- Rating: EF-3
- Location: Cove Gap, WV
- County: Wayne & Lincoln Counties
- Start Time: 7:55 p.m.
- Estimated Peak Wind: 138 mph
- Path Length: 27 miles in WV (would later be extended to 35 miles, see below)
- Path Width Maximum: 200 yards
- Fatalities: 2 in Blane in Lawrence County, KY
- Injuries: 0
Details from NWS storm survey: A tornadic supercell moved from Lawrence County, KY across Wayne County into Lincoln County. The first indication of a tornado in Wayne county was near Glenhayes where numerous trees were blown down. The tornado then passed near Dunlow. The survey team was unable to travel into Dunlow because of flooded roads and downed powerlines. The survey team will make another attempt at reaching the Dunlow area on Sunday (no update was made from the Dunlow area). The next indication of a tornado was along Route 37 near Kiahsville and Cove Gap. Numerous trees were blown down as well as numerous structures being damaged. A few manufactured homes were destroyed. In addition, one two-story house lost the roof, several of the outside walls and an interior wall. The tornado then traveled into Lincoln County, where tree debris was seen along route 10 near Ranger. However, the team could not find the location where the debris originated. Several trees were blown down or snapped off in the Price area. The last indication of tornado damage was along Route 46 just south of Palermo. Several trees were blown down. In addition, there was damage to a few residences.
(The following section was added a couple of days later regarding an additional segment added to the original path that extends the tornado in the Alkol area of Lincoln County):
This location was the end of a damage path of the tornado which started near West Liberty, Kentucky. This was not a third tornado in West Virginia. Numerous trees were blown down and a few were also broken off above the ground. In addition, a manufactured home lost part of its roof as well as sustaining other damage.
NOTE: This added section of the tornado path ended up making the total path 62 miles from Lawrence County, KY to Alkol, WV and 35 miles within the West Virginia border. The rating for the tornado as it ended in Alkol was rated EF-1 with maximum winds of 75 mph and a path of 70 yards.
Photo of Tornado Damage - West Liberty, KY (same storm that spawned this tornado) - courtesy of Allen Boling
Radar Imagery
Panel of storm at time of tornado - click/tap on image for full resolution (Clockwise from top left: Base Reflectivity 0.5 degree, Base Velocity 0.5 degree, NROT 0.5 degree, Spectrum Width 0.5 degree)
Panel loop - click/tap on image for full resolution (Clockwise from top left: Base Reflectivity 0.5 degree, Base Velocity 0.5 degree, NROT 0.5 degree, Spectrum Width 0.5 degree):
Base Reflectivity Analyzed
Base Velocity Analyzed
Normalized Rotation Analyzed
The image shows exceptionally high NROT values as the supercell traversed Wayne County. NROT values northwest of Dunlow were as high as 2.35, with values near 2 continuing throughout the county. As the storm worked just south of Kiahsville a few minutes later, NROT values were still near 2 at 1.92. The summed NROT product below shows the path of this tornado easily:
Spectrum Width Analyzed
With a tornadic supercell this impressive, picking out a few features on Spectrum Width can usually be obtained, as is the case here. This storm was an absolute beast as it raced through Wayne and Lincoln counties - thankfully it weakened as it approached more populated areas in Kanawha County.
