Summary of Severe Thunderstorms on May 3, 2020

Overview

A thunderstorm complex in the form of a bow echo traversed across portions of southeast Missouri into southern areas of western Kentucky during the afternoon hours on May 3. The bow echo produced an EF-1 tornado that caused damage in Marston, MO, in New Madrid County. Widespread straight line wind damage was also observed with these storms from Van Buren, Doniphan, and Poplar Bluff, Missouri eastward into the Mayfield, Murray, and Fulton areas of western Kentucky. Winds of 60 to 70 mph caused tree and roof damage along with power outages in some areas.

Tornado
Photos
Radar
Storm Reports
Environment/Graphics

Tornado - Marston, MO
NEW MADRID COUNTY

Date	May 3, 2020
Time (Local)	1:55-2:01 PM CDT
EF Rating	EF-1
Est. Peak Winds	95 mph
Path Length	6.0 miles
Max Width	150 yards
Injuries/Deaths	Zero/Zero
Summary: The tornado damaged or destroyed several farm buildings and lifted concrete pillars of farm buildings from the ground. Marston city hall and an apartment building had part of their roofs removed. At least three power line poles were broken, and numerous trees were uprooted or snapped.

Track Map

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

Photos


Tree damage in Lynnville, KY via Charles McCrimmon	Roof damage in Marston, MO via Marcus Cook	Tree damage in Murray, KY via Fawn McDonald	Tree down on I-69 near Fulton, KY via Madison Myers

Barn damage near Marston, MO, via Marcus Cook	Tree damage near Fulton, KY, via Lew Jetton.	Farm damage near Marston, MO, via Marcus Cook	Damage to the city hall building in Marston, MO, via Marcus Cook

Radar

Here are 30 minute snapshots of the thunderstorm complex/bow echo from 1 to 3:30 PM as it progressed quickly east/southeastward across southeast Missouri into southern portions of western Kentucky. (Click on the images to enlarge)


1 PM Radar Reflectivity	1:30 PM Radar Reflectivity	2 PM Radar Reflectivity


2:30 PM Radar Reflectivity	3 PM Radar Reflectivity	3:30 PM Radar Reflectivity

Storm Reports

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PADUCAH KY
439 PM CDT SUN MAY 3 2020

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

1240 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 S VAN BUREN           37.00N 91.01W
05/03/2020                   CARTER             MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ACROSS CARTER COUNTY.
            PEOPLE TRAPPED BY FALLING TREES IN A
            CAMPGROUND NEAR VAN BUREN.

1244 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 S VAN BUREN           37.00N 91.01W
05/03/2020                   CARTER             MO   PUBLIC

            TREE LIMBS DOWN. 1/4 INCH HAIL.

1245 PM     TSTM WND DMG     9 W GRANDIN             36.80N 90.99W
05/03/2020                   RIPLEY             MO   PUBLIC

            3 LARGE TREES UPROOTED. GUST TO 52MPH
            MEASURED WITH AMBIENT WEATHER WS.

1255 PM     TSTM WND DMG     DONIPHAN                36.62N 90.82W
05/03/2020                   RIPLEY             MO   BROADCAST MEDIA

            NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ON THE NORTH SIDE OF
            DONIPHAN.

0101 PM     TSTM WND GST     5 N OXLY                36.66N 90.71W
05/03/2020  M52 MPH          RIPLEY             MO   PUBLIC



0107 PM     TSTM WND GST     5 N OXLY                36.66N 90.71W
05/03/2020  M58 MPH          RIPLEY             MO   TRAINED SPOTTER



0112 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 WNW POPLAR BLUFF      36.79N 90.47W
05/03/2020                   BUTLER             MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

            2 TREES DOWN IN A BACKYARD, 1 WAS A HEALTHY
            1 FOOT THICK TREE THAT SNAPPED.

0115 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 NE HENDRICKSON        36.94N 90.45W
05/03/2020                   WAYNE              MO   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: TREES UPROOTED OR
            SNAPPED; ROOF BLOWN OFF.

0118 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 SW NEELYVILLE         36.55N 90.52W
05/03/2020                   BUTLER             MO   BROADCAST MEDIA

            ROOF COMPLETELY BLOWN OFF OF CLOSED BUSINESS
            1MI S OF US67/RTE142.

0118 PM     TSTM WND DMG     NEELYVILLE              36.56N 90.51W
05/03/2020                   BUTLER             MO   BROADCAST MEDIA

            LIVE POWER LINES DOWN ON HOME IN NEELYVILLE.

0118 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 NE HENDRICKSON        36.94N 90.43W
05/03/2020                   WAYNE              MO   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREE DOWN ON A CAMPER ON HIGHWAY 172 EAST OF
            US 67. TIME ESTIMATED.

0118 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 E POPLAR BLUFF        36.77N 90.39W
05/03/2020                   BUTLER             MO   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREE DOWN ON A HOUSE WITH RESIDENTS TRAPPED
            INSIDE.

0119 PM     TSTM WND GST     5 E POPLAR BLUFF        36.77N 90.32W
05/03/2020  M66 MPH          BUTLER             MO   ASOS



0130 PM     TSTM WND DMG     QULIN                   36.60N 90.25W
05/03/2020                   BUTLER             MO   BROADCAST MEDIA

            TREES DOWN AND ROOF DAMAGE. RADAR ESTIMATED
            TIME.

0135 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 SW DEXTER             36.75N 90.01W
05/03/2020                   STODDARD           MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ONE FOOT DIAMETER TREE SPLIT BY HIGH WINDS.

0139 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 W DEXTER              36.79N 89.97W
05/03/2020                   STODDARD           MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SNAPPED TREES IN DEXTER.

0140 PM     TSTM WND DMG     BERNIE                  36.67N 89.97W
05/03/2020                   STODDARD           MO   PUBLIC

            BRANCHES DOWN AND SHINGLES BLOWN OFF ROOF.

0145 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 S BROWNWOOD           37.05N 89.96W
05/03/2020                   STODDARD           MO   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            CAR FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES BY HIGH WINDS.
            POSSIBLY TORNADO. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.

0146 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MCGEE                   37.07N 90.19W
05/03/2020                   WAYNE              MO   PUBLIC

            TREES DOWN, PEA SIZE HAIL.

0158 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MARSTON                 36.52N 89.61W
05/03/2020                   NEW MADRID         MO   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ROOF DAMAGE THE CITY HALL BUILDING. HOMES
            WITH ROOF DAMAGE. SEVERAL TREES AND POWER
            LINES DOWN. POSSIBLE TORNADO. TIME
            ESTIMATED.

0215 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 SSE BROWNWOOD         37.05N 89.94W
05/03/2020                   STODDARD           MO   PUBLIC

            TREE DOWN COVERING CR 216 EAST OF HWY BB.
            RADAR ESTIMATED TIME.

0220 PM     TSTM WND DMG     EAST PRAIRIE            36.78N 89.38W
05/03/2020                   MISSISSIPPI        MO   EMERGENCY MNGR

            SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN/AROUND EAST PRAIRIE.
            (RADAR TIME ESTIMATE).

0225 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 ENE HICKMAN           36.57N 89.16W
05/03/2020  M47 MPH          FULTON             KY   MESONET

            MESONET STATION HCKM HICKMAN 2 E.

0233 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 WNW CLINTON           36.67N 89.01W
05/03/2020                   HICKMAN            KY   EMERGENCY MNGR

            LARGER LIMBS AND SMALL TREES DOWN WEST OF
            CLINTON. RADAR ESTIMATED TIME.

0234 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 W FULTON              36.51N 88.97W
05/03/2020                   FULTON             KY   BROADCAST MEDIA

            SEVERAL LARGE TREE LIMB DOWN.

0239 PM     TSTM WND DMG     FULTON                  36.52N 88.88W
05/03/2020                   FULTON             KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TREES DOWN IN FULTON. RADAR ESTIMATED TIME.

0240 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NE FULTON             36.53N 88.85W
05/03/2020                   HICKMAN            KY   PUBLIC

            TREE DOWN OVER I-69 SOUTH. RADAR ESTIMATED
            TIME.

0245 PM     TSTM WND DMG     WINGO                   36.64N 88.74W
05/03/2020                   GRAVES             KY   PUBLIC

            TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN JUST SOUTH OF
            GRAVES. TIME ESTIMATED.

0248 PM     TSTM WND DMG     WINGO                   36.64N 88.73W
05/03/2020                   GRAVES             KY   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: TREES UPROOTED OR
            SNAPPED; ROOF BLOWN OFF (RADAR ESTIMATED
            TIME).

0250 PM     TSTM WND GST     6 SW MAYFIELD           36.68N 88.72W
05/03/2020  M64 MPH          GRAVES             KY   MESONET

            KY MESONET OBSERVATION.

0251 PM     TSTM WND DMG     7 SE WATER VALLEY       36.51N 88.72W
05/03/2020                   GRAVES             KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NUMEROUS TREES DOWN INCLUDING A TREE ON A
            HOME AND ON A SUV. SEVERAL POWER LINES DOWN
            IN THE AREA. OCCURRED NEAR DUKEDOM 1 MILE
            NORTH OF THE TENNESSEE BORDER.

0251 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 N WINGO               36.69N 88.72W
05/03/2020                   GRAVES             KY   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: 3-INCH TREE LIMBS BROKEN;
            POWER POLES BROKEN (RADAR ESTIMATED TIME).

0252 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 NE WINGO              36.69N 88.71W
05/03/2020                   GRAVES             KY   PUBLIC

            REPORT FROM MPING: TREES UPROOTED OR
            SNAPPED; ROOF BLOWN OFF. (RADAR ESTIMATED
            TIME).

0310 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MURRAY                  36.61N 88.32W
05/03/2020                   CALLOWAY           KY   TRAINED SPOTTER

            A COUPLE TREES UPROOTED.

0310 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 SSW MURRAY            36.58N 88.33W
05/03/2020                   CALLOWAY           KY   EMERGENCY MNGR

            ROOF PEELED BACK FROM A HORSE BARN.

0312 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 WSW LYNN GROVE        36.57N 88.48W
05/03/2020                   CALLOWAY           KY   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREE ON RESIDENCE. RADAR ESTIMATED TIME.

0315 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 ESE KIRKSEY           36.66N 88.37W
05/03/2020  M51 MPH          CALLOWAY           KY   AWOS

            AWOS KCEY.

0318 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 WSW MURRAY            36.61N 88.35W
05/03/2020                   CALLOWAY           KY   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES DOWN AT KY 94 AND ROBERTSON ROAD.
            TREES ALSO DOWN AT KY 464 AND KY 1836.

0320 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 SSE DEXTER            36.69N 88.27W
05/03/2020                   CALLOWAY           KY   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            DISPATCH REPORTS TREE ON POWER LINE CAUSING
            A FIRE. BROOKS CHAPEL RD 1/2 MILE N OF
            KY464. RADAR ESTIMATED TIME.

Environment

As a cold front sank southward across the region, plenty of sunshine early in the day boosted temperatures into the upper 70s to near 80 by early afternoon. This resulted in the development of 1000-2000 J/kg of surface CAPE from the Missouri Bootheel into western Kentucky.


Surface CAPE at 2 PM	Surface Temperatures at 1 PM

Other Graphics

The Storm Prediction Center upgraded portions of our area to an enhanced risk (level 3 out of 5) with the late morning update. The primary hazard was expected to be damaging winds.


Figure 7: Caption	Timing Graphic from NWS Paducah

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch was issued around 11:45 AM for southern portions of our forecast area. The other graphic shows the warnings issued by our office for this event.


Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued at 11:45 AM	Warning Polygons issued for the event

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