Tornadoes of 1986

March 10, 1986
Counties:  Washington IN, Scott IN
F-scale:  F2
Deaths:  0
Injuries:  0
Path width:  200 yards
Path length:  1 mile
Time:  2:10pm
Grazulis narrative:  Moved northeast from one mile southwest of Little York to Austin.  Fifteen trailers were demolished, 75 homes and many barns were either heavily damaged or destroyed.  People were injured by flying debris.
Noted discrepancies:  None

March 10, 1986
Counties:  Nelson
F-scale:  F1
Deaths:
Injuries:
Path width:
Path length:
Time:  4:00pm
Notes:  Storm Data says this tornado touched down near Botland on Manton Road at the Carol Ballard Farm.

March 10, 1986
Counties:  Fayette
F-scale:  F2
Deaths:  0
Injuries:  20
Path width:  100 yards
Path length:  3 1/2 miles
Time:  4:50pm
Notes:  This was one of the worst tornadoes ever to strike Lexington.  The tornado began in the vicinity of Tates Creek Road and Man O War Boulevard.  A barn was destroyed near the intersection of Wilson Downing Road and Tates Creek Road.  The twister traveled to the northeast, heavily damaging Gainesway, Southeastern Hills, and many neighborhoods along Man O War Boulevard before lifting at Richmond Road across the street from Saint Joseph East Hospital.  Park Hills Shopping Center was damaged, and Pimlico Parkway and Mammoth Drive were badly hit.  Roofs were torn off at Ak-Sar-Ben Park.  Overall, 845 homes were damaged, and 200 of them near-F3.  Heavy damage was seen on Green River Court and at 3576 Pimlico Parkway.  The roof at 3245 Mammoth Drive flew into the Park Hills Shopping Center, 1240 Ascot Park was badly damaged, and the houses at 3576 Bold Bidder and 1248 Ak-Sar-Ben Park were destroyed.  Somewhat lighter damage was noted on Personality Court, Sundart Drive, Centre Parkway, and River Park Drive in Gainesway.  A man at 3576 Bold Bidder broke his neck when a brick wall collapsed on him.  About 150 families required emergency shelter.  Originally, the head of the National Weather Service in Lexington, Jim Speray, claimed that the damage was done by a downburst rather than by a tornado, with winds of 100 to 200 mph.  He later changed his ruling to an F2 tornado.  Tornado expert Dr. Ted Fujita (or possibly students of his) surveyed the damage.  By coincidence, this was the date of the annual statewide tornado drill test.  Jim Barnes of 1448 Canonero Drive said he was grilling steaks in his driveway.  "When I flipped one of the steaks and it didn't come back down, I knew it was time to go inside."  Click here for a map of the tornado's path and damage pictures.  Streets that suffered damage (other than those listed above):  Atokad Park, Aztec Circle, Big Ben Court, Carlsbad Court, Carriage Lane, Custer Drive, Custer Lake Court, Dale Drive, East Hills Drive, Glacier Court, Golden Gate Park, Mount Rainier Drive, Packanack Court, Personality Court, Pipestone Court, Rocky Mount Court, Stephen Foster Drive, Shoal Lake Drive, Squires Circle, Squires Road, Tates Brook Drive, Travis Court, Tuscaloosa Lane, Woodview Drive, and Yosemite Circle.

March 12, 1986
Counties:  Hardin
F-scale:  F1
Deaths:
Injuries:
Path width:
Path length:
Time:  4:40am
Notes:  Storm Data touches this tornado down at Eastview and hits KY 84.

March 12, 1986
Counties:  Nelson
F-scale:  F1
Deaths:
Injuries:  2
Path width:
Path length:
Time:  5:10am
Notes:  Storm Data says this tornado struck Hunters Lane, north of Bardstown.

March 12, 1986
Counties:  Nicholas
F-scale:  F1
Deaths:
Injuries:  3
Path width:
Path length:
Time:  6:15am
Noted discrepancies:  SPC/NCDC lat/lon is actually in Robertson County.  Storm Data says the tornado touched down eight miles north of Carlisle on Ball Hill Road.  We have plotted it according to Storm Data.

April 20, 1986
Counties:  Cumberland
F-scale:  F3
Deaths:  0
Injuries:  2
Path width:
Path length:  3 miles
Time:  4:45pm
Grazulis narrative:  Two farms were struck, and one was completely destroyed three miles north of Burkesville.  A couple was hurt in their destroyed homes.  The woman was badly cut by glass, and her husband was caught between fireplace bricks and a collapsed wall.  The roof of the house was set down three miles away.  A barn "exploded", killing thirty chickens.  A satellite dish was blown about a mile.  Large pieces of tin roofing were twisted around trees and wadded up into balls.
Noted discrepancies:  SPC and NCDC list a path width of 400 yards, Grazulis says 100 yards.  Grazulis lists this storm at 5:45pm.

April 20, 1986
Counties:  Cumberland
F-scale:  F1
Deaths:
Injuries:
Path width:
Path length:
Time:  5:10pm
Notes:  Storm Data says this tornado struck Bakerton (touching down on the southwest side of town) and lifted at the Adair County line after following Little Renox Creek.

May 15, 1986
Counties:  Dubois
F-scale:  F1
Deaths:
Injuries:
Path width:
Path length:
Time:  5:30pm
Notes:  Storm Data puts this tornado at Holland.

July 11, 1986
Counties:  Hardin
F-scale:  F1
Deaths:
Injuries:  1
Path width:
Path length:
Time:  9:00pm
Noted discrepancies:  Storm Data mentions damage on Black Jack Road in southeast Radcliff.