Strong Thunderstorms Blast Through County

A downed tree limb rests on a Brownsville home after strong storms hit the area.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Tree limbs were down around town, falling on personal property and power lines as strong thunderstorms passed through Edmonson County around 6:30pm on Saturday evening.

Emergency workers were dispatched to 304 N. Main St. in Brownsville to a call of a tree that had fallen on a house with the occupants still inside. Turns out that no one was home at the time, but a downed power line at the residence caused a danger to the area. 

A car can barely be seen on the right side of a huge tree limb after strong Saturday evening storms.

During the same time, a similar call came from a residence on Carder Street at the Parkview mobile home park behind the EC 5/6 Center. Emergency workers were dispatched to a home with a huge limb that had fallen on a vehicle. A power line was down at that residence, too.

Vickie Carson, spokesperson for Mammoth Cave National Park said that there were multiple trees and limbs down in the park and that drivers should use extreme caution while driving within the boundaries. Mammoth Cave Ferry was shut down temporarily throughout the storms.

Strong winds and torrential rains slammed the area with reports of pea-sized to quarter-sized hail in various parts of the county. 

"Forecast analysis over the past several days played out well for this afternoon's event," said staff meteorologist Landon Hampton. "A number of reports came in from across the region due to severe storms, including hail and downed limbs & trees. We're not completely out of the woods yet...If we're able to get sunshine in here Sunday morning, a passing cold front may bring another round of strong storms during the afternoon & evening."

Local law enforcement, various fire departments, and WRECC were working throughout the area.