Storm Events Database

Storm Events Database

Event Details:

Event Tornado
-- Scale EF1
-- Length 1.47 Miles
-- Width 50 Yards
State KENTUCKY
County/Area MERCER
WFO LMK
Report Source NWS Storm Survey
NCEI Data Source CSV
Begin Date 2025-05-30 06:22 EST-5
Begin Location 2N BURGIN
Begin Lat/Lon 37.7744/-84.7657
End Date 2025-05-30 06:25 EST-5
End Location 3NE BURGIN
End Lat/Lon 37.7803/-84.7398
Deaths Direct/Indirect 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...)
Injuries Direct/Indirect 0/0
Property Damage
Crop Damage
Episode Narrative During the morning hours on May 30th, an upper-level shortwave trough and an associated surface low pressure system moved across the Ohio and Tennessee valleys. The surface low center tracked across central Kentucky, roughly paralleling the Western Kentucky and Bluegrass Parkways. As the low moved across the area, showers and thunderstorms developed as moisture increased from the south ahead of the center of the low. Within the warm sector of the disturbance, around 500 J/kg of mixed-layer CAPE was present, which was sufficient for modest convective development. Wind shear and helicity values were quite strong, and were enhanced by a warm front which extended to the northeast of the center of the surface low.
While most convection with this system was sub-severe, one cell became attached to the warm front, using the enhanced wind shear and helicity in the front's vicinity to develop strong rotation aloft. While initially this cell produced non-tornadic wind damage, it ultimately produced an EF2 tornado which tracked across Washington and Boyle County before lifting. A separate EF1 tornado was produced by the same cell a few minutes later over Mercer County near Burgin. Convection would then weaken as it continued eastward, with the system exiting the area later in the morning on the 30th.
Event Narrative The National Weather Service completed a storm survey and determined that an EF1, 100 mph tornado occurred just north of Burgin in Mercer County Friday morning, May 30th, 2025. Damage was first observed along Handy Lane where several trees had been topped. The damage continued along Handy Lane where a house had some outbuilding damage and a garage door was blown in. Some healthy trees also had extensive very large branches snapped. Maximum wind speeds along Handy Lane were estimated to be at 100 mph, EF1 strength.
The tornado continued across Shakertown Road and damage was observed along Ison Lane where trees were uprooted and a barn roof was blown off. The tornado continued across farmland before additional damage was observed to trees with large branches snapped along Hogue Lane. Estimated maximum wind speeds along this portion was EF1, 95 mph strength. No additional damage was observed beyond Hogue Lane.


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Event Map:

Note: The tornado track is approximate based on the beginning (B) and ending (E) locations. The actual tornado path may differ from a straight line.


All events for this episode:

Location County/Zone St. Date Time T.Z. Type Mag Dth Inj PrD CrD
Totals: 1 14 0.00K 0.00K
RAYWICK MARION CO. KY 05/30/2025 05:17 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
POTTSVILLE WASHINGTON CO. KY 05/30/2025 05:49 EST-5 Tornado EF2 1 14 0.00K 0.00K
CRAINTOWN BOYLE CO. KY 05/30/2025 05:53 EST-5 Tornado EF1 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
ROSE HILL MERCER CO. KY 05/30/2025 06:07 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
HARRODSBURG MERCER CO. KY 05/30/2025 06:09 EST-5 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
BURGIN MERCER CO. KY 05/30/2025 06:22 EST-5 Tornado EF1 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
Totals: 1 14 0.00K 0.00K