How many advance tornado warnings did Western Kentucky residents receive Friday? (2024)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The National Weather Service issued warnings of bad weather and possible tornadoes at Mayfield and other Western Kentucky communities hours in advance of the storms, but residents still had to scrambleto seek cover as the twisters descended upon them.

The most direct alert came more than 30 minutesbefore the main tornado destroyed large portions of Mayfield in Graves County.

And that's not including the various warnings Thursday and Friday from local television station meteorologists who had cautioned viewers to prepare for severe weather.

The average "lead time" for a tornado warningis nineminutes, according to the National Weather Service.

At least five tornadoes carved a path of destruction and devastation, leveling much of Mayfieldand damaging other areasfrom late Friday into early Saturday.

The longest trackingtornado, which officialssay was at least anF3 with wind speeds between 158 and 206 mph, originated in Arkansas andwas on the ground for more than 220 miles into Kentucky.

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It struck Mayfield around 9:27 p.m. Central time Friday,according to preliminary reports,leaving a disastrous landscape of flattened homes and damaged landmarks such as the Graves County Courthouse.

Gov. Andy Beshear said the death toll in Kentucky could exceed 100 people, which would make this tornado front the deadliest in statehistory.

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Here's a look at a timeline of National Weather Service warnings Fridayto residents in Mayfield and other Kentucky counties ultimately hit by the tornadoes.

All times are in Central Standard Time, to match up with the local time zone for thewestern parts of the state.

10:19 a.m. Friday:'Be ready' for 'severe event'

The National Weather Service in Paducah put the area on watch Friday morning, several hours before the storms.

"No graphics with this post. Just straight from the office. From late afternoon on through tonight, be ready," the office tweeted. "This could be a significant severe event with a strong tornado or two across our region. Think about what you would do now. Better to err on the safe side."

Additional tweets Friday morning mentioned the risk for potential severe weather that evening in Arkansas, Missouri, western Tennessee and Kentucky and southern Illinois.

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11:41 a.m. Friday: 'Please have multiple ways to receive warnings!'

"Confidence is increasing for severe thunderstorms across our region, with the possibility that a few strong tornadoes may occur," the Paducah office tweeted with a graphic that listed the storm timing as between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. or 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. for parts of Western Kentucky.

"Multiple rounds of storms appear likely, with the first round developing a bit sooner between 4-10 PM. Please have multiple ways to receive warnings!"

3:06 p.m. Friday: Tornado watch issued

The National Weather Service office in Paducah issued a tornado watch for parts of Western Kentucky and other neighboring states until 11 p.m., with a graphic mentioning that "several strong tornadoes" were "likely."

Over the next fewhours, the watch was extended until 2 a.m. Saturday and also upgraded to a tornado warning for communities near Mayfield, such as Almo, Benton and Dexter.

The warnings said a tornado has been "radar indicated."

7:57 p.m. Friday: Have 'Shelter in Place' plan set for 'intense tornadic storm'

"If you are in Fulton, southern Graves, and even Calloway county, you need to be ready to invoke your Shelter in Place plan, as an intense Tornadic storm may arrive in the 845 to 945 pm time frame," the Paducah office said. "We continue to monitor this closely. Stay tuned."

Mayfield is in central Graves County and is the county seat.

8:09 p.m. Friday: Tornado 'headed for west KY'

"Power flashes being observed with the Missouri Bootheel storm. Tornado still on the ground," the Paducah office tweeted."This storm is headed for west KY (Fulton, Graves, maybe Hickman). Plan now!"

8:33 p.m. Friday: 'Act now to protect your life'

"A large, dangerous tornado is approaching Fulton and Hickman Counties in western Kentucky," the weather service office in Paducah tweeted."Folks, this is as real as it gets. Take shelter now. Act now to protect your life."

Fulton and Hickman counties are in the southwest corner of Kentucky, with Mayfield about 40miles to the northeast.

Four minutes later, the Paducah office also mentioned one of thetwistersis approaching Central City in Muhlenberg County, which is over 100 miles to the northeast of Mayfield.

8:55 p.m. Friday: Mayfield will 'likely be impacted'

"Strong rotation with tornado warned storm is currently crossing into Fulton County, KY. State Line, Cayce, and Crutchfield are in the immediate path," the Paducah office tweeted."In the next 30 to 60 minutes Wingo and Mayfield will likely be impacted!"

Wingo is about 10 miles southwest of Mayfield.

9:03 p.m. Friday: 'Heads up Mayfield'

"ALERT*** Heads up Mayfield Kentucky. Tornadic storm moving your way, could arrive by 9:30 p.m," the National Weather Service office in Paducah said."Be ready to shelter immediately! This is a dangerous storm! Please share."

A tornado warning was alsoissued for Mayfield, Benton and Wingo until 9:45 p.m.

9:10 p.m. Friday: 'Be underground if at all possible'

"ALERT*** If you live in or near MAYFIELD, you need to be underground if at all possible," the Paducah office tweeted."Get to shelter NOW!"

9:27 p.m. Friday: 'VIOLENT TORNADO' reaches Mayfield

"TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR MAYFIELD. A VIOLENT TORNADO IS MOVING INTO THE CITY OF MAYFIELD," the weather service office tweeted. "TAKE SHELTER NOW!"

Tweets and photos from various witnesses describing severe damage in Mayfield start to emerge online.

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9:39 p.m. Friday: Tornado moves northeast

"A confirmed large dangerous tornado is now moving into Benton County, KY!" the Paducah office tweeted, appearing to actually meanthe city of Benton, which is in Marshall County.

"Benton, Briensburg, and Grand Rivers are in the path of this storm! Take shelter now!"

About sevenminutes later, the office tweeted another warning for Benton: "TORNADO EMERGENCY FOR THE CITY OF BENTON. A VIOLENT TORNADO IS MOVING INTO THE CITY OF BENTON IN MARSHALL COUNTY. TAKE SHELTER NOW!"

10 p.m. Friday: National Weather Service Office takes a 'power hit'

"We have taken a power hit and @NWSSpringfield will be taking over operations until further notice," the Paducah office said, mentioning how the office in Springfield, Missouri, will take over its operations."This WILL NOT impact any of the tornado warnings that are currently in effect. Please be safe!"

After taking the power hit, the Paducah office's Twitter account continued to postfrequent tornado warnings and emergencies for its coverage area, which includes 58 counties in parts of Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana and Missouri.

Communities mentioned in the warnings includedDawson Springs and Bremen, with those two towns among those that eventually suffereddamage and loss of life.

The National Weather Service office in Louisville was also issuing alerts for cities such as Bowling Green in Warren County, which is in that office's coverage area.

Did residents hear sirens and receive phonealerts astornadoes approached?

Kentuckians in some of the hardest hit counties, including Graves, Warren, Muhlenberg and Hopkins, reported hearing their local outdoor warning systems go offandgetting alerts of the looming storm threat on their phones through various apps and sources, including the National Weather Service.

Some residents in the same countiesshared varying reports, however, of not getting mobile alertsor not getting them until just as or after the stormhit.

Weather-related alerts also reportedly reached those in parts of central Kentucky that suffered some storms damage, such as Marion, Taylor and Madison counties.

Mary Ramsey contributed to this story.

Reach Billy Kobin at bkobin@courierjournal.com.