KHOP Damage from Storms 04/26-04/27

[msm8378]

http://www.soc.mil/UNS/Releases/2011/Ap ... 26-01.html

Winds with this storm at 0100L thru 0140L clocked as straight-line winds of 63 mph to 101 mph.

I watched this storm on radar until about 0030L. Seemed to be weakening, so I went to bed. 0135L winds hit my home at estimated 65 mph to 75 mph.
Radar showed that storm had re-strengthened and then emitted a huge bow echo centered on FTCKY/KHOP.

From local Facebook page:

Hopkinsville: Where "coming out of the closet" means you survived another round of tornado warnings.

Additional Data:

2011 Tornado Warnings so far for CHRISTIAN COUNTY/KHOP/KHPX = 27

2011 Touchdowns = 0 Adjacent Counties = 5

More bad weather forecast for area 04/30 and 05/01....

Mat

[Firebird]

I must to admit to being fascinated by these storms. They are just awesome to look at, despite the devastation they cause. I once, about 10 years ago thought seriously about going on a stormchasing holiday in Kansas for two weeks. I am not sure what finally put me off, the fact that you can't be guaranteed to see any twisters, or spending 2 weeks in Kansas.

The closest I have got is being in Orlando when a twister hit Clearwater unexpectedly one morning. I think it killed 3. It was just a torrential downpour by the time it reached us. The reason I remember it is because it was the day that the Twister ride opened at Universal. Needless to say that it was postponed under the circumstances.

[fishlips]

What a year for natural disasters around the world.

Mark

[MIKE JG]

Don't forget, we're just in a lull between ice ages.....

[msm8378]

My mind is going blank these days....

HOPKINSVILLE/KHPX has had 3 tornado touchdowns this year (2011), one of which was an EF2 that destroyed a local factory.

I am going to try and get down to the base in the next few days and try to get some pics of the damage or see if I can find some via local media or the base PAO website. Will post links if I can find anything.

It has been five years since we last had this kind of weather in this area. In 2006 an EF3 came through at night and destroyed a couple of neighborhoods to the NW of KHOP and W/N/NE of KHPX.

Needless to say, a lot of us folks in this area are on edge with regards to the weather forecasts as May and early June are typically our worst months for severe weather in this area...

Mat

[msm8378]

Steve "Firebird"...

Even as a native of the U.S., the thought of 2 weeks in Kansas (with or without tornado's) is not an idea I would consider to be a "holiday"...

Now the Dakota's I might consider, due to the fact that there is a lot more to see aside from bad weather...

Matter of fact 04/29 - 04/30 North Dakota (Minot AFB) was under a Blizzard Warning, which even for as far north as they are is highly unusual for this late in the season...

Mike G...

I would take my chances with an "Ice Age" any day versus some of these T-storms and Tornado events we have been having this year....

Mat

[Firebird]

yeah mat, hence why I am still waiting for one to find me in Texas or Florida.

[djnocturnal]

Steve "Firebird"...

Even as a native of the U.S., the thought of 2 weeks in Kansas (with or without tornado's) is not an idea I would consider to be a "holiday"...

Now the Dakota's I might consider, due to the fact that there is a lot more to see aside from bad weather...

Matter of fact 04/29 - 04/30 North Dakota (Minot AFB) was under a Blizzard Warning, which even for as far north as they are is highly unusual for this late in the season...

Mike G...

I would take my chances with an "Ice Age" any day versus some of these T-storms and Tornado events we have been having this year....

Mat

yeah we got hit pretty good last night with snow. most of the western part of the state was without power. Gotta love ND

[msm8378]

04/30 thru 05/03 KHOP/KHPX forecast to receive another 3-5+ inches of rain...

This will make close to 12-18+ inches of rain in the last 10 days...

Mark,

How much snow did you folks end up with...that kind of weather kind of reminds me of growing up on K.I. Sawyer back in the 1960's and 70's.

Mat

[msm8378]

Just a quick update...

The National Weather Service has confirmed that the damage to KHOP was caused by the brief touchdown of an EF-3 Tornado approx. 150 yds wide.

Have not been able to find or take any photos...for obvious reasons, security is very tight around FTCKY/KHOP right now.

Mat

[flyboy]

My hometown (Cullman, AL) got hit by a EF4 on 27th of April, 1000 homes damaged or destroyed, 100 business destroyed, 2 killed and 600 injured. Tornado went about 40 miles on ground, six blocks wide. Lost power for four days but that was minor. State was hit by 32 tornadoes in all (250 dead and 300 missing still), One of the tornado starting at the Mississippi-Alabama state line and kept going on the ground almost to the Alabama-Georgia line. Biggest outbreak of tornadoes since the Great Depression nationwide. Whole towns was taken out, FEMA says this outbreak could be more costly than Hurricane Katrina.

Had frost warnings the other night, now its suppose to be in the 90s. Strange weather to say the least.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR83MBQNGqw

I also saw where Little Rock AFB was hit and several C-130s were damaged.

[Victory103]

Just got back from Little Rock AFB myself, saw the pics as the clean up was still underway. Some of the homes I grew up in as an AF brat did fine, the brand new base housing was hit pretty bad.