Severe Weather Hits Midwest and Some Southern States 

Release Date: January 4, 2000
Release Number: HQ-00-001

Washington, DC -- The National Weather Service (NWS) reports severe weather hit yesterday from Louisiana to the Ohio Valley as unseasonably warm air clashed with a cold front from the west. Severe thunderstorms along the front spawned hail, high winds and tornadoes from Kentucky to Mississippi to Indiana.

In Kentucky, a twister touched down in Owensboro tearing a five-mile path through the city. At least 20 people have been injured in Kentucky, however, no fatalities have been reported. The Daviess County Emergency Manager reports as many as 750 homes and businesses may have been damaged or destroyed. As many as 12 people have been injured in Daviess County. Elsewhere, homes, farm buildings, trees and power lines were damaged by winds as high as 70 mph. Trees and power lines were reported down in Wayne, Bollinger, and Union counties.

In Missouri, a severe storm, possibly a tornado, moved through the southeast portion of the state causing damage in Cape Girardeau County. Preliminary reports indicate three homes and four businesses damaged. Two of the homes are missing their roofs while two mobile homes were destroyed. Two people received minor injuries.

Local officials report at least four tornadoes touched down in Mississippi yesterday, destroying a few homes and moderately damaging other buildings. Trees were uprooted and one car was overturned when twisters hit Lafayette, Yalobusha and Union counties. A school was reported damaged in New Albany (Union County) while three people suffered minor injuries in Paris (Lafayette County).

In Arkansas, severe storms moving east to west across the state caused sporadic damage in several northern counties. In Clay County, a tornado plowed through the county causing extensive damage to several homes. Trees and power lines were downed and several buildings and automobiles were damaged by high winds in Logan, Pope, Newton, Searcy, Marion, Scott and Polk counties. No injuries reported.

Wind damage was also reported in Illinois where four houses in Carbondale (Jackson County) lost their roofs to high winds. Wind damage was also reported in Williamson, Johnson, Pulaski and Vanderburgh counties. No injuries were reported.

In Indiana, wind damage was reported in Evansville (Vanderburgh County) where trees and power lines were reported down in several locations. No injuries were reported.

Last Modified: Wednesday, 29-Oct-2003 14:22:04