Storm damage reported in Western Kentucky, Louisville. Here’s what to know
Several parts of Kentucky were beginning to clean up Thursday morning after a severe storm ripped across much of the state overnight.
While assessments are ongoing Thursday morning, at least five people were injured — four in far Western Kentucky, and one in Northern Kentucky. Gov. Andy Beshear confirmed in a weekly news update Thursday afternoon that no fatalities have been reported.
“We’re thankful that everyone is safe, but the next thing we have to do is make sure we stay safe,” Beshear said. “We got to make good decisions over these next couple of days.”
The Ballard County Emergency Management Agency reported four people were hurt while taking shelter in a vehicle under the carport of a church when the church suffered severe structural damage.
All four victims went to a hospital, and one was in critical condition, according to the agency.
In Northern Kentucky, a tree fell on a house in Erlanger. One person had to be rescued from the home and suffered minor injuries, the TV station WLWT reported.
The storm first hit Western Kentucky Wednesday evening. David Witten, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service office in Paducah, said things started out slower than they thought, and they began to wonder if the forecast would live up to its hype.
Then the storm hit quickly
“It was storm after storm where we were seeing that rotation, issuing tornado warnings,” Witten said.
Witten estimates there were a few dozen tornado warnings issued.
NWS meteorologists are still determining how many tornadoes hit the coverage area, which includes 58 counties in four states, but it’s possible the area saw at least 20 tornadoes. At least two were reported — one near Murray around 10 p.m. Wednesday, and one in Louisville, near Middletown, early Thursday, according to the NWS.
In Western Kentucky, Ballard, Calloway, McCracken and Hopkins counties appeared to suffer damage.
“There is just so many potential tracks that it’s definitely going to take several days to get to every single location,” Witten said.
A church in Paducah was destroyed by a tornado, but no one was hurt. The airport in McCracken County was also damaged by a tornado.
A semi-truck flipped over in high winds on I-24 in Lyon County, Beshear said. The interstate was blocked for several hours but no fatalities were reported.
The storm continued traveling east toward Central Kentucky early Thursday, putting Fayette County under two tornado warnings. Cliff Goff, an NWS meteorologist in the Louisville office, said there are 15 potential tornado tracks across the office’s coverage area.
One of those potential tornado tracks ended in western Fayette County after traveling through Mercer, Woodford and Jessamine counties, Goff said.
Emily Fay, Public Information Officer for Lexington Emergency Management, said there has been no damage reported in Fayette County.
The NWS doesn’t plan to assess damage until Monday due to the threat of weather the next few days, Goff said. There were preliminary damage reports out of Louisville and Taylor County before daylight broke over the area.
Lincoln County Fiscal Court reported many downed trees that had hit houses and cars. One tree fell on an occupied car on Fox Spoonamore Road, but no injuries were reported.
What’s ahead in the forecast
The potential for severe weather returns later Thursday, although the storm isn’t projected to be as powerful as the one that just blew through, the NWS said. Most of Kentucky is under a slight risk for severe weather, and all the main hazards are in play, but the long-track tornado and damaging wind threat is expected to be much lower.
More severe weather is possible Friday and Saturday, according to the NWS.
On and off rain for the next few days will create a major threat for flooding across the state. The NWS said widespread river flooding chances will increase later in the week as more rain falls, and the flooding could be life-threatening.
Areas of Western Kentucky could more than 10 inches of rain between Thursday-Saturday, according to the NWS. The South Fork Little River in Hopkinsville is already reporting minor flooding, as water levels have risen 11 feet since 12:15 a.m. Thursday.
Lexington is expected to get 4-6 inches of rain, according to the NWS. Gov. Andy Beshear encouraged everyone to stay alert of the forecast and avoid high water.
Emergency Management is activated and ramping up in preparation for more storms. Swift water rescue teams are on standby, including help from Vermont, Beshear said.
“We will get through this if everyone takes the rising and standing water seriously,” Beshear said. “Don’t drive through roadways you cannot see, it’s how we lost too many people in the past. It’s not worth it, just turn around.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
This story was originally published April 3, 2025 at 10:59 AM.
