Six tornadoes hit Kentucky on Tuesday; Middlesboro was hit hard

The National Weather Service reported six sightings of tornadoes across Kentucky in Tuesday's band of storms. One that extensively damaged Middlesboro in Bell County, in southeast Kentucky, is thought to have been the worst.

Such severe storms aren't typical for the Bell County area, said David Shallenberger of the National Weather Service in Jackson. However, this storm traveled north from Tennessee, and it could have passed over the mountainous ridges "just right."

"A lot of times, by the time the storms reach Eastern Kentucky, with our complex terrain, it'll shear apart our storms ... and they'll just die off," Shallenberger said.

The tornado that hit Middlesboro Tuesday night had winds that reached speeds as high as 105 mph.

"We had shingles embedded in a fence, pieces of two-by-fours through walls and even the foundation of a house," Shallenberger said.

At least one street remained closed Wednesday evening, Middlesboro Fire Department Capt. Richard Taylor said. North 19th Street, which he said is "well-traveled," was closed because of severe damage to businesses along the road. Taylor said some parts of the city remained without electrical service on Wednesday. Roofs were stripped, and windows and doors were blown out of buildings, he said.

Bullitt, Christian and Warren counties also experienced damaging winds during the storms. A tornado with winds reaching 90 mph was reported southeast of Bowling Green. EF-0 tornadoes (winds of 40-72 mph) were reported in Bullitt and Christian counties.

This story was originally published October 28, 2010 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Six tornadoes hit Kentucky on Tuesday; Middlesboro was hit hard."