Deadly severe weather outbreak produces tornadoes, damage from Ohio Valley to Southeast
The first round of severe thunderstorms caused damage across the Ohio Valley during the morning, only to be followed by discrete supercells during the late afternoon and evening. The hardest-hit communities appeared to be along the Ohio River, where damage was reported to trees, power lines and buildings.
Severe weather outbreak produces tornadoes, damage from Ohio Valley to Southeast
After storms caused damage in the nation’s heartland Monday, Tuesday's severe weather outbreak was expected to be more intense, with the potential for strong, long-track tornadoes.
COLUMBUS, Ohio – After storms caused damage in the nation’s heartland Monday, Tuesday's severe weather outbreak turned deadly as it produced hundreds of reports of damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes.
The first round of severe thunderstorms caused damage across the Ohio Valley during the morning, only to be followed by discrete supercells during the late afternoon and evening.
One person was killed in a weather-related crash in Campbell County Tuesday, according to the Kentucky governor's office.
The hardest-hit communities appeared to be along the Ohio River, where damage was reported to trees, power lines and buildings.
Following the storm system, PowerOutage.us reported more than 250,000 electrical outages, with many in West Virginia.
(FOX Weather)
Ohio Valley hit by severe storms Tuesday, causing injuries
Early Tuesday morning, an 84-mph wind gust was reported near Evansville, Indiana. City officials reported significant storm damage throughout the city, particularly on the north side.
In nearby Vanderburgh, Indiana, damage was caused to the city's Emergency Operations Center's roof. According to the National Weather Service, multiple instances of downed trees, power lines and damage to mobile homes were reported throughout the city.
![Storm damage in Nicholasville, Kentucky. A major storm passed through Lexington and the Bluegrass Region Tuesday morning, which prompted tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings.]()
Image 1 of 18Storm damage in Nicholasville, Kentucky. A major storm passed through Lexington and the Bluegrass Region Tuesday morning, which prompted tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings. ( @ryanqadams)
![Storm damage in Nicholasville, Kentucky. A major storm passed through Lexington and the Bluegrass Region Tuesday morning, which prompted tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings.]()
Image 2 of 18Storm damage in Nicholasville, Kentucky. A major storm passed through Lexington and the Bluegrass Region Tuesday morning, which prompted tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings. ( @ryanqadams)
![Storm damage in Nicholasville, Kentucky. A major storm passed through Lexington and the Bluegrass Region Tuesday morning, which prompted tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings.]()
Image 3 of 18Storm damage in Nicholasville, Kentucky. A major storm passed through Lexington and the Bluegrass Region Tuesday morning, which prompted tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings. ( @ryanqadams)
![Strong winds blew over this shed in Nicholasville, Kentucky.]()
Image 4 of 18Strong winds blew over this shed in Nicholasville, Kentucky. (Tim Miller / Facebook)
![Strong winds blew a tractor trailer off the road in Nicholasville, Kentucky.]()
Image 5 of 18Strong winds blew a tractor trailer off the road in Nicholasville, Kentucky. (Tim Miller / Facebook)
![The Mach 1 gas station on US41 near I-64 in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, is closed. They lost their roof in the storm.]()
Image 6 of 18The Mach 1 gas station on US41 near I-64 in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, is closed. They lost their roof in the storm. (Sgt. Todd Ringle, Indiana State Police)
![The Super 8 hotel on US41 near I-64 received structural damage. No injuries reported.]()
Image 7 of 18The Super 8 hotel on US41 near I-64 received structural damage. No injuries reported. (Sgt. Todd Ringle, Indiana State Police)
![Storm damage seen along US41 near I-64 in Evansville, Indiana.]()
Image 8 of 18Storm damage seen along US41 near I-64 in Evansville, Indiana. (Sgt. Todd Ringle, Indiana State Police)
![Storm damage seen along US41 near I-64 in Evansville, Indiana.]()
Image 9 of 18Storm damage seen along US41 near I-64 in Evansville, Indiana. (Sgt. Todd Ringle, Indiana State Police)
![Damage from a suspected tornado in the Hanging Rock, Ohio region.]()
Image 10 of 18Damage from a suspected tornado in the Hanging Rock, Ohio region. (Mindy Broughton)
![Damage from a suspected tornado in the Hanging Rock, Ohio region.]()
Image 11 of 18Damage from a suspected tornado in the Hanging Rock, Ohio region. (Mindy Broughton)
![Fairland West Elementary School in Ohio heavily damaged during a severe storm.]()
Image 12 of 18Fairland West Elementary School in Ohio heavily damaged during a severe storm. (Ashley Taliaferro)
![Fairland West Elementary School in Ohio heavily damaged during a severe storm.]()
Image 13 of 18Fairland West Elementary School in Ohio heavily damaged during a severe storm. (Ashley Taliaferro)
![Fairland West Elementary School in Ohio heavily damaged during a severe storm.]()
Image 14 of 18Fairland West Elementary School in Ohio heavily damaged during a severe storm. (Ashley Taliaferro)
![Images of a crash during a severe weather outbreak near Utica on I-265 on April 2, 2024.]()
Image 15 of 18Images of a crash during a severe weather outbreak near Utica on I-265 on April 2, 2024. (WDRB)
![Images of a crash during a severe weather outbreak near Utica on I-265 on April 2, 2024.]()
Image 16 of 18Images of a crash during a severe weather outbreak near Utica on I-265 on April 2, 2024. (Image: Sgt. Carey Huls/Indiana State Police) (Indiana State Police)
![Images of a crash during a severe weather outbreak near Utica on I-265 on April 2, 2024. (Image: Sgt. Carey Huls/Indiana State Police)]()
Image 17 of 18Images of a crash during a severe weather outbreak near Utica on I-265 on April 2, 2024. (Image: Sgt. Carey Huls/Indiana State Police) (Indiana State Police)
![Smithfield, Kentucky tornado damage]()
Image 18 of 18Smithfield, Kentucky tornado damage (Billy Bowling)
Additional strong winds and falling trees caused notable destruction in southern Boonville, Indiana, leading to roof and structural damage. Utility poles were also snapped in Chrisney, Indiana, due to the high winds.
Emergency managers reported one person suffered minor injuries in Uniontown, Kentucky, when a tree fell onto a mobile home, according to the NWS office in Paducah, Kentucky.
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The states of Ohio and West Virginia experienced significant damage to various structures, causing widespread tree and power line damage.
The Proctorville, Ohio, Fire Department building was destroyed, and several other structures suffered significant damage. Multiple structures in South Point, Ohio, were damaged, and there was widespread tree and power line damage. In Hanging Rock, Ohio, several trailers were flipped over.
On Tuesday morning, there was a wind gust of 92 mph near Huntington, West Virginia, and a reported wind gust of 102 mph in Boyd County, Kentucky. These winds caused trees and power lines to fall and damaged several homes.
The governors of Kentucky and West Virginia issued states of emergency ahead of the worst of the weather.
Drone captures video of a tornado in southern Indiana
A drone captured video of tornado moving through southern Indiana outside of Louisville, Kentucky on April 2, 2024.
Jeff Diederich, sheriff of Williamson County in Illinois, said a significant amount of property damage was reported in the county early Tuesday. He said the damage included downed trees and power lines.
"We have residences that have significant trees across their roofs," Diederich told FOX Weather. "We have roofs that are missing in some isolated residential areas and then we have multiple businesses that are significantly damaged or completely destroyed.
Destruction across Illinois after intense overnight storms
Williamson County, Illinois Sheriff Jeff Diederich tells FOX Weather about homes without roofs, destroyed businesses and downed trees blocking most roads after an intense overnight storm blew through.
During the severe weather, several vehicles along Interstate 265 in southern Indiana outside of Louisville, Kentucky, were flipped during strong winds. Westbound lanes were blocked by the overturned vehicles as emergency crews responded to the scene.
Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced a local state of emergency for Jefferson County, Kentucky, due to thousands of power outages, but no injuries were reported from the storms.
An NWS storm survey team found damage consistent with at least an EF-1 tornado in Prospect, Kentucky, which is located in Jefferson and Oldham counties. It was one of at least five reported tornadoes in Kentucky.
Additional NWS storm survey teams planned to fan out across West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky to check if other reported damage was the result of a tornado and if so, how strong, but flooding in the wake of the storms was keeping forecasters busy and may slow the survey process down until the flooding abates.
10,000 customers in Georgia without power after severe storms overnight
Georgia was hit by powerful storms that caused power outages in over 10,000 homes in Atlanta and reports of damage overnight. In Conyers, Georgia, a tree fell on a church, and FOX 5 Atlanta's Brooke Zauner is on the scene to report on the damage early Wednesday morning.
Tornadoes reported in Georgia, Alabama
A powerful line of tornado-warned storms swept through parts of Georgia and Alabama overnight Tuesday, leaving damage in its wake and thousands without power early Wednesday morning.
According to storm reports logged by the NWS and NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, a possible tornado struck Rockdale County in Georgia just before midnight in the Atlanta suburb of Conyers.
WATCH: DRONE VIDEO SHOWS LIKELY TORNADO DAMAGE IN CONYERS, GEORGIA
Crews were working to clear downed trees from tree-littered roadways as the sun rose. As many as 1,600 electric customers were without power in the Conyers area, FOX 5 in Atlanta reported. Emergency officials advised people who do not need to travel to stay home until conditions become safer.
Drone video of storm damage in Conyers, Georgia
The cleanup in Rockdale County, Georgia is ongoing Wednesday as crews work to clear debris from a powerful line of storms that moved through the state, causing damage in its wake. Drone video show some of the storm damage in Conyers.
About 200 miles to the southwest, multiple structures were damaged, and trees were down and uprooted along multiple county roads in Chilton, Alabama, where there were three more reports of possible tornadoes around midnight, according to the NWS.