Severe weather conditions swept through Kentucky on Friday, resulting in at least one fatality and numerous injuries according to local authorities.
A tornado struck just outside of Athens, Tennessee, injuring five people in Loudon County during the afternoon hours.
Earlier in the day, a stronger tornado wreaked havoc in Washington County, central Kentucky, where it was rated an EF2 by the local National Weather Service office.
This tornado was reported as the cause of one death and at least 14 injuries.
The Washington County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the fatality and multiple injuries, reporting “severe damage” to the area after the tornado hit.
Washington County Judge/Executive Tim Graves stated during a news briefing that the impact was devastating, particularly since it affected a remote part of the county.
The preliminary rating for the tornado was assigned as EF-2, with wind speeds reaching up to 115 mph.
The storm damage evaluation is still ongoing, and there are indications that this tornado may have continued into parts of Mercer County and other central areas of the state.
Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear remarked on social media that the severity of the weather was unexpected as it struck Washington County.
Initially, three individuals, including a 3-year-old child, were reported missing; however, all have since been located.
The child was taken to a local hospital, while the other two individuals sought medical assistance on their own.
Notably, the affected area lacked tornado sirens, though emergency alerts did reach residents’ cellphones to warn them of the impending storm.
Governor Beshear has urged residents in eastern and southeastern Kentucky to remain vigilant, as additional storms are forecasted for the region on Friday.
The severe weather did not remain confined to Kentucky alone; numerous regions across the East experienced damaging winds that downed trees and power lines and even led to partial structural damage.
Reports indicate over 110 instances of wind damage caused by the storms, affecting areas from Florida to Maryland.
As the storm system responsible for this week’s severe weather begins to weaken in intensity over the East Coast, lingering rainfall and thunderstorms are expected to persist across parts of the Northeast on Saturday.
By late Saturday morning, the majority of heavy rain will have moved out of New York City, shifting focus to upstate New York and northern New England for much of the day.
Despite rain decreasing in intensity, some isolated showers and thunderstorms will likely emerge across regions stretching from Virginia Beach to New York City, and out toward Pittsburgh throughout the day.
As the storm system departs, the heavier rainfall will begin to wane in upstate New York and northern New England.
Transitioning into Sunday and the start of the new week, drier conditions are anticipated.
Meanwhile, a separate area of unsettled weather may spawn severe storms across parts of the Plains over the weekend.
On Saturday, severe weather risks are projected from northern Texas up to eastern Kansas and western Missouri, with areas such as Wichita Falls, Texas, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Wichita, Kansas, facing the highest threats.
The primary risks comprise damaging winds and large hail, with a possibility of tornado activity.
Additionally, isolated flash flooding may occur, especially in areas prone to flooding.
Looking into Sunday, the severe weather threat is expected to shift south, concentrating on portions of east-central Texas, with Waco facing a significant risk.
Once again, the primary concerns will hinge on damaging winds and large hail, with the potential for a few tornadoes.
As this pattern evolves, the severe weather threat will move northward on Monday, focusing on the Central High Plains as a new storm system takes shape across the heart of the country.
Central Nebraska and eastern South Dakota are projected to experience the highest severe weather threats on Monday.
This new storm system is likely to bring additional stormy weather across the Plains on Tuesday, further sweeping east and creating more unsettled conditions across the eastern half of the country toward the middle and end of the upcoming week.
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