Good Saturday everyone. Let me start out by saying words cannot do justice to the severe weather outbreak that hit Kentucky on Friday. Lives were lost, homes and dreams were destroyed and peoples lives were forever changed.
This outbreak hit close to home for me as a strong tornado wiped out part of my hometown of Salyersville. I got to see the damage firsthand and simply couldn’t believe what I was looking at. Watching this storm unfold on radar… I knew what it was capable of and my worst fears were realized.
Deadly tornadoes swept through many other towns and counties in Kentucky. Places like West Liberty in Morgan county… Frenchburg in Menifee County and East Bernstadt in Laurel County will never be the same. Many other communities across the state experienced similar conditions. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those impacted by this deadly tornado outbreak.
When all is said and done… this will go down as one of the worst tornado outbreaks ever in Kentucky. This may also be the worst March outbreak in the history of our nation. Look at all the reports…
A historic and sobering weather day across Kentucky and much of the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys.
I will have more on the record outbreak and have a look ahead coming up later today. Take care.
I really believe we need to come together and express our feelings about what has happened. This was a stressful, sad event. Many people are upset, dazed, shocked, confused. The looks on many faces really told the story.
My thoughts go out to those who have suffered loss of loved ones, personal property, and to the families of those who have to endure this.
Don’t forget the news crews on the scene, emergency responders…this was tough on everyone who saw firsthand the sheer devastation.
No less than 3 times yesterday, someone in the television newsrooms had to step aside and check on the condition of their loved ones, while trying to keep us informed and safe.
Hopefully, we can use Chris’ blog and continue to express our heartfelt and heartbroken concerns for our fellow Kentuckians and those in Indiana.
Chris, hope your family and friends from your hometown are ok. Praying for all those affected by the storms. This would have been a lot worse if it happened in the middle of the night while people were asleep. Thanks for your hard work all day yesterday and hopefully you can find some time to rest before coming back to Lexington Monday.
My thoughts are with those who are in distress. The media in Louisville is focusing on So. IN so we aren’t getting much news from hard hit towns in Ky.
I hope your mom and dad are ok Chris!
I wonder how many more deaths and injuries would have been reported if it wasn’t for social media like twitter and facebook. I think they serve as a better warning system than our sirens. I know not everybody has those tools available. I don’t know, maybe they don’t help. I know following Reed Timmer and Chris Bailey on twitter made me feel like I was liing through every tornado in Kentucky. Awareness is the key. Chris called this event several days ago.
The people affected by these storms are in my thoughts.
My thoughts and prayers are with all those who have lost so much. As I sit here and type, I think about how fortunate I am to be able to do so, so many this morning do not have that privelage. We came home to some hail damage, but that was all. Will continue to pray.
Chris, as I sat last night in the basement, at times, and then upstairs, watching all the severe weather unfold, I couldn’t help but have a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. While we had tornado warnings here, we were very lucky, as the two sighted did not touch down in our part of the county.
I also watched TG nonstop on KYT, and had your twitter feeds non stop on my phone. I was struck by not onlyl the professionalism, but also by the genuine concern slao shown by everyone. Especially as I know you were concerned for your own families. What the whole team did absolutely saved lives, though I know there are fatalities, and the toll will probably rise before all is said and done.
To everyone who suffered loss, and loss of loved ones, you are in my thoughts and prayers. To those who are first responders, and weather personnel, and anyone else who helped to keep us informed,
thank you all for what you do on a daily basis.
Thanks, Chris, for helping keep us informed. God bless. As you said a few days ago, awareness is the key.
Meanwhile, we may be looking at an advisory event (snow) tomorrow night. Springtime weather is unbelievable.
Yeah this has been progged by the euro for several days now. Some of the same kids who got out early Friday for severe should have a snow day Monday.
Chris, I do hope your family and friends in Salyersville are all ok. I was praying for them last night. I hope you are doing ok, also. And, I`ll be praying for all of those who are suffering right now in the aftermath of this historic event. God Bless everyone out there as we recover from this. Lots of love to everyone. Your friend, Paula T. in Lewis Co. KY
T G will never forget his last day on WKYT. My prayers go out for everyone, we were lucky here, did see a funnel cloud go across the yard. It was small, solid white and rotating.
Today is the type of day where we all count our blessings and do what we can to help those in need. Hopefully, this will not be a “norm” for our 2012 severe weather season. I’m hearing that there are still people missing from E. Bernstadt, just a few miles up the road from me, in Laurel County. The tornado, of course, found many mobile homes in it’s path. Heard also, there’s been major structural damage to more substantial structures, as well. There hasn’t been much media coverage from Laurel County, but let’s not forget these folks in our thoughts and prayers.
The Nam & GFS has the Frankfort & Lexington areas in the 2-4″ range. Remember it is a clipper system which means it will be hard to nail down where the snowfall has the best chance to accumulate.
I rather be talking about a chance of snow than deadly funnel storms.And better yet at least with a snowfall or a hurricane you can take more precautions.
Chris, I still don’t see tornado reports in Johnson and Lawrence and Martin Counties. There was extreme tornado damage in Johnson County, Kentucky, and parts of Lawrence County Kentucky. Also, Martin County. I don’t understand why you guys haven’t said a thing about it.
And if you need coformation of the Lawrence County, KY tornado, Two people have been confirmed dead in Blaine, Ky.
Give him a break there is A LOT of information to process, as a meteorologist and personally for him.
Chris is a little busy checking on his family and friends, I’m impressed he posted anything at all and didn’t just send out a tweet or two. NWS from Jackson has indicated there was a tornado in Lawrence and Johnson County and will be sending a team to survey the damage.
Here’s what NWS Jackson has so far:
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=jkl&storyid=80065&source=0
Lawrence County KY and a few other KY counties are under jurisdiction of NWS Charleston WV.
Why don’t you calm down and give the man a break. His hometown got hit. There was damage all over the place. The media outlets are reporting the worst. Look, people got their homes and cars beat all to heck here in Anderson County and NO one is reporting it because it wasn’t the worst of the damage. My hometown, Madisonville had sever wind damage, but again, it isn’t the worst.
People have been killed and people are missing. It’s one of the hardest hit areas. If ppl have been killed it should be reported. End of story. Not Chris’s fault but these maps from the National Weather Service don’t show it, so I have a problem with it. Those areas in eastern kentucky are always overlooked and it’s annoying.
I understand why you have a sense of urgency but as you have pointed out that is not Chris’ map. That is from the Storm Prediction Center and the National Weather Service. I think you should call the NWS in Jackson and tell them that about the damage you have heard about. They are responsible for relaying storm reports from that area of Kentucky.
By the way, hope everyone is ok in your area. Not trying to be picky with you–know this is an emotional time for everyone. Just thought you were a little angry with Chris over something he had no control about.
my lord, some of you people get on here and act like chris is god or no one should not say any thing negative about him at all. i understand where adam is coming from and he was not bashing chris at all he was only asking a simple question and then someone decides to rip him apart cause they thought that adam was speaking bad about chris, big freakin deal if he is a little mad, he is entitled to be a little frustrated. i have seen times where chris has gotten frustrated with people on the blog also so chris is not perfect or god by any means. so let us be careful with some of the harsh words, they will do more harm than good.
Thanks you so much Chris…. Yesterday I made the decision not to let my daughter drive to work during this mess. The owner actually called all this a bunch of hype. All the stores in the area had shut down but the mighty dollar meant more to him then the teenagers that work for him. Luckily the area didn’t get hit but she still would have been on the road during the heavy winds and downpours. As a mom I believe I made the right decision. My prayers go out to all those who lost homes and family…. I bet they don’t think this was a bunch of hype!
thoughts and prayers to all affected by yesterdays devestation!!…cold/snow will only add insult to injury for those trying to get their lives back together…what an historic, unbelievable weather event.
I agree with the comment above T.G. will never forget his last day on air…literally all day and night coverage….Hats off to you T.G. wish you lots of luck in the future…
and on the other side what a way to usher in the new Cheif Meteorologist..and we hope his family and friends are all safe in salyersville…
Hey Tim, are you guys alright? I worried about you when I seen the tornado warning issued for Knox county.
I feel so guilty for complaining when I was so cold during the snowstorm when my power went off for two days. At least I had a kerosene heater to keep me alive, and my mobile home wasn’t destroyed.
My heart and prayers are with everyone who has lost loved ones or their homes. I want to help any way that I can. I don’t have much, but I’m willing to share. God bless everyone who is affected by these horrible tornadoes.
I stayed right with T.G. and stayed here on the internet. I agree that you guys had to have saved a lot of lives yesterday with your coverage. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and soul.
Chris, I hope and pray that your family are all o.k. I know Jim Caldwell couldn’t locate his father yesterday. I hope he is o.k. too.
The City of Pikeville will be using the Expo center as a drop-off location for items to be distributed to West Liberty & Salyersville residents. You may begin to drop items off today at 3pm. Items will need to be dropped off at the loading dock located off of Main St, beside of the Courthouse. Items needed are diapers, wipes, bottles, batteries, tupperware containers, coats & blankets, and any non-perishable food products. Please contact Jesse Bowling, tourism director for more information 606-424-6203
Thank you sooo much Chris for always telling us what the models are saying. The word ‘hype’ has been used on rare occasion here (it offends me) and each time, you patiently remind us that we must listen to the models, day to day, refining and distilling their ideas. You do a great job of defining what we need to know always. There is no hype on this site- just the facts. That lesson was driven home like a nine inch nail yesterday. Because of this site, and because of the efforts of the other great Kentucky mets who do the same, many lives were saved. Prayers go out to those who must now deal with loss and rebuilding. Thanks Chris.