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Early that evening (the 23rd), storms began to fire in S. Illinois and S.W. Indiana
(as expected)...with a strong tail-end cell blowing-up right under the
left-exit
quadrant of the sub-tropical jet max, located near the apex of the
Kentucky/Indiana/Illinois borders (in Posey Co. Indiana), around 9:30 PM
CDT. The cell quickly became severe and started taking a more easterly
track...as compared to the north-easterly track most of the other storms
in the area exhibited. As this particular storm moved south of Evansville, IN, doppler
radar
showed VILs in the 55-65 kg/m^2 range and moderate storm-relative
rotation. Following the Ohio River eastward, the storm
moved into Owensboro around 10:45 PM CDT. Doppler radar at Fort Knox, KY
(LVX) detected a weak mesocyclone with the storm at this time. A distinct
rear-flank-downdraft (RFD) and associated inflow notch became visible in
the radar reflectivity pattern as the storm approached Owensboro from the
west (see KLVX radar image BREF1).
The storm continued to skirt along the Ohio River which placed the
RFD/pendant echo (hook-type echo) directly over the city between 10:40 and
10:50 PM CDT.
At this time, it does not appear that any tornadic activity was
associated with this storm. After viewing the damage pattern the next
day, I concluded that the wind damage that occurred in the central and
northern sections of the city appeared to be caused by straight-line, RFD-type
winds. Regardless, there was extensive tree and power line damage across
these areas of the city. Several large trees were completely uprooted or
broken off at the base with many very large limbs downed as well...many
downed across roads. Fallen trees also knocked down quite a number of
power lines and a few utility poles. Some minor structural damage also occurred...again,
mainly due to fallen trees. Needless to say, power (which had also been knocked out by
storms the previous night) was out again in many of the same areas in the central
sections of Owensboro.
The storm held its own and continued on an eastward trek... It even strengthened
some later that night as it moved toward central Kentucky. Becoming a
rather long-lived storm cell, it eventually wreaked havoc in areas farther east
across central and eastern portions of the state (even past 3 AM) with several
reports of large hail.
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