Casey County (Lexington, Louisville, Stamping Ground: mobile home, construction, tornado)

[Lovemyfamily8]

What's the real scoop on tornados in that county? I am tornado-phobic!

[censusdata]

I think CC might have a few more tornado touchdowns because most people live on the ridge tops so a tornado has 300 less feet to go down to hit the ground. It also has a high percent of mobile homes so significant damage is more likely.

[bcfarmlady]

Or you can be like me and live down in the holler where the last tornado touched down 1/2 mile north of my place and went east from there. I lost electric for about 12 hours and the phone/DSL went on and off for a few days while they worked on the lines. I lost a lot of trees, 3 huge poplars blocked my only entry road. But nothing hit my house or my barn and fences that are under construction. We had to hire someone with heavy equipment to move the trees.

I wish I could give you more info on the history of tornadoes in the area, but I've only lived here for 18 months. Love it though !!

[censusdata]

There is a great tornado (and any other severe weather) statistical archive at NOAA NCDC Storm Events-Select State

Here is the list of all tornadoes in Casey County (total of 4 from 1950 to this July)

1. April 3, 1974 - F3 - no injuries - damage = $2.5 million
2. March 28, 1997 - F1 - no injuries - damage = $200 k
3. November 10, 2002 - F0 - no injuries - damage = $0
4. April 3, 2007 - F1 - no injuries - damage = $50 k

By comparison Daviess County has been hit by 20 tornadoes since 1950!

[bcfarmlady]

Cool link, thanks.

Interesting how there were two on the same day, April 3. And that there was one in November 2002. I always thought they were more likely for spring than fall and had heard that from others as well following this most recent one on October 9.

They are still cleaning up around here, burning mobile homes that were damaged, cutting up trees and fixing roofs. Pieces of metal are still hanging out of trees here and there.

[CraigCreek]

April 3, 1974 was the day the largest outbreak of tornados in history struck Kentucky. There was tremendous damage throughout the state and many deaths and injuries. Louisville, Stamping Ground, Whitehall, and many other places were hit. In Louisville, Cherokee Park took quite a beating as did the State Fairgrounds buildings and many houses.

The tornadoes began around midafternoon that day and lasted well into the night, occurring in southwest to northeast bands, as if a giant was dragging his fingers, spread somewhat apart, across the state. It's not surprising that Casey County was struck by two twisters that day.

I remember seeing very threatening clouds starting around 4:00 p.m. here in Lexington and keeping a close eye on the weather well into the night, while ready at any minute to spring for the basement, flashlight and battery radio in hand, but Lexington, unlike many Kentucky cities and towns, was spared that time, though the sky turned greenish and the mammulus clouds which often precede tornadoes were directly overhead.

It was a very scary experience, and I am sure it was far worse for those whose lives were impacted by the tornados.