred Dye, said "It looked like somebody walked through with a broom and knocked over whatever was loose enough to knock down." The Montgomery county court house was in ruins. The City Fathers planned on rebuilding the court house. It was last rebuilt after a fire in 1878. The Leaf-Chronicle newspaper office was severely damaged. The newspaper had to set up a temporary office in Hopkinsville, KY. 22 buildings were heavily damaged at Austin Peay State University. Also, several old churches were heavily damaged in Clarksville. The Madison Street United Methodist Church lost its spires and roof. It will take about 2 years to rebuild the church. The Trinity Episcopal Church lost its roof. Police closed off downtown Clarksville from 6 PM-6 AM in order to prevent looting. The National Guard was on duty as well. On January 23, FEMA Director James Lee Whitt toured the devastation. He exclaimed, "Wow!" "It's like someone dropped a bomb on it. That's just what it look like." There was a total of 124 buildings destroyed and 562 buildings damaged. These figures included residential, commercial, government, public and buildings at Austin Peay. | |||||||||||
| 19.7 | 2006-04-02 | 3 | 36°54'N / 87°38'W | 36°56'N / 87°17'W | 19.50 Miles | 700 Yards | 0 | 22 | 35.0M | 0 | Christian |
| Brief Description: The tornado formed from a long-track supercell that originated in southeast Missouri near Poplar Bluff. The tornado began less than two miles from the Trigg County line with an east-southeast movement, then curved slightly left before crossing Highway 91. The tornado moved east-northeast across central Christian County, passing less than four miles north of downtown Hopkinsville, before crossing into Todd County less than a mile north of Pilot Rock. Near the beginning of the damage path, a church was levelled. Across the county, 91 homes were destroyed, and another 171 homes sustained varying degrees of damage. Several people were pulled from the debris of their homes during a door-to-door search that lasted into the next morning. Of the 22 people directly injured by the tornado, 17 were checked in at the local hospital, and five were transferred to regional hospitals. Another ten or so people received injuries not directly inflicted by the tornado, such as driving into fallen trees. None of the injuries, which consisted mostly of cuts, bruises, and fractures, were considered life-threatening. Numerous garages, barns, and outbuildings were destroyed. Some vehicles were damaged or destroyed. Hundreds of trees were downed, snapped, or uprooted. Power was out to most of the city of Hopkinsville for about six hours as a result of downed steel towers that carry primary transmission lines. Peak winds were estimated near 185 MPH. The average path width was 500 yards. It should be noted that the initial tornado reformed or reorganized about 7 miles northeast of Hopkinsville, leaving a break in the tornado path less than a mile long. Downburst wind damage occurred both north and south of the area where the tornado reorganized, resulting in a two-mile wide swath of damage along Highway 107. The webcam at the local hospital captured the tornado as it passed north of downtown Hopkinsville. | |||||||||||
| 20.1 | 1998-04-03 | 2 | 36°28'N / 87°24'W | 36°32'N / 87°19'W | 6.40 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 100K | 0 | Montgomery |
| Brief Description: 67 homes were damaged in the Hilltop area, and about 7 homes received major damage. Most of the damage was to roofs. Trees were blown down. | |||||||||||
| 20.8 | 1961-04-25 | 2 | 36°26'N / 87°29'W | 36°28'N / 87°19'W | 9.40 Miles | 187 Yards | 0 | 2 | 25K | 0 | Montgomery |
| 22.3 | 1968-04-04 | 4 | 36°47'N / 88°08'W | 36°58'N / 87°48'W | 22.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Trigg |
| 22.7 | 2005-11-15 | 2 | 36°29'N / 87°19'W | 36°30'N / 87°18'W | 1.00 Mile | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 500K | 0 | Montgomery |
| Brief Description: Well built brick home lost roof. Very large oak trees snapped around home. This storm complex came from Houston County. Total damage from tornadoes in Montgomery County is about $1.6 million from the EMA Office. | |||||||||||
| 23.8 | 2008-02-05 | 2 | 36°57'N / 87°39'W | 37°04'N / 87°26'W | 14.00 Miles | 275 Yards | 0 | 2 | 4.4M | 0K | Christian |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: Twenty-seven homes were damaged and 17 were destroyed. A total of 19 garages, sheds, and barns were damaged or destroyed. Of the destroyed homes, at least five were mobile homes. The two injured persons transported themselves to local hospitals. The county was declared a federal major disaster area. Peak winds were estimated near 130 mph. The average path width was 225 yards. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A deepening low pressure system moved northeast from Arkansas along a warm front that extended across southeast Missouri and southern Illinois. Surface dew points were in the upper 50's to lower 60's along and southeast of the warm front. A strong upper level trough over the western Plains produced a strong southwest flow of 60 to 80 knots at 500 mb. Winds at 850 mb were south to southwest around 40 knots. | |||||||||||
| 24.8 | 1968-04-04 | 4 | 36°58'N / 87°48'W | 37°05'N / 87°42'W | 9.70 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 5 | 0K | 0 | Caldwell |
| 25.1 | 1969-01-23 | 2 | 36°29'N / 88°02'W | 0.10 Mile | 7 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Stewart | |
| 26.0 | 2007-10-18 | 2 | 37°01'N / 87°50'W | 37°04'N / 87°41'W | 9.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0K | Caldwell |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted. Trees landed across roads. At least a half dozen small barns were destroyed. Several roofs were lifted and torn off houses. Major structural damage was reported to seven homes. Windows were broken in houses. Peak winds were estimated near 110 mph. The damage path ended very close to the boundary of the Pennyrile State Forest. EPISODE NARRATIVE: The second and more significant severe weather outbreak of the day occurred as a cold front swept east across the Mississippi Valley. Scattered thunderstorms developed along and ahead of the front late in the afternoon. The storms organized into supercells and short lines during the evening. Over a dozen tornadoes occurred in western Kentucky. | |||||||||||
| 26.4 | 2000-05-27 | 3 | 36°19'N / 87°58'W | 36°19'N / 87°40'W | 17.20 Miles | 500 Yards | 0 | 0 | 1.3M | 0 | Houston |
| Brief Description: The storm complex that produced a tornado in Benton county moved into Houston county and generated a tornado that hit Tennessee Ridge and Erin. The Houston county executive estimated 1.3 million dollars worth of damage. Roofs and walls of some well constructed homes were torn off. Many trees were snapped and blown down along with power lines. The Betty Ligon Pavillion in Erin was flattened. 50 people required shelter at Erin. A storage trailer was moved 50 feet at Tennessee Ridge. | |||||||||||
| 27.7 | 2003-05-04 | 3 | 36°25'N / 87°21'W | 36°24'N / 87°12'W | 11.50 Miles | 1000 Yards | 0 | 1 | 750K | 0 | Montgomery |
| Brief Description: A tornado affected the southeast part of Montgomery County and did damage from Roberts Road, to Fredonia and to Albright Road. 108 homes were damaged. Estimated loss is about 3/4 of a million dollars. The tornado destroyed 2 brick homes on state Highway 12 near Fredonia and a mobile home on Albright Rd. One woman was injured in the mobile home. The Frazier family in the brick home took their 3 children to the basement. Their brick home was ripped to pieces and blown into the nearby woods. A man on Roberts Road said 3 large oak trees were ripped out of the ground and thrown on top of his house. A neighbor's garage from about a 1/4 of a mile away landed on the back of his house. Montgomery County EMA reported 108 homes were damaged by the tornado. | |||||||||||
| 28.6 | 1998-04-16 | 2 | 36°34'N / 87°09'W | 36°34'N / 87°09'W | 1.10 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 10K | 0 | Montgomery |
| Brief Description: Many trees and power lines were blown down at Port Royal and Sandlerville Road. Homes were damaged. A TVA transmission line tower fell. This tornado moved into Robertson county. | |||||||||||
| 29.0 | 2010-05-02 | 2 | 37°03'N / 87°36'W | 37°07'N / 87°27'W | 10.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 300K | 0K | Christian |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The highest concentrations of damage were where the tornado crossed State Route 1348 west of Crofton and Route 407 north of Crofton. Three unoccupied mobile homes were severely damaged or destroyed on Route 1348 west of Crofton. On Route 407, two mobile homes suffered moderate to major damage and a garage was levelled. The roof was peeled off one of the mobile homes. This tornado was very near the site of an EF3 tornado in Mannington just over a year earlier. One of the victims whose home was destroyed in the previous year's tornado relocated to a new spot, only to have her new home receive minor damage in this tornado. Several barns along the damage path received minor to moderate damage. Hundreds of trees were uprooted or snapped, particularly on Route 407 and nearby U.S. Highway 41. The tornado damage path began along Highway 109 and ended just after crossing the Pennyrile Parkway. The EF-2 tornado damage was near the end of the damage path along Route 407 and U.S. Highway 41, where hundreds of trees were uprooted or snapped. The average path width was 275 yards. Peak winds were estimated near 120 mph. The supercell that spawned this tornado later produced a separate brief tornado in Hopkins County. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A surface cold front extended from the Chicago area southwestward across the eastern fringes of the St. Louis metro area to a weak low pressure center over southeast Missouri. The low ejected northeast across southern and eastern Illinois, with the trailing cold front moving east across the Lower Ohio Valley. A broken cluster of severe thunderstorms, with embedded supercells and small bow echoes, moved east-northeastward across western Kentucky. Increasing south-southwesterly low level winds brought plenty of moisture northward into the Lower Ohio Valley, aiding in sufficient destabilization for supercells. The two primary supercells of the night followed similar paths across southern parts of the Purchase area, the Lakes region, and the southern Pennyrile region. Heavy rainfall with the storms, in combination with saturated ground from the May 1 storms, produced localized flash flooding. | |||||||||||
| 29.4 | 1968-04-04 | 4 | 37°05'N / 87°42'W | 37°07'N / 87°38'W | 4.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 5 | 0K | 0 | Christian |
| 29.6 | 2005-11-15 | 2 | 36°15'N / 87°47'W | 36°16'N / 87°46'W | 0.50 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 650K | 0 | Houston |
| Brief Description: Well built modular home was destroyed at intersection of Waverly Road and Long Branch Road. Other homes in the area were damaged. Damage was estimated to be $650K by the EMA Director. | |||||||||||
| 29.8 | 1968-04-04 | 4 | 36°45'N / 88°13'W | 36°47'N / 88°08'W | 5.10 Miles | 100 Yards | 1 | 5 | 0K | 0 | Marshall |
| 29.8 | 2008-02-05 | 2 | 36°18'N / 87°57'W | 36°19'N / 87°55'W | 2.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0K | Houston |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: Trees were down. Homes were damaged. TEMA reported 10 homes had major damage, 2 mobile homes were destroyed and 20 mobile homes had major damage. EPISODE NARRATIVE: The Super Severe Weather Outbreak on Feb. 5, 2008 produced supercelluar thunderstorms, well in advance of a multicell line of thunderstorms. The whole episode lasted about 6 hours. This occurred ironically while many states, including Tennessee, were participating in the Super Tuesday Primary Election. Fortunately, polls had already closed in the mid state when these tornadoes struck. | |||||||||||
| 30.0 | 1991-03-22 | 2 | 36°39'N / 87°11'W | 36°44'N / 87°02'W | 7.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Todd |
| 30.6 | 2007-10-18 | 2 | 37°07'N / 87°43'W | 37°07'N / 87°41'W | 1.00 Mile | 300 Yards | 0 | 1 | 120K | 0K | Christian |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: A large area of trees was snapped and uprooted in the Pennyrile State Forest. Some of the trees were 50 to 60 feet tall. A clear path was seen through the forest. A mobile home was blown down a hill and smashed as the tornado crossed Highway 109. An occupant of the mobile home was briefly trapped and sustained lacerations and bruises. The road to the mobile home was blocked by numerous downed trees and trailer debris. Two other mobile homes were severely damaged. A barn were destroyed. Peak winds were estimated near 115 mph. EPISODE NARRATIVE: The second and more significant severe weather outbreak of the day occurred as a cold front swept east across the Mississippi Valley. Scattered thunderstorms developed along and ahead of the front late in the afternoon. The storms organized into supercells and short lines during the evening. Over a dozen tornadoes occurred in western Kentucky. | |||||||||||
| 30.9 | 1991-04-09 | 2 | 36°39'N / 87°10'W | 36°39'N / 87°01'W | 6.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Todd |
| 30.9 | 2006-04-02 | 2 | 36°56'N / 87°17'W | 36°56'N / 87°06'W | 10.20 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 6 | 2.5M | 0 | Todd |
| Brief Description: The tornado continued into Todd County from Christian County, crossing the county line near Pilot Rock. The tornado passed less than a mile north of the communities of Allegre and Cedar Grove, then dissipated about 2.5 miles before entering Logan County. Although damage was extensive in Todd County, the tornado was at its strongest and widest in Christian County. In Todd County, the tornado produced mainly F1 damage, although the tornado intensified into the lower F2 range near Allegre. A mobile home was destroyed in Allegre, and buildings were destroyed on Highway 171 about two miles north of Allegre. There was extensive damage to a church in Cedar Grove. Half of its roof was blown off, and windows were blown out. A total of two homes in Todd County were destroyed, and 28 other houses were significantly damaged. Close to two dozen sheds and barns were damaged or destroyed, along with at least one grain bin. Numerous trees were uprooted. Some farm machinery and vehicles were damaged or destroyed, including tractors and combines. | |||||||||||
| 31.8 | 2007-10-18 | 2 | 37°08'N / 87°37'W | 37°08'N / 87°35'W | 2.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 1 | 150K | 0K | Hopkins |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: Numerous trees were snapped and uprooted as the tornado touched down. Three mobile homes were destroyed, including one with a bent frame. Debris from mobile homes was thrown several hundred yards. A resident of one of the mobile homes received a minor head injury when a tree fell into his residence. Another resident was briefly pinned under debris but was not injured. Rescue crews had difficulty reaching the scene due to trees across roads. Barns and one house were damaged. The damaged house suffered major roof damage, a destroyed porch, and siding damage. Numerous trees fell across roads and power lines. Peak winds were estimated near 120 mph. EPISODE NARRATIVE: The second and more significant severe weather outbreak of the day occurred as a cold front swept east across the Mississippi Valley. Scattered thunderstorms developed along and ahead of the front late in the afternoon. The storms organized into supercells and short lines during the evening. Over a dozen tornadoes occurred in western Kentucky. | |||||||||||
| 31.9 | 2003-05-04 | 2 | 36°41'N / 88°14'W | 36°42'N / 88°13'W | 1.80 Miles | 60 Yards | 0 | 0 | 350K | 0 | Calloway |
| Brief Description: The tornado began along Highway 732 about one quarter mile east of Highway 94. It then moved northeast, roughly parallel to Highway 94, for almost two miles. Six homes received minor to moderate damage. Numerous trees were down, two barns were destroyed, and several others were damaged. Peak winds were estimated near 120 MPH. A supercell thunderstorm moved northeast from Tennessee, producing straight-line wind damage from the southeast corner of Graves County to Murray. The storm then spawned a tornado northeast of Murray. | |||||||||||
| 32.0 | 2009-04-10 | 3 | 37°07'N / 87°29'W | 37°07'N / 87°28'W | 1.00 Mile | 75 Yards | 0 | 2 | 150K | 0K | Christian |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: This was the second and more intense of the tornadoes spawned by a supercell that tracked across Christian County. Near Mannington, a garage was destroyed, and a house was levelled. The main debris pile from the house was about 50 feet away. The 2,500 square-foot house was poorly anchored to the foundation. Two persons in the house were injured. One of the victims was thrown about 70 feet and suffered a broken pelvis. Footage of the tornado was taken by witnesses along the Pennyrile Parkway and shown on a local media outlet. Peak winds were estimated near 140 mph. The tornado tracked a short distance into Hopkins County before lifting. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A strong low pressure system tracked east to the Lower Ohio Valley, with a trailing cold front sweeping east across western Kentucky. Storms developed and increased along the advancing cold front as they moved into increasingly unstable air. Very strong low level wind shear was favorable for tornadoes. The storms became increasingly organized, with line segments and supercells moving at over 45 mph. | |||||||||||
| 32.7 | 1998-04-16 | 3 | 36°34'N / 87°08'W | 36°34'N / 87°01'W | 7.20 Miles | 400 Yards | 0 | 0 | 400K | 0 | Robertson |
| Brief Description: Part of a roof was blown off the Jo Byrns School in Adams. Many trees fell on homes. | |||||||||||
| 32.8 | 2005-11-15 | 2 | 36°56'N / 88°11'W | 37°03'N / 88°00'W | 14.50 Miles | 275 Yards | 0 | 0 | 500K | 0 | Lyon |
| Brief Description: The tornado entered Lyon County from Marshall County as it crossed Kentucky Lake. The tornado reached the lakeshore at Hillman Ferry campground, within the Land Between The Lakes (LBL) National Recreation Area. The tornado then moved east-northeast across the forests of LBL, producing a narrow swath of downed trees. After exiting LBL and crossing Lake Barkley, the tornado struck a subdivision on the east side of the lake. Damage to the well-constructed homes in this subdivision was estimated to be the result of F-2 winds. The tornado proceeded east-northeast across Interstate 24, passing near the 46-mile marker, before lifting at the community of Saratoga. The total path length of the tornado across Graves, Calloway, Marshall, and Lyon Counties was 44 miles. Estimated time on the ground was 65 minutes. | |||||||||||
| 33.0 | 2008-02-05 | 2 | 36°15'N / 88°00'W | 36°18'N / 87°57'W | 4.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 0 | 10.0M | 0K | Benton |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: The tornado came out of northern Benton County and caused damage in Houston County. Trees were uprooted and snapped, and homes were damaged along Highway 147 from the Tennessee River to just west-northwest of McKinnon. There were 20 power poles down on Danville Rd. Worst damage was from Big Sandy to Faxon to Grannys Branch. Fourteen homes were destroyed, and one other had major damage. About half of these homes were mobile homes. EPISODE NARRATIVE: The Super Severe Weather Outbreak on Feb. 5, 2008 produced supercelluar thunderstorms, well in advance of a multicell line of thunderstorms. The whole episode lasted about 6 hours. This occurred ironically while many states, including Tennessee, were participating in the Super Tuesday Primary Election. Fortunately, polls had already closed in the mid state when these tornadoes struck. | |||||||||||
| 33.8 | 1968-04-03 | 4 | 36°38'N / 88°18'W | 36°45'N / 88°13'W | 9.20 Miles | 100 Yards | 1 | 15 | 2.5M | 0 | Calloway |
| 34.2 | 1970-04-27 | 4 | 36°27'N / 87°08'W | 36°27'N / 87°04'W | 3.30 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Montgomery |
| 35.0 | 2006-04-07 | 3 | 36°17'N / 87°17'W | 36°19'N / 87°10'W | 12.90 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 0 | 5.0M | 0 | Dickson |
| Brief Description: The tornado touched down on Maple ValleyRoad in northern Dickson County as an F2. 3 mobile homes were leveled and demolished at this location. Numerous trees were uprooted and snapped. The tornado continued along Highway 49 and reached Bellsburg, TN as an F3. A one story brick home was demolished. No walls or roof were left standing, leaving only a basement and a garage. A truck was thrown into the basement by the tornado. The drywall, furniture, and appliances were hurled into the woods at least 100 yards. An aerial survey determined spotty rural damage to trees as this tornado continued into Cheatham County where it hit Greenbrier and then Ashland City. Dickson County had a total of 25 homes destroyed, 8 homes with major damage, and 24 homes and businesses with moderate damage. | |||||||||||
| 36.2 | 2005-11-15 | 2 | 36°11'N / 87°26'W | 36°11'N / 87°25'W | 1.00 Mile | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 20K | 0 | Dickson |
| Brief Description: Damage to homes. This storm complex came from Humphreys County. | |||||||||||
| 36.9 | 1964-03-04 | 4 | 36°45'N / 88°23'W | 36°53'N / 88°12'W | 13.60 Miles | 250 Yards | 3 | 16 | 250K | 0 | Marshall |
| 37.0 | 1991-03-22 | 2 | 36°14'N / 88°05'W | 36°14'N / 87°58'W | 7.00 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Benton |
| 37.9 | 2000-05-26 | 2 | 36°33'N / 88°19'W | 36°34'N / 88°19'W | 1.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 4 | 250K | 0 | Calloway |
| Brief Description: The peak intensity of the tornado was rated F-2, with estimated maximum winds near 125 MPH. Although the tornado was only on the ground for a mile or two, it struck the small community of Midway directly, causing extensive damage. Two mobile homes housing migrant workers were destroyed. One of the persons in a mobile home was seriously injured. Three others sustained relatively minor injuries. A used car dealership and a grocery store sustained major damage to roofs and walls. Several additional homes, mobile homes, and barns received moderate to major damage. Numerous trees in the area were downed or uprooted. U.S. Highway 641 was closed for about 18 hours south of Murray due to debris and power lines across the road. The owner of the grocery and an attached home estimated his losses at just under 100,000 dollars. | |||||||||||
| 38.8 | 1958-04-24 | 2 | 37°12'N / 87°54'W | 0.50 Mile | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Caldwell | |
| 39.1 | 1999-01-22 | 2 | 36°06'N / 87°42'W | 36°07'N / 87°38'W | 4.00 Miles | 220 Yards | 0 | 1 | 500K | 0 | Humphreys |
| Brief Description: Downed trees were reported from Gorman to McEwen. The hardest hit area was McEwen with 4 homes totally destroyed, 8 homes having severe damage, and 38 homes receiving minor damage. 8 to 10 outbuildings were destroyed and 60 trees were lost. 8 cars or trucks were damaged or destroyed. A man suffered a broken neck in his trailer. | |||||||||||
| 39.4 | 1970-04-24 | 3 | 37°10'N / 88°02'W | 37°12'N / 87°55'W | 6.80 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 3 | 0K | 0 | Caldwell |
| 39.6 | 2005-11-15 | 3 | 36°45'N / 88°28'W | 36°56'N / 88°12'W | 19.50 Miles | 500 Yards | 1 | 20 | 8.0M | 0 | Marshall |
| Brief Description: The long-track tornado entered Marshall County from extreme northwest Calloway County. As the tornado moved quickly northeast across Marshall County, it reached its peak intensity of 200 MPH as it approached the Kentucky Lake resort campgrounds and boatyards. Until the tornado reached U.S. Highway 641 south of Benton, mostly F-1 damage occurred. Garages and barns sustained varying degrees of damage, and numerous trees were down. The most serious damage, ranging up to F-3 intensity, occurred from Big Bear Highway to Moor's Resort on Kentucky Lake. The occupant of a destroyed mobile home was killed in this area. The mobile home was thrown 40 feet and overturned before catching fire. At Moor's Resort, a year-round camping area was struck directly. A total of 115 RV's were destroyed, and the campground was devastated. A dock was demolished, taking a number of boats with it. Although the harbor and campground were destroyed, cabins and other lodging facilities outside of the tornado path were untouched. The average path width of this tornado was 275 yards, but it grew to a maximum of 500 yards in Marshall County. In Marshall County, approximately 19 homes were destroyed, 36 suffered major damage, and 65 received minor damage. The tornado then moved over Kentucky Lake and crossed into Lyon County. M63MH The total path length of the tornado across Graves, Calloway, Marshall, and Lyon Counties was 44 miles. Estimated time on the ground was 65 minutes. | |||||||||||
| 40.3 | 2005-11-15 | 2 | 36°15'N / 88°23'W | 36°29'N / 88°09'W | 20.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 13 | 6.5M | 0 | Henry |
| Brief Description: The tornado touched down southwest of Paris and moved northeast skirting by the northern edge of Paris. Thirty homes were destroyed and several manufacturing plants were demolished. Over 100 homes were damaged. | |||||||||||
| 41.0 | 1970-04-24 | 3 | 37°05'N / 88°14'W | 37°10'N / 88°02'W | 12.40 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 5 | 0K | 0 | Lyon |
| 41.5 | 1991-04-09 | 2 | 36°39'N / 87°01'W | 36°43'N / 86°47'W | 12.00 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 0 | 2.5M | 0 | Logan |
| 41.8 | 1997-06-13 | 2 | 37°08'N / 87°16'W | 37°12'N / 87°09'W | 6.00 Miles | 120 Yards | 0 | 2 | 120K | 0 | Muhlenberg |
| Brief Description: The tornado tracked through wooded farmlands, so damage was relatively light. The most severe damage occurred to a mobile home and a log home located about 500 feet apart. The mobile home practically disintegrated. The entire structure was lifted from its site and deposited 50 to 100 feet away as a pile of debris. The log home was completely unroofed. Considerable damage occurred to the walls and interior of the log home. Two occupants of the log home who had taken shelter in a small room near the exterior of the house were injured. They sustained very minor cuts and bruises due to falling debris. Several other homes in the area received minor damage. Vehicles were thrown into each other. Numerous trees were down. The maximum winds in this tornado were close to F-3 intensity, probably near 150 MPH. | |||||||||||
| 42.0 | 1963-04-29 | 2 | 36°50'N / 86°55'W | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Logan | |||
| 42.2 | 1995-05-13 | 2 | 37°11'N / 88°08'W | 37°12'N / 87°59'W | 3.00 Miles | 75 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 50K | Crittenden |
| 42.5 | 1984-05-07 | 2 | 36°28'N / 86°57'W | 36°29'N / 86°54'W | 3.00 Miles | 50 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Robertson |
| 42.6 | 1964-03-04 | 4 | 36°42'N / 88°27'W | 36°45'N / 88°23'W | 4.90 Miles | 250 Yards | 0 | 8 | 250K | 0 | Calloway |
| 42.6 | 2001-11-24 | 2 | 36°30'N / 88°27'W | 36°39'N / 88°22'W | 11.50 Miles | 300 Yards | 0 | 4 | 750K | 80K | Calloway |
| Brief Description: A total of 45 to 50 structures were damaged or destroyed. The tornado, which tore through rural farm country, first touched down about one quarter mile inside the Tennessee state line. It moved north-northeast, directly impacting the small community of Harris Grove. The damage path ended 2 miles east of Stella, just after the tornado crossed Kentucky Highway 121. Maximum winds in the tornado were estimated at 130 MPH. The breakdown of structural damage included: Two destroyed houses, two destroyed mobile homes, two destroyed car garages, ten destroyed barns, twelve damaged homes, seven damaged mobile homes, and fourteen damaged barns. A tobacco barn, still containing its crop, was blown onto Kentucky Highway 94 west of Murray. Two of the most seriously injured, who required hospitalization for cuts and bruises, were in mobile homes. The other two injured persons were treated and released. Four mobile home residents were trapped by fallen trees and were rescued by emergency personnel. | |||||||||||
| 43.3 | 2001-11-26 | 3 | 36°15'N / 88°15'W | 36°17'N / 88°14'W | 5.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 2 | 12 | 1.5M | 0 | Henry |
| Brief Description: The tornado touched downed southeast of Paris and moved northeast. Ten homes and buildings were completely destroyed and 46 others were damaged. Two persons were killed when their mobile home was destroyed by the tornado. Numerous trees were knocked down. F32MH, M3MH | |||||||||||
| 43.5 | 1970-04-24 | 3 | 37°03'N / 88°18'W | 37°05'N / 88°14'W | 4.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 5 | 0K | 0 | Livingston |
| 43.8 | 2005-11-15 | 2 | 36°08'N / 88°06'W | 36°09'N / 88°03'W | 1.20 Miles | 150 Yards | 0 | 0 | 400K | 0 | Benton |
| Brief Description: Home destroyed. Roof was gone and walls left standing on a home on French Store Rd. Residents and businesses who suffered damage from the tornadoes on Novemeber 15, 2005 are eligible for low interest loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Counties declared eligible for the loans are: Benton, Henry, Montgomery, Carroll, Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, Robertson, Stewart, and Weakley. The SBA offer loans to renters and home owners to repair or replace personal property, such as furniture or clothing, damaged by the storms. Loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair damage to their primary residence. Loans of $1.5 million are available for businesses and non-profit organizations to repair damage to real estate, machinery or equipment, and inventory. Economic Disaster Loans are also available for small businesses that are unable to pay their bills or meet operating expenses. | |||||||||||
| 43.9 | 1971-07-15 | 2 | 36°23'N / 88°26'W | 36°17'N / 88°12'W | 14.70 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 8 | 250K | 0 | Henry |
| 44.0 | 1999-01-22 | 3 | 36°03'N / 88°10'W | 36°14'N / 88°00'W | 15.00 Miles | 220 Yards | 1 | 5 | 1.0M | 0 | Benton |
| Brief Description: This tornado resulted in the only fatality in Middle Tennessee from the severe weather outbreak of January 22,1999. The tornado killed a 50 year old woman who left her shelter in a brick ranch home located on Cedar Grove Road. She went outside to get her dogs inside her home, and that's when the tornado struck and killed her. Her husband remained inside the home and survived. There were 5 injuries from the tornado. A 1600 square foot frame home was moved 10 to 12 feet from its foundation. 12 homes were destroyed, 33 homes sustained damage and 5 businesses were damaged. Power lines and trees were blown down. The winds picked up a 7500 pound Cadillac, and hurled its engine 300-400 yards into a field. The chassis, its empty metal skin, was hurled even further. F50OU | |||||||||||
| 44.3 | 1972-04-07 | 2 | 36°18'N / 87°04'W | 36°15'N / 86°59'W | 5.70 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Cheatham |
| 44.6 | 1951-11-13 | 3 | 37°01'N / 88°20'W | 2.00 Miles | 33 Yards | 1 | 11 | 250K | 0 | Marshall | |
| 44.7 | 1970-04-24 | 3 | 37°02'N / 88°20'W | 37°03'N / 88°18'W | 1.90 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 250K | 0 | Marshall |
| 45.6 | 1979-04-11 | 2 | 37°09'N / 88°11'W | 37°23'N / 87°51'W | 24.40 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Crittenden |
| 45.8 | 1970-04-27 | 4 | 36°27'N / 87°04'W | 36°31'N / 86°39'W | 23.50 Miles | 250 Yards | 2 | 75 | 2.5M | 0 | Robertson |
| 45.8 | 2003-05-04 | 2 | 36°13'N / 88°25'W | 36°18'N / 88°10'W | 17.00 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 0 | 3.0M | 0 | Henry |
| Brief Description: The tornado touched down southwest of Paris and moved northeast through the south side of the city. Five homes were destroyed and over 150 other homes were damaged. Three commercial building were destroyed and nineteen others including a school were damaged. | |||||||||||
| 45.8 | 1984-05-07 | 3 | 36°17'N / 88°21'W | 36°15'N / 88°15'W | 6.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 36 | 2.5M | 0 | Henry |
| 46.1 | 1966-06-06 | 2 | 36°59'N / 88°29'W | 37°00'N / 88°17'W | 11.10 Miles | 167 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Madison |
| 46.7 | 1998-04-03 | 2 | 36°24'N / 86°56'W | 36°27'N / 86°48'W | 5.60 Miles | 200 Yards | 0 | 3 | 500K | 0 | Robertson |
| Brief Description: 30 homes were damaged and 7 trailers were totally destroyed. Most of the damage was on Hwy 431 in Coopertown, Reader School Rd. and also along Hwy 41 near Greenbrier. Many trees and power lines were down. One mobile home was hurled 100 yards across Hwy 431and totally destroyed. 3 were slightly injured in the mobile home. | |||||||||||
| 46.9 | 2005-11-15 | 4 | 37°15'N / 87°32'W | 37°25'N / 87°21'W | 15.00 Miles | 800 Yards | 0 | 40 | 31.0M | 0 | Hopkins |
| Brief Description: This violent tornado reached its peak intensity on the north side of Earlington, near the beginning of its track. Peak winds there were estimated near 220 MPH. Several houses in this area, on either side of U.S. Highway 41, were levelled. Large oak trees were reduced to nubs, and the ground was scoured to bare dirt. A steel beam was carried some distance and became wedged against trees and other debris. 24 people were treated for injuries at a local hospital, and three of the injuries were critical. About 151 homes and buildings were destroyed, 67 suffered major damage, and 303 received minor damage. Damage indications, as well as eyewitness accounts, indicate the occurrence of multiple vortices near Earlington. The tornado continued northeast and weakened, crossing the Pennyrile Parkway at mile marker 41. The tornado lifted less than a mile from the Mclean County border. The average path width was 525 yards. The tornado was close to a half mile wide in places. | |||||||||||
| 46.9 | 1991-03-22 | 2 | 36°44'N / 87°02'W | 36°56'N / 86°37'W | 20.00 Miles | 400 Yards | 1 | 12 | 2.5M | 0 | Logan |
| 47.8 | 2000-01-03 | 3 | 37°16'N / 88°05'W | 37°23'N / 87°49'W | 15.00 Miles | 440 Yards | 0 | 3 | 5.0M | 0 | Crittenden |
| Brief Description: Although the tornado tracked about 15 miles through the county with estimated top winds of 160 MPH, damage was relatively light due to the rural nature of the land. Based on aerial surveys, structures that were heavily damaged or destroyed included 85 homes, 5 to 10 businesses, and 50 to 80 barns and outbuildings. Three people in the Crayne area were transported to a hospital for non life-threatening injuries. About 35 National Guard personnel were deployed to Crittenden County, primarily for damage assessment and security operations. An emergency shelter was opened to accomodate roughly 25 homeless persons. | |||||||||||
| 48.2 | 1971-12-15 | 2 | 36°53'N / 88°33'W | 36°57'N / 88°23'W | 10.30 Miles | 33 Yards | 0 | 0 | 25K | 0 | Graves |
| 48.3 | 1961-05-07 | 3 | 37°20'N / 87°31'W | 37°22'N / 87°19'W | 11.20 Miles | 880 Yards | 0 | 3 | 2.5M | 0 | Hopkins |
| 49.4 | 2008-02-05 | 3 | 37°09'N / 87°13'W | 37°21'N / 87°01'W | 18.00 Miles | 375 Yards | 3 | 24 | 21.3M | 0K | Muhlenberg |
| Brief Description: EVENT NARRATIVE: Countywide, a total of 69 homes were destroyed and 203 were damaged. Of the 203 damaged homes, 56 sustained major damage. Most of the damage occurred in the communities of Greenville and Powderly, where 48 homes were destroyed and 32 sustained major damage (35 to 40 percent were mobile homes). The primary focus of attention was where the fatalities occurred at a mobile home park on U.S. Highway 62 near the Highway 189 bypass. In the Muhlenberg Industrial Park, a spec building was flattened and another building was heavily damaged. A half dozen businesses and churches were damaged, including a hotel and a car dealership. The Western Kentucky Parkway was closed near Central City due to trees blocking the road. A utility pole fell on a vehicle travelling on Kentucky 601. The tornado passed within a short distance southwest of a high school, where a basketball game was in progress at the time of the storm. A large portion of the gym roof was damaged, causing heavy water damage due to rainfall entering the building. The National Guard was activated to provide security for the area. The county was declared a federal major disaster area. The average path width was 325 yards. Peak winds were estimated near 160 mph. EPISODE NARRATIVE: A deepening low pressure system moved northeast from Arkansas along a warm front that extended across southeast Missouri and southern Illinois. Surface dew points were in the upper 50's to lower 60's along and southeast of the warm front. A strong upper level trough over the western Plains produced a strong southwest flow of 60 to 80 knots at 500 mb. Winds at 850 mb were south to southwest around 40 knots. | |||||||||||
| 49.5 | 1989-04-03 | 2 | 37°24'N / 87°42'W | 37°23'N / 87°40'W | 6.00 Miles | 100 Yards | 0 | 0 | 0K | 0 | Hopkins |
* The information on this page is based on the global volcano database, the U.S. earthquake database of 1638-1985, and the U.S. Tornado and Weather Extremes database of 1950-2010.