Kentucky Tornado Outbreak Amid Staffing Shortages as Severe Weather Season Continues
- Author
- Rob Jones
- Published
- Tue 20 May 2025
- Episode Link
- https://rss.com/podcasts/meteorology-matters/2036729
- May 2025 (Earlier in the month): Five former directors of the National Weather Service write a "letter to the American people" expressing concern about staffing shortages and reduced resources, such as weather balloon deployments.
- May 15, 2025: USA TODAY publishes an article highlighting that National Weather Service offices are short-staffed following Trump administration cuts, with some offices no longer operating 24/7. The article also mentions offers for current employees to transfer to fill 155 vacant positions, including 76 meteorologist positions.
- May 16, 2025 (Thursday): The National Weather Service office in Jackson, Kentucky, recognizing the threat of a major severe weather outbreak, decides to fully staff the overnight shift despite being short-staffed.
- May 17, 2025 (Friday): A severe weather system sweeps through the central U.S., including Missouri and Kentucky.
- Afternoon Rush Hour (St. Louis): The path of destruction from a likely tornado begins on a major thoroughfare in St. Louis before moving east.
- Friday (Throughout the day): A tornado strikes several rural areas in Scott County, Missouri, killing two people and injuring several others.
- Friday (Throughout the day): Five people die and 38 are injured in the St. Louis area. Over 5,000 homes in the city are affected.
- Friday (Overnight into Saturday): A devastating tornado impacts Laurel County, Kentucky, at 11:49 p.m.
- May 17, 2025 (Saturday):
- Morning: As of Saturday morning, at least 21 people have died across Missouri and Kentucky (14 in Kentucky, 7 in Missouri). The death toll is expected to rise.
- Saturday: Rescue teams continue searching for survivors in damaged areas.
- Saturday (Throughout the day): City inspectors in St. Louis begin condemning unsafe structures.
- Saturday evening: Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear confirms at least 18 deaths in Kentucky and speaks at a press conference in London, Kentucky.
- Saturday evening: St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer confirms five deaths in the city, over 30 injuries, and approximately 5,000 impacted buildings.
- Saturday night (9 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday): A curfew is in effect in St. Louis due to downed power lines and to protect property.
- May 18, 2025 (Sunday):
- As of Sunday, the death toll from the recent storms across multiple states exceeds two dozen.
- Sunday: In London, Kentucky, people whose houses were destroyed work to salvage belongings and put up tarps. Zach Wilson describes the scene at his parents' ruined home.
- Sunday: St. Louis Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson warns residents to prepare for approaching weather.
- Sunday: The National Weather Service warns of a "multitude of hazardous weather" expected over the next several days.
- Sunday: City inspectors continue to assess damaged areas in St. Louis and condemn unsafe structures.
- Sunday: Authorities confirm two storm-related deaths in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., caused by falling trees.
- Sunday: The NWS Employees Union confirms that short staffing at the Jackson, Kentucky office did not affect tornado warnings for the deadly storms.
- Week of May 19, 2025:
- More severe storms are expected to roll across the central U.S.
- Thunderstorms are expected to develop in the afternoon and persist into the evening across parts of the Plains into the Ozarks.
- Another storm system is expected to pick up to the west, with strong tornadoes in the forecast for parts of the Plains by Sunday.
