A powerful storm system rolled through east Kentucky during the afternoon and evening hours of Wednesday February 11th, 2009, causing widespread wind damage to many locations. The areas that were hardest hit seem to be near Mount Sterling in Bath County and Williamsburg in Whitley County. Pike County was also reported to have seen widespread damage.
Below is a table of the strongest measured wind gusts from across the region and time of occurrence if available.
LOCATION COUNTY PKGUST TIME (EST)
BIG SANDY RAWS MARTIN 71 MPH 5:05 PM
MOREHEAD 4NE MESONET ROWAN 67 MPH 4:25 PM
SOMERSET ARPT PULASKI 60 MPH 3:15 PM
LONDON CORBIN ARPT LAUREL 59 MPH 3:50 PM
BARBOURVILLE 3E MESONET KNOX 58 MPH 4:10 PM
JACKSON 3SE MESONET BREATHITT 57 MPH 4:30 PM
MONTICELLO ARPT WAYNE 56 MPH 3:02 PM
PEABODY RAWS CLAY 55 MPH
JACKSON NWS BREATHITT 54 MPH 4:47 PM
MCKEE 5S MESONET JACKSON 53 MPH 4:20 PM
TRIANGLE MTN RAWS ROWAN 52 MPH
KOOMER RAWS WOLFE 50 MPH 4:20 PM
YELLOW CREEK RAWS BELL 47 MPH
* KENTUCKY MESONET STATIONS ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIMENTAL.



3:45 PM (above)

5:00 PM (above)

5:15 PM (above)




(Above): Debris from a roof at the College of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg in Whitley County. Picture courtesy of Cory K. Crabtree, relayed by T.G. Shuck.
WHITLEY AND KNOX COUNTIES
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
829 AM EST FRI FEB 13 2009
...STORM SURVEY TEAM FINDS STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE IN WHITLEY AND
KNOX COUNTIES...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM TRAVELED TO WHITLEY
COUNTY ON THURSDAY TO INVESTIGATE DAMAGE FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
THAT OCCURRED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. ALL OF THE DAMAGE THAT WAS SURVEYED
WAS CONSISTENT WITH STRAIGHT LINE WINDS INCLUDING THE DAMAGE IN
WILLIAMSBURG. IN WILLIAMSBURG NUMEROUS LARGE PINE TREES WERE SNAPPED
OR UPROOTED AND A LARGE HARDWOOD TREE WAS UPROOTED. AT WILLIAMSBURG
HIGH SCHOOL A SCORE BOARD MOUNTED ON STEEL I-BEAMS WAS BENT OVER AND
THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGE TO THE ROOF OF A BUILDING AT THE UNIVERSITY OF
THE CUMBERLANDS.
THE TEAM ALSO DETERMINED THAT DAMAGE IN THE UPPER STINKING CREEK
REGION OF EASTERN KNOX COUNTY RESULTED FROM STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. ON
STINKING CREEK ROAD AN UNOCCUPIED TRAILER WAS BLOWN FROM ITS
FOUNDATION AND A CINDER BLOCK WALL AT A CAR WASH COLLAPSED.
DAMAGE ACROSS WHITLEY AND KNOX COUNTIES WAS CONSISTENT WITH STRAIGHT
LINE WINDS FROM 70 TO 100 MPH.
BREATHITT COUNTY
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSON KY
225 PM EST FRI FEB 13 2009
...STORM SURVEY TEAM FINDS STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE IN BREATHITT
COUNTY...
A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY TEAM TRAVELED AROUND
BREATHITT COUNTY ON FRIDAY TO INVESTIGATE DAMAGE FROM SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS THAT OCCURRED WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. ALL OF THE DAMAGE
THAT WAS SURVEYED WAS CONSISTENT WITH STRAIGHT LINE WINDS INCLUDING
THE DAMAGE IN AND AROUND JACKSON. LOCATIONS THAT WERE HARDEST HIT IN
JACKSON WERE ALONG WASHINGTON AVENUE...HIGHLAND AVENUE AND ALONG
PICNIC HILL ROAD. IN THESE LOCATIONS...LARGE PINE AND HARDWOOD TREES
WERE UPROOTED AND SNAPPED ALONG WITH SHINGLE AND SIDING DAMAGE TO
SOME HOMES. SOME POWER POLES WERE ALSO SNAPPED. ALONG HIGHWAY 15...
SECTIONS OF A ROOF WERE REMOVED FROM A LARGE BUILDING ALONG WITH
NUMEROUS PINE AND HARDWOOD TREES BEING SNAPPED.
THE TEAM ALSO DETERMINED THAT DAMAGE ALONG HIGHWAY 476 IN
SOUTHEASTERN BREATHITT COUNTY WAS DUE TO STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. MOST
OF THE DAMAGE WAS FROM UPROOTED OR SNAPPED TREES...HOWEVER SOME
STRUCTURAL DAMAGE ALSO OCCURRED. A TRAILER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED
WITH THE ROOF COMPLETELY REMOVED A MILE WEST OF RUSSELL BRANCH ROAD.
THE STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE OBSERVED WAS CONSISTENT WITH WINDS
FROM 70 TO 100 MPH.
Below is a summary list of storm reports for the event that were received by the National Weather Service in Jackson.
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0155 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG WHITLEY CITY 36.72N 84.48W
02/11/2009 MCCREARY KY EMERGENCY MNGR
ROOF BLOWN OFF OF TRAILER IN REVELO AREA. SEVERAL TREES
BLOCKING ROADS AND ONE CAR WRECK BLAMED ON WIND IN
WHITLEY CITY.
0230 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 W MIDDLESBORO 36.61N 83.75W
02/11/2009 BELL KY TRAINED SPOTTER
TRIM BLOWN OFF OF NUMEROUS HOUSES IN THE MIDDLESBORO
AREA.
0234 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 1 S MONTICELLO 36.83N 84.85W
02/11/2009 WAYNE KY EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES ARE DOWN. POWER LINES ARE DOWN. FIRES DUE TO DOWNED
POWER LINES.
0234 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 N MONTICELLO 36.87N 84.85W
02/11/2009 WAYNE KY EMERGENCY MNGR
TREES ARE DOWN. POWER LINES ARE DOWN. FIRES DUE TO DOWNED
POWER LINES.
0234 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 S MONTICELLO 36.81N 84.85W
02/11/2009 WAYNE KY EMERGENCY MNGR
SEVERAL TREES ARE DOWN. POWER LINES ARE DOWN. FIRES DUE
TO DOWNED POWER LINES.
0312 PM TSTM WND DMG BURNSIDE 36.99N 84.60W
02/11/2009 PULASKI KY NEWSPAPER
ROOF BLOWN OFF LAWYERS OFFICE IN BURNSIDE. ALSO SEVERAL
TREES REPORTED DOWN IN SOMERSET. REPORT COURTESY OF THE
COMMONWEALTH JOURNAL.
0315 PM TSTM WND GST 2 S SOMERSET 37.05N 84.61W
02/11/2009 M60.00 MPH PULASKI KY AWOS
0317 PM TSTM WND GST SOMERSET 37.08N 84.61W
02/11/2009 M60.00 MPH PULASKI KY AWOS
0330 PM TSTM WND DMG WILLIAMSBURG 36.74N 84.17W
02/11/2009 WHITLEY KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
ROOFS OFF 5 HOUSES. TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
COUNTYWIDE. ALSO...AN ESTIMATED 90 PERCENT OF
WILLIAMSBURG WITHOUT POWER.
0340 PM TSTM WND DMG WOODBINE 36.90N 84.09W
02/11/2009 WHITLEY KY TRAINED SPOTTER
TREE DOWN ON HOUSE. ALSO...NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ALONG
HIGHWAY 25 BETWEEN WILLIAMSBURG AND CORBIN.
0348 PM TSTM WND DMG KEAVY 37.00N 84.17W
02/11/2009 LAUREL KY NEWSPAPER
THE FLASHING WAS BLOWN OFF OF A HOME. THIS REPORT WAS
FROM THE LONDON SENTINEL ECHO.
0348 PM TSTM WND DMG GREENMOUNT 37.25N 84.03W
02/11/2009 LAUREL KY NEWSPAPER
TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN ON HOMES AND POWERPOLES WERE ALSO
BLOWN DOWN. THIS REPORT WAS FROM THE LONDON SENTINEL
ECHO.
0349 PM TSTM WND DMG LONDON 37.13N 84.08W
02/11/2009 LAUREL KY NEWSPAPER
A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN IN LONDON. THIS REPORT WAS FROM THE
LONDON SENTINEL ECHO.
0350 PM TSTM WND DMG WILLIAMSBURG 36.74N 84.17W
02/11/2009 WHITLEY KY PUBLIC
SEVERAL LARGE TREES DOWNED/UPROOTED IN WILLIAMSBURG...
SOME AS LARGE AS 3 FOOT IN DIAMTER.
0350 PM TSTM WND GST 4 SE LONDON 37.09N 84.03W
02/11/2009 M59.00 MPH LAUREL KY ASOS
0355 PM TSTM WND DMG BRODHEAD 37.40N 84.42W
02/11/2009 ROCKCASTLE KY TRAINED SPOTTER
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN ON HIGHWAY 150 AND 1505. ROOF OFF OF
HOUSE. ALSO TREES DOWN IN THE CONWAY AREA.
0355 PM TSTM WND DMG IRVINE 37.70N 83.97W
02/11/2009 ESTILL KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
MULTIPLE TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN IN IRVINE
0358 PM TSTM WND DMG MOUNT STERLING 38.06N 83.95W
02/11/2009 MONTGOMERY KY EMERGENCY MNGR
BARN DISINTEGRATED ON WHITAKER LANE. ROOF DAMAGE AT 911
CENTER. TOBACCO WAREHOUSE ROOF GONE. NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
ACROSS TOWN. POWER LINE AND 10 POWER POLES DOWN ALONG
HIGHWAY 460E. ALSO...POWER POLES SNAPPED ON BYPASS.
0358 PM TSTM WND DMG MOUNT STERLING 38.06N 83.95W
02/11/2009 MONTGOMERY KY EMERGENCY MNGR
WIDESPREAD DAMAGE WAS REPORTED BY THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT.
0405 PM TSTM WND DMG BARBOURVILLE 36.87N 83.88W
02/11/2009 KNOX KY BROADCAST MEDIA
TWO DOZEN HOMES WERE DAMAGED DUE TO THE WIND. A ROOF WAS
BLOWN OFF A BUSINESS AS WELL.
0410 PM TSTM WND DMG OWINGSVILLE 38.14N 83.76W
02/11/2009 BATH KY EMERGENCY MNGR
BOYD COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER RELAYED INFORMATION FROM
BATH COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGER ABOUT A TOWER BLOWN OVER AT
THE EMS STATION AND DAMAGE AT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION.
0410 PM TSTM WND GST 3 E BARBOURVILLE 36.87N 83.83W
02/11/2009 M58.00 MPH KNOX KY MESONET
0420 PM TSTM WND DMG TALBERT 37.42N 83.46W
02/11/2009 BREATHITT KY PUBLIC
TWO LARGE TREES DOWN BLOCKING HWY 1933. STRUCTURAL DAMAGE
TO SEVERAL OUTBUILDINGS...SOME TOTALLY DESTROYED.
0420 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 S JACKSON 37.55N 83.38W
02/11/2009 BREATHITT KY TRAINED SPOTTER
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN, ONE ON A HOUSE AND ANOTHER ON THE
ADJACENT HOUSE THAT LOST POWER.
0420 PM TSTM WND DMG COPEBRANCH 37.52N 83.53W
02/11/2009 BREATHITT KY BROADCAST MEDIA
TREES WERE UPROOTED. THIS IS A PUBLIC REPORT RELAYED BY
WYMT.
0425 PM TSTM WND GST 4 NE MOREHEAD 38.23N 83.39W
02/11/2009 M67.00 MPH ROWAN KY MESONET
0427 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 SE JACKSON 37.54N 83.35W
02/11/2009 BREATHITT KY NWS EMPLOYEE
TREE DOWN ON FENCE.
0427 PM TSTM WND DMG ROGERS 37.74N 83.64W
02/11/2009 WOLFE KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
OUT BUILDINGS DESTROYED DUE TO WIND. TRAILER ROOF BLOWN
OFF.
0429 PM TSTM WND DMG JACKSON 37.56N 83.38W
02/11/2009 BREATHITT KY NWS EMPLOYEE
FACIA RIPPED OFF HOUSE ON PINE HILL DRIVE ON LAKE SIDE.
0430 PM TSTM WND DMG CLAYHOLE 37.47N 83.30W
02/11/2009 BREATHITT KY TRAINED SPOTTER
A MOBILE HOME WAS DESTROYED.
0430 PM TSTM WND DMG HADDIX 37.49N 83.35W
02/11/2009 BREATHITT KY PUBLIC
FRONT PORCH ROOF BLOWN OFF HOUSE. PORCH HAS BEEN KNOCKED
OFF ITS FOUNDATION. HOUSE NEXT DOOR HAD A LARGE CEDAR
TREE FALL ON THE PORCH. HALF OF THAT PORCH WAS DESTROYED.
0430 PM TSTM WND DMG CHAVIES 37.35N 83.35W
02/11/2009 PERRY KY BROADCAST MEDIA
A ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF A BARN.
0433 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG PIKEVILLE 37.48N 82.51W
02/11/2009 PIKE KY EMERGENCY MNGR
TREE DOWN BLOCKING KY RT.122 3 MILES EAST OF THE PIKE
CO./FLOYD CO. LINE.
0435 PM TSTM WND DMG HAZARD 37.25N 83.20W
02/11/2009 PERRY KY PUBLIC
THE PUBLIC REPORTED NUMEROUS TREES DOWN WITH POWER
OUTAGES IN HAZARD.
0435 PM TSTM WND DMG WOODSBEND 37.92N 83.34W
02/11/2009 MORGAN KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN
0445 PM TSTM WND DMG WEST LIBERTY 37.91N 83.27W
02/11/2009 MORGAN KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN
0445 PM TSTM WND DMG 9 NNW SANDY HOOK 38.21N 83.19W
02/11/2009 ELLIOTT KY CO-OP OBSERVER
TREES DOWN NEAR GIMLET. OUTBUILDING ROOF OFF.
0446 PM TSTM WND DMG PAINTSVILLE 37.82N 82.81W
02/11/2009 JOHNSON KY AMATEUR RADIO
DOWNED TREES ON RT 172 AT STAFFORDSVILLE. POWER LINES
DOWN COUNTYWIDE. ROOF BLOWN OFF OF HOUSE AT MILLERS
CREEK. ESTIMATED 300 HOMES WITHOUT ELECTRICITIY.
0447 PM TSTM WND DMG HADDIX 37.49N 83.35W
02/11/2009 BREATHITT KY PUBLIC
PORCHES BLOWN OFF OF 2 MOBILE HOMES AND TREE DOWN ON ONE
OF THEM. NUMEROUS TREES DOWN AROUND HADDIX.
0450 PM TSTM WND DMG HINDMAN 37.33N 82.98W
02/11/2009 KNOTT KY BROADCAST MEDIA
NUMEROUS TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN COUNTYWIDE.
0450 PM TSTM WND DMG ROGERS 37.74N 83.64W
02/11/2009 WOLFE KY EMERGENCY MNGR
HOUSE SHIFTED OFF OF FOUNDATION IN TAR RIDGE AREA.
0453 PM TSTM WND DMG SALYERSVILLE 37.75N 83.06W
02/11/2009 MAGOFFIN KY FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
ROOF DAMAGE TO SEVERAL HOMES AND UTILITY WIRES DOWN.
SHINGLES DAMAGE TO VEHICLES.
0454 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 WSW PRESTONSBURG 37.66N 82.83W
02/11/2009 FLOYD KY NWS EMPLOYEE
2 TO 3 TREES ACROSS 114.
0454 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 WSW PRESTONSBURG 37.66N 82.83W
02/11/2009 FLOYD KY NWS EMPLOYEE
LARGE LIMBS DOWN. 1/2 TO 2/3 INCH HAIL. POWER OUT.
ESTIMATED 50 TO 60 MPH WINDS.
0458 PM TSTM WND DMG PRESTONSBURG 37.67N 82.77W
02/11/2009 FLOYD KY FIRE DEPT/RESCUE
POP MACHINE BLOWN OVER.
0458 PM TSTM WND DMG PRESTONSBURG 37.67N 82.77W
02/11/2009 FLOYD KY TRAINED SPOTTER
BILLBOARDS PUSHED OVER FLAT AT THE JUNCTION OF 1428 AND
CLIFF ROAD.
0458 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 NE AUXIER 37.75N 82.75W
02/11/2009 JOHNSON KY EMERGENCY MNGR
DAMAGE TO A HOME FROM A BRICK CARPORT BLOWN DOWN FROM A
THUNDERSTORM WIND GUST AT THE MINDOLA VILLAGE
SUBDIVISION.
0459 PM TSTM WND DMG WITTENSVILLE 37.86N 82.80W
02/11/2009 JOHNSON KY EMERGENCY MNGR
CARS WERE MOVED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT DUE TO A THUNDERSTORM
WIND GUST. ROOF DAMAGE TO MOBILE HOMES AND HOMES
OCCURRED. ONE MOBILE THAT WAS NOT ANCHORED DOWN WAS
DESTROYED. A CARPORT AND AN AWNING WAS RIPPED OFF OF A
HOME.
0500 PM TSTM WND DMG SALYERSVILLE 37.75N 83.06W
02/11/2009 MAGOFFIN KY TRAINED SPOTTER
ROOF BLOWN OFF OF A TWO STORY BUILDING.
0501 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG SHELBIANA 37.43N 82.49W
02/11/2009 PIKE KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
PIKE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT RELAYED A REPORT OF A
TREE BLOCKING U.S. 460 AT THE MOUTH OF GREASY CREEK NEAR
SHELBIANA. A TREE WAS ALSO BLOCKING A ROAD IN CHLOE RIDGE
SUBDIVISION IN PIKEVILLE.
0505 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 SSW INEZ 37.85N 82.55W
02/11/2009 MARTIN KY TRAINED SPOTTER
SEVERAL TREES ARE DOWN. ONE IS ACROSS THE POWER LINE AND
ONE IS ACROSS THE ROAD.
0505 PM TSTM WND GST 3 WNW PLEASANT 37.75N 82.62W
02/11/2009 M71.00 MPH MARTIN KY MESONET
71 MPH WIND GUST OBSERVED ON BIG SANDY RAWS.
0505 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 SE PRESTONSBURG 37.63N 82.71W
02/11/2009 FLOYD KY TRAINED SPOTTER
IN THE EMMA AREA THERE ARE NUMEROUS LIMBS DOWN. 1 TREE
DOWN. DAMAGE TO BARN ROOF.
0508 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 SSE ALVIN 37.60N 82.67W
02/11/2009 FLOYD KY PUBLIC
NUMEROUS TREES WERE DOWN IN THE COW CREEK COMMUNITY AND
SOME WERE UPROOTED. SHINGLES WERE BLOWN OFF OF SEVERAL
HOMES.
0510 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 NW PIKEVILLE 37.51N 82.55W
02/11/2009 PIKE KY PUBLIC
A TREE WAS BLOWN DOWN ON HOUSE.
0518 PM TSTM WND DMG SPEIGHT 37.28N 82.68W
02/11/2009 PIKE KY EMERGENCY MNGR
PIKE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED POWER FAILURE
IN THE GREEN MEADOWS AREA 1 MILE SOUTH OF THE FLOYD
COUNTY LINE ON U.S. 23.
0535 PM TSTM WND DMG PIKEVILLE 37.48N 82.51W
02/11/2009 PIKE KY EMERGENCY MNGR
PIKE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTS NUMEROUS TREES
DOWN IN AND AROUND PIKEVILLE.
0543 PM TSTM WND DMG COAL RUN 37.51N 82.56W
02/11/2009 PIKE KY EMERGENCY MNGR
PIKE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT REPORTED THAT SIDING WAS
BLOWN OFF THE COAL RUN FIRE DEPARTMENT.
0700 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG IRVINE 37.70N 83.97W
02/11/2009 ESTILL KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREES WERE BLOWN DOWN IN IRVINE AND COUNTY WIDE
0800 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG STANTON 37.85N 83.86W
02/11/2009 POWELL KY NWS EMPLOYEE
A COUPLE OF LARGE TREE LIMBS WERE BLOWN DOWN.
1143 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG WEST LIBERTY 37.91N 83.27W
02/11/2009 MORGAN KY LAW ENFORCEMENT
A METAL OUTBUILDING WAS BLOWN DOWN ALONG RUTH AVENUE