Storms, tornadoes hammer region
Published 6:10 pm Saturday, December 9, 2023
- A section of the Super 8 Hotel's roof leans against a tree outside the apartment of Cumberland Trace Village resident Jeannine Peterson on Cumberland Trace Road. Peterson and her family took shelter in their bathroom and compared the sound outside to a freight train.
Storms hammered parts of southcentral Kentucky resulting in property damage across the region Saturday, reminding many of the tornadoes that took place nearly two years ago on Dec. 11.
NWS Louisville had not confirmed any tornado touch down in Warren County, though NWS Paducah reported on X.com, formerly Twitter, that at least one tornado touched down near the Tennessee border before crossing into Logan and Todd counties.
The National Weather Service issued warnings beginning mid-day for 15 Kentucky counties, including Warren and surrounding counties.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 3 confirmed on X.com Saturday that crews were working to clear roads blocked by debris and damage across Logan and Todd Counties.
“Several roads in Logan and Todd County blocked,” KYTC District 3 stated. “KY 848 in Todd County and KY 96 in Logan County are blocked due to downed power lines. KY 181 in Logan County is blocked on the south end due to a damaged train.”
There was also storm damage around southern Bowling Green around Three Springs and Cumberland Trace Road.
Super 8 Hotel on Cumberland Trace Road sustained heavy roof damage with large segments torn away. A large piece landed roughly 50 yards away in the lawn of Cumberland Trace Village resident Jeannine Peterson.
Peterson said her family took shelter in their apartment’s bathroom as wind speeds picked up outside.
“We heard a very loud sound, like people say a train, and within 10 seconds or so it was silent,” Peterson said.
Peterson walked outside to find a section of roof wrapped around a tree just a few feet from her back door. She said she observed little damage to the apartment itself.
Utilities and displays surrounding the local headquarters of Camping World on Three Springs Road also experienced damage. At least two power lines were downed and a trailer was seen tipped on its side.
Bowling Green Municipal Utilities confirmed on X that the loss of two poles resulted in a “large outage” around Three Springs.