Louisville, KY

Weather Forecast Office

March 27th, 2017 Severe Weather Event

Overview

A strong low pressure system tracked northeast through the Ohio Valley on Monday, March 27th, 2017 producing discrete storm cells and a line of storms during the late afternoon and evening hours. Numerous reports of wind damage and large hail resulted from these storms.

Caption

Tornado
Straight-Line Winds
Photos & Video
Storm Reports
Environment

Tornado:

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Path: Points:

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Tornado - Center, KY
Metcalfe County

Date	3/27/2017
Time (Local)	5:05 PM CDT
EF Rating	EF1
Est. Peak Winds	100-105 mph
Path Length	0.3 mile
Max Width	100 yards
Injuries/Deaths	None
Summary: This squall-line tornado was on the ground for just over a quarter of a mile, but caused considerable destruction. It touched down about 0.3 miles southwest of Center, destroying two large barns and a small outbuilding in addition to taking the roof off a small home. The front porch of a nearby home was briefly raised, causing the supports to fall out. The tornado moved northeast, streaming debris from the four buildings in a cyclonic pattern and into a nearby automotive repair shop that had one door blown in and another outward. The large metal shop had minor roof damage, but was pierced in several locations by debris from the outbuildings to the west and the entire facility was shifted slightly off its foundation. Numerous vehicles near the repair shop sustained damage when hit by large debris from the barns to the southwest. The cab of a small pickup was crushed by debris and the vehicle blown onto Highway 969. An RV parked next to the shop was blown into a utility pole. Several other vehicles had windows broken out. Metal roof panels from the destroyed buildings, along with insulation from the small home, was wrapped around trees as far as a half mile from their origin, with other small debris observed as far as 3/4 mile from the initial touchdown location.

Track Map


Radar Reflectivity, 5:05 PM CDT	Storm Relative Motion, 5:05 PM CDT	Barn Destroyed	Debris from that barn 200 yards away

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0 Weak 65-85 mph	EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph	EF2 Significant 111-135 mph	EF3 Severe 136-165 mph	EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph	EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph

Straight-Line Winds:

Straight-Line Winds - Willisburg and McAfee, KY
Washington and Mercer Counties

Date	3/27/2017
Time (Local)	6:49-7:10 PM EDT
Est. Peak Winds	80-85 mph
Injuries/Deaths	None
Summary: Periodic downbursts estimated at 80 to 85 mph occurred within a narrow part of the squall line as it moved through Washington and Mercer Counties. Structural damage occurred 1.75 miles southwest of Willisburg, where the front porch was torn off a small Amish schoolhouse, exposing the attic to the wind, which lifted the back side of the roof and blew out insulation, but did not remove any of the roof panels. A nearby home also sustained porch damage when the porch, which ran the 40’ length of the home, was elevated as the wind got under it, This allowed the supporting posts to be blown out. Other minor damage to outbuildings occurred in this area. Another barn 1.25 miles southeast of Willisburg had one corner of the structure blown in, along with several metal roof panels removed. Farther to the east, near McAfee, a large barn was blown over at the intersection of Highway 127 and Talmage Mayo Road. Other minor roof and tree damage, indicating winds of around 60 mph, was noted in a 2 by 4 mile wide swath centered east-to-west near McAfee.

Track Map


Radar Reflectivity, 6:51 PM EDT	Storm Relative Motion, 6:51 PM EDT	Home that had its roof lifted and insulation blown out.	Collapse of the windward corner of a barn southeast of Willisburg

Radar Reflectivity near damage point (labeled "Home") at 7:10 PM EDT	Storm Relative Motion, also at 7:10 PM EDT	Barn blown over south of Salvisa

Photos & Video:

Header


Hail shower in Cox's Creek, KY (courtesy of Stephanie Scott)	Shelf cloud near Winchester, KY (courtesy of Erin Walker)	Barn destroyed near Center, KY (courtesy of Amber Flowers and Terry Edwards)	Barn damaged near High Bridge, KY (courtesy of Wendell Hatfield)

Storm Reports

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LOUISVILLE KY
1118 PM EDT TUE MAR 28 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0308 PM     HAIL             AUSTIN                  36.82N 86.02W
03/27/2017  E0.75 INCH       BARREN             KY   PUBLIC           

            DIME SIZE HAIL. 

0330 PM     HAIL             2 W FORDSVILLE          37.64N 86.75W
03/27/2017  E1.00 INCH       OHIO               KY   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            . 

0355 PM     HAIL             5 SE BAIZETOWN          37.32N 86.65W
03/27/2017  E0.88 INCH       BUTLER             KY   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            . 

0413 PM     HAIL             RINEYVILLE              37.75N 85.97W
03/27/2017  E1.00 INCH       HARDIN             KY   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            . 

0421 PM     HAIL             1 SSE RADCLIFF          37.81N 85.93W
03/27/2017  E0.88 INCH       HARDIN             KY   PUBLIC           

            . 

0423 PM     HAIL             3 SSE RADCLIFF          37.78N 85.91W
03/27/2017  E1.00 INCH       HARDIN             KY   BROADCAST MEDIA  

            . 

0443 PM     HAIL             3 SSW BARDSTOWN JUNCTIO 37.90N 85.72W
03/27/2017  E1.75 INCH       BULLITT            KY   PUBLIC           

            REPORT CAME SECOND HAND. MATCHES RADAR AND 
            TIME EXPECTED. 

0448 PM     HAIL             BEAVER DAM              37.41N 86.88W
03/27/2017  E1.00 INCH       OHIO               KY   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            . 

0513 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 N RICH POND           36.94N 86.50W
03/27/2017                   WARREN             KY   PUBLIC           

            TREE DOWN BY THE INTERSECTION OF MEMPHIS 
            JUNCTION ROAD AND NASHVILLE ROAD JUST 
            SOUTHWEST OF BOWLING GREEN, KY. TIME 
            ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 

0515 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 SSW BOWLING GREEN     36.95N 86.45W
03/27/2017                   WARREN             KY   BROADCAST MEDIA  

            TREE DOWN BLOCKING THE INTERSECTION AT 
            SMALLHOUSE ROAD AND WALNUT. 

0515 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 NE RICH POND          36.93N 86.46W
03/27/2017  M50 MPH          WARREN             KY   MESONET          

            MEASURED AT FARM KENTUCKY MESONET SITE. 

0515 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 SSW BOWLING GREEN     36.95N 86.45W
03/27/2017                   WARREN             KY   BROADCAST MEDIA  

            TREE DOWN BLOCKING THE INTERSECTION AT 
            SMALLHOUSE ROAD AND WALNUT. 

0516 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 ESE BOWLING GREEN     36.97N 86.42W
03/27/2017  M49 MPH          WARREN             KY   ASOS             

            MEASURED AT BWG AIRPORT. 

0517 PM     HAIL             2 NE MILLWOOD           37.47N 86.48W
03/27/2017  E0.50 INCH       GRAYSON            KY   PUBLIC           

            . 

0518 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 WSW LEITCHFIELD       37.47N 86.34W
03/27/2017                   GRAYSON            KY   LAW ENFORCEMENT  

            MULTIPLE TREES WERE DOWNED IN MILLWOOD AND 
            LEITCHFIELD. 

0522 PM     HAIL             LANCASTER               37.62N 84.58W
03/27/2017  E1.00 INCH       GARRARD            KY   BROADCAST MEDIA  

            . 

0523 PM     HAIL             1 ESE BOWLING GREEN     36.97N 86.42W
03/27/2017  E0.88 INCH       WARREN             KY   PUBLIC           

            . 

0540 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 ESE HAYS              37.02N 86.10W
03/27/2017  M52 MPH          BARREN             KY   MESONET          

            MEASURED AT THE MROK BARREN COUNTY MESONET 
            SITE WEST OF GLASGOW. 

0542 PM     HAIL             2 N TAYLORSVILLE        38.07N 85.34W
03/27/2017  U1.00 INCH       SPENCER            KY   PUBLIC           

            MAINLY DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL. TIME 
            ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 

0545 PM     HAIL             HOWE VALLEY             37.68N 86.09W
03/27/2017  E1.00 INCH       HARDIN             KY   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH. 

0548 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 NNW GLASGOW           37.02N 85.93W
03/27/2017                   BARREN             KY   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            POWER LINES DOWN ON HAPPY VALLEY ROAD IN 
            FRONT OF TAYLOR AUTO SALES. 

0548 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NW HORSE CAVE         37.20N 85.94W
03/27/2017                   HART               KY   BROADCAST MEDIA  

            SEMI ON INTERSTATE 65 NEAR HORSE CAVE KY IS 
            ON ITS SIDE. 

0550 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 NW CECILIA            37.68N 85.97W
03/27/2017  M53 MPH          HARDIN             KY   MESONET          

            MEASURED AT THE CCLA KENTUCKY MESONET SITE 
            WEST OF ELIZABETHTOWN. 

0605 PM     TORNADO          1 WNW CENTER            37.14N 85.70W
03/27/2017                   METCALFE           KY   NWS STORM SURVEY 

            THIS SQUALL-LINE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND 
            FOR JUST OVER A QUARTER MILE, BUT CAUSED 
            CONSIDERABLE DESTRUCTION. AT TOUCH DOWN, IT 
            DESTROYED TWO LARGE BARNS AND A SMALL 
            OUTBUILDING, IN ADDITION TO TAKING THE ROOF 
            OFF A SMALL HOME. THE FRONT PORCH OF A 
            NEARBY HOME WAS BRIEFLY RAISED, CAUSING THE 
            SUPPORTS TO FALL OUT. THE TORNADO MOVED 
            NORTHEAST, STREAMING DEBRIS FROM THE FOUR 
            BUILDINGS IN A CYCLONIC PATTERN AND INTO A 
            NEARBY AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP THAT HAD ONE 
            DOOR BLOWN IN AND ANOTHER OUTWARD. THE LARGE 
            METAL SHOP HAD MINOR ROOF DAMAGE, BUT WAS 
            PIERCED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS BY DEBRIS FROM 
            THE OUTBUILDINGS TO THE WEST AND THE ENTIRE 
            FACILITY WAS SHIFTED SLIGHTLY OFF ITS 
            FOUNDATION. NUMEROUS VEHICLES NEAR THE 
            REPAIR SHOP SUSTAINED DAMAGE WHEN HIT BY 
            LARGE DEBRIS FROM THE BARNS TO THE 
            SOUTHWEST. THE CAB OF A SMALL PICKUP WAS 
            CRUSHED BY DEBRIS AND THE VEHICLE BLOWN ONTO 
            HIGHWAY 969. AN RV PARKED NEXT TO THE SHOP 
            WAS BLOWN INTO A UTILITY POLE. SEVERAL OTHER 
            VEHICLES HAD WINDOWS BROKEN OUT. METAL ROOF 
            PANELS FROM THE DESTROYED BUILDINGS, ALONG 
            WITH INSULATION FROM THE SMALL HOME, WAS 
            WRAPPED AROUND TREES AS FAR AS A HALF MILE 
            FROM THEIR ORIGIN, WITH OTHER SMALL DEBRIS 
            OBSERVED AS FAR AS 3/4 MILE FROM THE INITIAL 
            TOUCHDOWN LOCATION. 

0610 PM     HAIL             COXS CREEK              37.90N 85.47W
03/27/2017  E1.50 INCH       NELSON             KY   PUBLIC           

            TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. PICTURE SENT VIA 
            TWITTER TO TV STATION. 

0610 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 SW EDMONTON           36.96N 85.65W
03/27/2017                   METCALFE           KY   911 CALL CENTER  

            BARN BLEW DOWN ON RANDOLPH ROAD. 

0616 PM     HAIL             WADDY                   38.14N 85.07W
03/27/2017  E1.00 INCH       SHELBY             KY   PUBLIC           

            DIME TO QUARTER SIZE HAIL. HAIL COVERED THE 
            GROUND. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 

0618 PM     HAIL             FAIRFIELD               37.94N 85.38W
03/27/2017  E0.75 INCH       NELSON             KY   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            . 

0618 PM     HAIL             2 SE HIGHGROVE          37.94N 85.45W
03/27/2017  M1.00 INCH       NELSON             KY   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            HAD 1 INCH HAIL THAT WAS IRREGULARLY SHAPED. 
            HURT TO PICK IT UP. 

0620 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 NW GREENSBURG         37.27N 85.51W
03/27/2017                   GREEN              KY   911 CALL CENTER  

            TREE ACROSS WEST HODGENVILLE AVENUE. . 

0620 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 ESE EXIE              37.16N 85.49W
03/27/2017                   GREEN              KY   911 CALL CENTER  

            TREE DOWN. 

0620 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NW GREENSBURG         37.28N 85.52W
03/27/2017                   GREEN              KY   911 CALL CENTER  

            POWER POLE IS DOWN ON HIGHWAY 88 NEAR 
            GREENSBURG. 

0621 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 ENE GREENSBURG        37.26N 85.48W
03/27/2017                   GREEN              KY   911 CALL CENTER  

            2 TREES DOWN AT RALPH VAUGHN ROAD AND JESS 
            NUNN ROAD. 

0625 PM     HAIL             2 NW ALTON              38.10N 84.96W
03/27/2017  E1.75 INCH       ANDERSON           KY   BROADCAST MEDIA  

            QUARTER TO GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. TIME 
            ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 

0630 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 NW LANESVILLE         38.25N 86.00W
03/27/2017                   HARRISON           IN   NWS EMPLOYEE     

            TREES DOWN ABOUT ONE MILE SOUTH OF THE 
            INTERSTATE 64 EXIT TO LANESVILLE. 

0630 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 NW LANESVILLE         38.24N 85.99W
03/27/2017                   HARRISON           IN   NWS EMPLOYEE     

            SIX POWER POLES DOWN ON CRANDALL-LANESVILLE 
            ROAD. 

0638 PM     HAIL             3 E GRAEFENBURG         38.15N 84.98W
03/27/2017  E1.00 INCH       FRANKLIN           KY   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            LOTS OF SMALL HAIL COVERING INTERSTATE 64 IN 
            1 INCH OF HAIL. LARGEST HAIL IN THE AREA WAS 
            AROUND THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. 

0640 PM     TSTM WND GST     4 WSW MILLVILLE         38.12N 84.88W
03/27/2017  M59 MPH          FRANKLIN           KY   MESONET          

            MEASURED AT THE LSML KENTUCKY MESONET SITE 
            NEAR FRANKFORT. 

0642 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 SSE VESTER            37.08N 85.19W
03/27/2017                   ADAIR              KY   LAW ENFORCEMENT  

            ONE TREE HAD TO BE REMOVED FROM RUSSELL 
            SPRINGS ROAD EAST OF COLUMBIA. 

0643 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 NNE ALBANY            36.75N 85.11W
03/27/2017                   CLINTON            KY   911 CALL CENTER  

            TREE DOWN ON STATE GARAGE ROAD. 

0645 PM     HAIL             1 WSW FORKS OF ELKHORN  38.21N 84.81W
03/27/2017  E1.00 INCH       FRANKLIN           KY   PUBLIC           

            MOSTLY PEA SIZE HAIL WITH A FEW QUARTERS 
            MIXED IN. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 

0649 PM     TSTM WND DMG     WILLISBURG              37.81N 85.12W
03/27/2017                   WASHINGTON         KY   EMERGENCY MNGR   

            TREES DOWN ACROSS WASHINGTON COUNTY. MOST OF 
            THE DAMAGE IN THE COUNTY WAS NEAR 
            WILLISBURG. THIS INCLUDED DAMAGE TO A BARN 
            AND PART OF A METAL ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF OF AN 
            AMISH SCHOOL. 

0707 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MCAFEE                  37.85N 84.85W
03/27/2017                   MERCER             KY   BROADCAST MEDIA  

            BARN BLEW DOWN NEAR 1160 AND US 127. 

0707 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 ESE CREELSBORO        36.87N 85.15W
03/27/2017                   RUSSELL            KY   911 CALL CENTER  

            TREE DOWN ON HWY 127 NEAR THE DAM. 

0715 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 ESE HIGH BRIDGE       37.81N 84.70W
03/27/2017                   GARRARD            KY   EMERGENCY MNGR   

            PARTIAL ROOF DAMAGE TO A BARN ON BRENDA WAY. 

0739 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 SSW LEXINGTON         37.99N 84.49W
03/27/2017                   FAYETTE            KY   PUBLIC           

            LARGE TREE DOWN. 


&&

$$

NWS LOUISVILLE KY

Environment


Figure 1: Surface Based CAPE (3pm EDT Mar 27)	Figure 2: Effective Shear (3pm EDT Mar 27)	Figure 3: 500 mb height analysis (3pm EDT Mar 27)


Figure 4: Supercell Composite Parameter	Figure 5: 0-1 km Shear (3pm EDT Mar 27)	Figure 6: 0-1 km SRH (3pm EDT Mar 27)

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March 27th, 2017 Severe Weather Event