Damage reported as severe storms roll through Tri-State on Sunday night (2024)

We'll have updates throughout the evening as severe weather rolls through the Tri-State on Sunday evening.

10:03 p.m.: Gibson County Sheriff's Office reports damage to trees, power lines

In a social media post at 10 p.m., the Gibson County Sheriff's Office reported the following:

There are several trees and large limbs down all around the county. In addition, crews are dealing with lines down and broken power poles throughout the county. If anything is on fire, or anybody is injured, please call 911. If your power is out, please contact your utility company. If you do not need to be out, please stay off the roadway.

9:50 p.m.: Severe threat has ended for Evansville, Henderson areas

While heavy rain will continue to fall for the next hour or two, the major severe weather threat is over for Evansville and Henderson.

9:39 p.m.: Storm damage reported in Gibson County, Indiana

Authorities in Gibson County confirmed the region had sustained storm damage but could not confirm if a tornado had touched down near Fort Branch. According to Gibson County Central DIspatch, first responders were not aware of any storm-related injuries as of 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

"I don't know what it was but it was big and it hit us," a dispatcher hurriedly told a Courier & Press reporter as she hopped between incoming calls. "It started at one end and went to the other. It pretty much hit all of our county."

Law enforcement advised motorists to "stay off the roads," the dispatcher started to say before pausing: "I've got to take another call."

9:33 p.m.: National Weather Service issues flood advisory

The National Weather Service says urban and small-stream flooding is occuring in Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh and Warrick counties as heavy rain falls.

The agency issued a flood advisory that will expire at midnight. The biggest impacts will be in low-lying and poor-drainage areas.

Up to an inch and a half of rain had fallen in some places by 8:50 p.m., and another inch of rain is possible as the storm system moves through the region.

9:20 p.m.: Power outage update

  • CenterPoint Energy is reporting about 4,900 customers without power in Southwestern Indiana.

  • Duke Energy is reporting 8,100 customers without power, mostly in Gibson and Knox counties

  • Kenergy is reporting about 4,800 outages in Western Kentucky.

9:18 p.m.: Flash flooding reported in Henderson County, Kentucky

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is reporting flash flooding along U.S. 41 at Mile Markers 16 and 17 in Henderson County, Kentucky.

9:14 p.m.: Injuries reported in Caldwell County, Kentucky

The Emergency Management Agency in Caldwell County, Kentucky, reported three injuries in an area about four to five miles north of Princeton, Kentucky. Additionally, the EMA reported "trees down across multiple roads, making travel impossible."

The tornado first touched down near Eddyville, Kentucky, which is more than 40 miles to the west.

9:06 p.m.: 'Tornado emergency' issued for Mortons Gap, Kentucky

Mortons Gap is about an hour's drive south of Evansville. The storm is moving to the east/northeast.

9:03 PM 5/26/24: TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR MORTONS GAP, KY! THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS/LIFE THREATENING TORNADO!!! IF YOU LIVE IN MORTONS GAP SEEK SHELTER NOW!!! pic.twitter.com/glV4rEOwXF

— NWS Paducah, KY (@NWSPaducah) May 27, 2024

9:01 p.m.: National Weather service reports tornado near Fort Branch, Indiana

At 8:55 p.m., a spotter reported a tornado near Fort Branch, Indiana, moving in the direction of Somerville and Mackey.

8:55 PM 5/26/24: Spotter reported a tornado near Fort Branch, IN moving toward Somerville and Mackey, IN! SEEK SHELTER NOW IF YOU LIVE IN THOSE LOCATIONS! pic.twitter.com/a49aV701um

— NWS Paducah, KY (@NWSPaducah) May 27, 2024

8:50 p.m.: Current weather radar for Evansville area

Damage reported as severe storms roll through Tri-State on Sunday night (1)

8:43 p.m.: Several warnings in effect in Southwestern Indiana

The National Weather Service issued several severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings.

Tornado warnings included parts of northern Vanderburgh, Posey and Warrick counties, as well as all of Gibson County and western Pike County.

8:35 p.m.: Large tornado in Western Kentucky in Hopkins County

HAPPENING NOW: Confirmed tornado has touched down in Eddyville, Kentucky (about 30 minutes east of Paducah).

Tune into WeatherNation now for more updates!#KYwx pic.twitter.com/M8fJq8CBiF

— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) May 27, 2024

8:01 p.m.: Line of storms moving across Western Kentucky, second line in Illinois

A line of severe thunderstorms − some capable of producing tornadoes − continues to move across Union and Henderson counties in Western Kentucky.

The third (and what should be the last) line of storms is sweeping across Southern Illinois.

The current weather radar can be found here.

7:07 p.m.: How to report power outages in Evansville, Henderson areas

Damaging wind gusts can cause power outages by knocking down utility poles and electrical lines. here's how you can report outages, depending on your utility provider.

CENTERPOINT CUSTOMERS: Customers with Centerpoint Energy can find theircurrent power outages here.

To report your outage via text/SMS message, text the word "OUT" to83212. Customers can provide their account info and report outagesusing other methods here.

DUKE ENERGY CUSTOMERS: Duke Energy customers can find amap of power outages here. To report an electrical outage,click hereor call800-343-3525.

Duke's map also has the ability to show outage histories and a current summary of known issues and how many customers are impacted.

KENERGY CUSTOMERS: Kenergy customers in Western Kentuckycan find a map of power outages here. To report an electrical outage, call800-844-4832.

HENDERSON MUNCIPIAL POWER & LIGHT: HMP&L customers can see outage info by clicking here.

6:53 p.m.: National Weather Service issues tornado watch for Tri-State

A tornado watch has been issued for parts of Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky until 1 AM CDT pic.twitter.com/6CyxUct1Al

— NWS Tornado (@NWStornado) May 26, 2024

PREVIOUSLY:

The National Weather Service says severe thunderstorms are expected Sunday evening in the Tri-State.

Here's what forecasters are saying about the severe weather threat.

When will severe thunderstorms arrive in Evansville and Henderson?

One model posted by the National Weather Service showed storms firing up west of the Tri-State around 5 p.m., then moving through the Evansville and Henderson areas between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.

What kind of severe weather is possible in the Tri-State?

The most likely types of severe weather are damaging wind gusts (some reaching 75 mph or more) and large hail that could be 2 inches in diameter.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service said tornadoes are possible, as well. The greatest tornado threat is southwest of the Evansville/Henderson area, according to the National Weather Service.

Flooding is a concern, as well

May already has been a wet month in Southwestern Indiana and Western Kentucky. Sunday's storms will only aggravate the problem.

The first line of storms that moved through Sunday morning dropped 0.55 inches of rain, as measured at Evansville Regional Airport. That brings the May total to 7.10 inches of precipitation. The normal for this point in the month in Evansville is 4.24 inches.

The weather service has posted a flood watch for the region through Monday morning, nothing that excessive rainfall runoff from thunderstorms may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.

Evansville Doppler weather radar

Damage reported as severe storms roll through Tri-State on Sunday night (2)

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Will there be storms in Evansville and Henderson tonight?

Damage reported as severe storms roll through Tri-State on Sunday night (2024)

FAQs

What was done to warn people about the Tri State tornado? ›

When the Tri-State Tornado struck in 1925, there was no such thing as a "Tornado Watch" or "Tornado Warning." People relied on the local newspaper, government mail, or word of mouth to relay a message or communicate current events from one town or family to another.

What is the science behind the Tri State Tornado? ›

Essentially, it involved a combination of heated air masses and cold fronts clashing, creating extremely unstable weather conditions. A robust low-pressure system moving through the country also played a significant role. These conditions combined to initiate the severe weather event.

Which of the following type of storm most likely causes the most damage? ›

Tornadoes are the most dangerous and damaging aspect of severe thunderstorms. Wind speeds of tornadoes can reach to near 300 mph and cause an average of 80 deaths and 1,500 injuries per year in the U.S. Most fatalities from tornadoes occur in mobile homes and in automobiles.

How did radar make it possible to issue tornado warnings? ›

If the storm continues to strengthen, rotational couplets can be seen in multiple levels of a storm. While analyzing radar data, if rotational couplets are seen at multiple levels in a storm and they persist for 10 or more minutes, tornado formation is possible, and a tornado warning is imminent.

What damage was done in the Tri-State Tornado? ›

After killing more than 600 people in Illinois, the tornado crossed the Wabash River into Indiana, where it demolished the towns of Griffin, Owensville, and Princeton and devastated about 85 farms in between.

How long did it take to repair the Tri-State Tornado? ›

But this was much easier said than done—for it would take months to rebuild what had been demolished in less than 4 hours. Let's take a brief look at what happened years ago, on that dreadful day of the Great Tri-State Tornado.

What was the worst storm damage? ›

Allison was responsible for 41 deaths and at least $5 billion in damage in the United States, making it the deadliest and costliest U. S. tropical storm of record. The National Hurricane Center also maintains the official Tropical Cyclone Report for Tropical Storm Allison (PDF).

What part of the storm causes the most damage? ›

Storm surges, which cover a smaller area than hurricane winds, cause the most damage. Surges are rises in the sea level as the storm approaches the coastline.

What is the most severe type of storm? ›

Supercell thunderstorms are a special kind of single cell thunderstorm that can persist for many hours. They are responsible for nearly all of the significant tornadoes produced in the U.S. and for most of the hailstones larger than golf ball size. Supercells are also known to produce extreme winds and flash flooding.

Which state is likely to have the most tornadoes per year? ›

The number in each state depicts the average annual number of tornadoes based on the 20-year period from 2003 to 2022. The two most active states for tornadoes are Texas, with 124, and Kansas, with 87, in an average year.

Which is worse, warning or watch for tornadoes? ›

A Tornado Watch is issued by the NWS when weather conditions in an area suggest an increased risk of severe weather capable of producing a tornado. The NWS releases a Tornado Warning when a tornado has been observed or detected by weather radar. A warning means you should seek shelter without delay.

What color means tornado on radar? ›

On a weather radar map, a tornado is usually indicated by a smaller area of red surrounded by a larger area of green. However, modern radar systems can also indicate debris balls, a sign of a tornado on the ground.

Was the Tri-State Tornado predicted? ›

Back in 1925, weather records were not nearly as detailed as they are today. With a lack of observing stations, data was sparser and forecasts were more vague. Therefore, the exact conditions that preceded the Great Tri-State Tornado are not well known.

Are there any pictures of the Tri-State Tornado? ›

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and the Tri-State Tornado is no exception. Even though there are no known photographs of the actual storm itself, one glance at the damage in the photographs gives one a chilling sense of the horror that the survivors endured.

When was the first tornado warning issued? ›

Miller (right) were the two men responsible for issuing the first tornado warning in March 1948. This photograph was taken in the early 1950s. Robert Miller did not want to be a meteorologist growing up in sunny Los Angeles, California.

Has there ever been a F6 tornado? ›

In total, two tornadoes received the rating of F6, but both were later downgraded to F5. Based on aerial photographs of the damage it caused, Fujita assigned the strongest tornado of the 1974 Super Outbreak, which affected Xenia, Ohio, a preliminary rating of F6 intensity ± 1 scale.

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