Severe Thunderstorms and Possible Flooding Through This Weekend in the Central U.S.

Severe thunderstorms are forecast through this weekend along a slow moving cold front and secondary storm system that will impact areas from the southern Plains to the Great Lakes. Large hail and isolated damaging wind gusts are the main threats with these storms along with a risk for heavy to excessive rainfall which could bring flooding. Read More >

Overview

Microburst winds, peaking at 100 to 110 mph, produced damage over about a mile stretch of Highway 36 north of the center of Frenchburg, KY early Thursday evening, July 5th, 2018. The damage began just east of the highway near the water treatment plant and ended east of Highway 36 near a salt storage structure, where the thick tarp covering was torn. Some damage was also noted just west of Highway 36 where some shingles were blown off of a small shed. Metal roofing was also peeled back off of a residential roof and numerous trees were felled or damaged. The most intense damage occurred along a 125 yard patch just south of Sorrell Road to Beaver Creek, where the winds broke trunks and uprooted several hardwood trees. The winds were most likely enhanced by the terrain as they descended from the west down a hollow. They were then directed to the south by a mountain barrier, creating an intense clockwise rotating eddy.