The EF-4 tornado that impacted the Mayfield, KY area on February 5th, 2020 was one of the strongest storms to ever hit the area. The tornado had winds that reached 175 mph, which is equivalent to a high-end Category 3 hurricane strength in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
The Mayfield tornado was one of the worst ever to strike western Kentucky, leaving a path of destruction 34 miles long and up to 1/2 mile wide. At least 166 homes and businesses were destroyed, along with hundreds of vehicle and various parts of Kentucky State University’s campus.
In the wake of this storm, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear mobilized the National Guard and nearly 500 volunteers to aid in recovery efforts. This tornado was a heartbreaking disaster, and its devastating effects will remain in the Mayfield area for years to come.
Was Kentucky tornado F5?
No, the tornado that struck near Purvis, Kentucky on April 13th, 2020 was an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujitta Scale, with estimated wind speeds of around 100 mph. The F5 rating, the most destructive and dangerous type of tornado, requires wind speeds of over 200 mph and an extensive path of damage and destruction.
The tornado in Kentucky was responsible for overturning vehicles, damage to homes and businesses, and some trees that were snapped off or uprooted. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries reported as a result of the tornado, and the communities affected in Kentucky have been working to cope with the damage and rebuild.
Was the KY tornado an F4?
No, the KY tornado was not an F4. The National Weather Service determined that the tornado was a strong EF3 with winds up to 135 mph. The tornado began in Trimble County, Kentucky around 1:00pm local time and moved northeast for nearly 45 miles across the Ohio River into Indiana.
It caused extensive damage along its path including the destruction of numerous structures and vehicles. No fatalities occurred as a result of this devastating storm; however, numerous injuries occurred and multiple people were rescued from the debris.
The tornado was one of the highest rated tornados ever to hit the area and that speaks to its intensity. So while the tornado did not reach F4 intensity, it was still quite a devastating storm.
How many homes were destroyed in Mayfield Kentucky?
In the Mayfield Kentucky area, it is estimated that around 200 homes were destroyed due to severe storms that passed through in 2020. In April of that year, a tornado struck the region and damaged numerous homes and businesses.
After the tornado passed through, a separate storm caused flooding and even more damage to the area. This included several of the homes that had previously been damaged by the tornado, which resulted in total destruction for many of them.
In total, it was estimated that between 200-250 homes in Mayfield Kentucky were destroyed during the storm season.
What buildings were destroyed in Mayfield KY?
On January 5th, 2020, a massive 7. 0 magnitude earthquake rocked the small town of Mayfield, KY and caused significant damage to the area. Like many towns in Kentucky, Mayfield was built in a traditional layout, with many historic buildings close together in its downtown area.
Unfortunately, the earthquake caused extensive damage to several iconic buildings in this area.
The Town Square Fountain, a beloved local landmark, was totally destroyed when the ground beneath it cracked and the structure collapsed. The former Mayfield Courthouse, which had stood for over a century and was the site of many important historical events, was reduced to rubble.
A significant portion of the historic Pennyroyal Opera House, where some of the nation’s most poignant musical moments were performed, was also destroyed.
Other buildings that were seriously damaged beyond repair include a block of 19th century businesses and homes on the south side of Main Street, the old Campbell Theatre, which was completely destroyed and had to be bulldozed, and the Mayfield Community Centre, which suffered extensive structural damage and had to be torn down.
In addition to these horrific losses, many dozens of other buildings in Mayfield were damaged, including churches, schools and countless small businesses. This devastating event left the community of Mayfield shaken, but resilient, and although it caused much destruction, the people of Mayfield have showed remarkable courage and perseverance in their quest to rebuild.
How much damage did the Mayfield tornado do?
The Mayfield tornado of 2018 did considerable damage to the city of Mayfield and its residents. The EF3 tornado had winds of 140 to 165 mph, causing destruction to around 700 homes and businesses. The tornado traveled 60 miles through multiple counties, injuring 25 people and killing one.
Millions of dollars of damage was done to the local infrastructure, including downed power lines and uprooted trees. Additionally, many vehicles were damaged due to the extreme winds, including multiple semis that were overturned.
Unfortunately, the monetary damages cannot make up for the emotional and physical toll the tornado took on its citizens. Fortunately, the city of Mayfield was able to bounce back quickly, with most of the destruction being cleared in the days following the event.
Has Kentucky ever had an EF5 tornado?
Yes, Kentucky has seen at least one EF5 tornado in its history. This tornado occurred on April 3, 1974 and struck the city of Xenia, Ohio, which is about 100 miles southeast of Lexington, Kentucky. This tornado was a mile wide and indicated wind speeds of over 300 mph.
It was one of the deadliest and most destructive tornadoes in United States history, leaving behind 33 people dead and 1,150 people injured. More than 1,400 homes were destroyed and an estimated $300 million in property damage occurred resulting from the devastating tornado.
Additionally, the Xenia tornado was the first tornado in history to be documented by Doppler radar. The storm even spawned a second, less intense tornado in northern Kentucky, although it thousands of people in the state were affected by the storm.
What is the heaviest thing a tornado has picked up?
The heaviest thing a tornado has ever picked up is believed to be a train car, which weighed approximately 80 tons. In May of 1952 in Missouri, a tornado picked up a railroad car carrying around 80 tons of livestock feed.
It was lifted off the tracks and tossed approximately 400 yards away. The feat is so astounding that it was featured on the television show Ripley’s Believe It or Not. Besides the train car, there have been accounts of other large objects like chunks of asphalt, entire buildings, motorcycles, and even a two-ton van that were picked up by tornados.
In terms of sheer mass however, the train car is generally cited as the heaviest thing ever lifted by a tornado.
What’s the worst tornado in US history?
The worst tornado in U. S. history is widely accepted to be the tri-state tornado that occurred on March 18, 1925. This extremely violent F5 tornado started in Missouri and traveled southeast through Illinois and Indiana, killing 695 people and injuring more than 2,000 along its 219 mile path.
It is the deadliest tornado ever recorded in the United States, and is also the longest tracked tornado in U. S. history, with a duration of about 3 1/2 hours.
The tornado started in the nearby town of Ellington, MO, where reports described the funnel cloud being “as black as tar,” and initially moved east-northeast, before turning to the southeast. When it reached Annapolis, MO, it had already killed 26 people.
It continued through counties like Madison, St. Clair, and Washington, Illinois, and Harrison County, Indiana. It passed near Mount Vernon and stopped near Petersburg, Indiana and crossed nearly all of Indiana at one point or another.
By the time the tornado dissipated, it had killed 695 people, destroyed 15,000 homes, and caused damages estimated at upwards of $17 million.
In the aftermath of the storm, the federal government stepped in to help the communities that were hit by one of the most extensive disasters in U. S. history. The Federal Disaster Relief Association, the precursor to the Red Cross, sent representatives to the impacted areas to assess the damage and help survivors.
The US Weather Bureau, now known as the National Weather Service, was also instrumental in helping to assess the storm’s intensity, damage, and ultimately helping to plan for future tornado outbreaks.
To this day, the tri-state tornado remains one of the deadliest and most destructive in U.S. history, and serves as a reminder of the kind of destruction and loss that a powerful tornado can cause.
How long did a tornado last?
The length of time that a tornado may last can vary significantly, with some lasting mere seconds and others persisting for more than an hour. On average, most tornadoes stay on the ground for a few minutes.
However, the longest recorded tornado lasted three and a half hours while passing through several towns in Missouri and Illinois in 1925. Punctuated by several separate episodes of tornado activity, this storm was estimated at times to have been nearly one-quarter mile wide.
With its prolonged path of destruction and extreme severity, it was given the rating of F5 on the Fujita scale, the highest rating on the scale.
Did an EF5 tornado hit Kentucky?
No, an EF5 tornado, the most powerful type of tornado, has not yet been recorded in Kentucky. The state is not necessarily immune to the most intense type of tornadoes, though. According to a study by the Kentucky Climate Center, Kentucky experiences an average of 36 tornadoes per year, most of which are weak.
During the period from 1950 to 2017, the maximum intensity of any reported tornado in Kentucky was an EF4, which hit Trimble, Pulaski and Edmonson Counties in 2014. While an EF5 tornado is yet to be recorded in Kentucky, the state is certainly at risk due to its location in what is known as the Tornado Alley and its climate which features changeable weather that creates the perfect conditions for tornado outbreaks.