Three tornadoes, straight-line wind damage confirmed in KY from severe weather
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- NWS confirmed EF-1 tornado struck Grayson, Hardin and Meade counties Mar 15–16.
- Tornado traveled about 43.75 miles, peaked at 110 mph and reached 100-yard width.
- Surveys planned for Clinton, Logan and Warren; Bullitt and Nelson inspected, undetermined.
The National Weather Service has confirmed three tornadoes touched down in Kentucky during recent severe weather.
Tornado damage was found in Butler, Grayson, Hardin, Logan and Meade counties. The NWS said one tornado traveled 43.75 miles through Grayson, Hardin and Meade counties, while two separate EF-0 tornadoes touched down in Butler and Logan counties.
Additional storm surveys have already taken place in Bullitt and Nelson counties, and officials found straight-line wind damage in Bullitt County, according to the NWS. Officials haven’t determined if a tornado touched down in Nelson County.
The severe storms happened overnight March 15 into March 16. They left thousands without power, but no one was injured, according to Gov. Andy Beshear.
The NWS said more surveys are planned for Clinton and Warren counties.
All of Western Kentucky and parts of Central Kentucky were under a tornado watch as the storm passed through the region overnight. There were several tornado warnings issued, too.
Grayson-Hardin-Meade tornado
An EF-1 tornado touched down in Grayson County around 11:03 p.m. Sunday. The NWS said several farm outbuildings in Caneyville had their roofs peeled off.
The tornado also damaged a barn across Clifty Church Drive and killed three cows, resulting in about $7,000 in damages, according to the NWS.
Significant tree damage was found in Lilac, where several farm outbuildings on a hill top were completely destroyed. The NWS said this is where the tornado reached maximum wind speeds of 110 mph.
Grayson County Emergency Management said the tornado caused widespread damage to trees, power lines and structures.
Wind speeds from the tornado reached 110 mph again on Berrytown Road in Hardin County, where several areas had significant tree and farm outbuilding damage. The NWS said the tornado also ripped portion of a roof off a home near Pierce Mill Road.
Flaherty and Vine Grove were the areas most affected by the tornado in Meade County, according to Meade County Emergency Management.
The tornado also damaged trees in Fort Knox, according to the NWS.
The tornado traveled an estimated 43.75 miles and had a maximum width of 100 yards, according to the NWS.
Butler County tornado
The EF-0 tornado that touched down in Butler County traveled 4.64 miles and reached maximum wind speeds of 80 mph, according to the NWS. It touched down at 10:59 p.m. and lifted about four minutes later.
Officials estimated the tornado touched down along Flat Rock Road south of Dimple. The NWS said surveyors found a storage outbuilding there that had its roof lifted off and lofted into nearby trees.
The tornado continued across Kentucky Highway 79 where tree damage was twisted in the opposite direction of the storm’s path, suggesting a tornado was present. It then traveled across Dimple Road and damaged multiple mobile homes.
One mobile home was shifted on the foundation, and another had its roof peeled off and tossed in a field about one-tenth of a mile away, according to the NWS.
The tornado crossed Little Muddy Creek toward Richland Church Road, where several large tree branches were snapped and fell onto the road. The NWS said this is where it’s estimated that the tornado lifted, as there was no more damage observed.
The tornado had an estimated maximum width of 50 yards, according to the NWS.
Logan County tornado
The EF-0 tornado that touched down in Logan County is estimated to have touched down along Forgy Road and stayed on the ground for one minute. The NWS said some large softwood trees were either uprooted or snapped.
The tornado reached maximum wind speeds of 85 mph, according to the NWS. The tornado reached its peak wind speeds at a home near Deer Lick Road, west of Lewisburg, officials estimated, where a roof was ripped off a storage outbuilding.
Wood planks were impaled in a couple of directions at the residence, including in the opposite direction of the storm, according to the NWS.
The tornado traveled roughly 0.78 miles and had a maximum width of 40 yards, according to the NWS.
Bullitt County damage
Straight-line wind damage was observed in multiple locations in Bullitt County. The NWS estimates that wind speeds reached 75 mph in the county.
A large, old softwood tree fell onto a pickup truck at a home along Kentucky Highway 61, according to the NWS. More tree damage was spotted about 1 1/2 miles southeast of Lebanon Junction along South Sanders Lane.
Metal roofing was stripped off multiple barns and garages along Armstrong Lane. The NWS said some of the roofing panels were blown into trees and twisted onto power lines.
This story was originally published March 17, 2026 at 1:37 PM.
