MADISON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — A team from the National Weather Service in Louisville spent Sunday surveying the damage from severe storms that hit across the region Saturday afternoon.
Their first stop was at the historic White Hall mansion in Madison County.
Meteorologist John Gordon determined that "straight line" winds, which are just as dangerous as tornadoes, tore through the property uprooting trees and tearing off part of the mansion's roof.
He warned the public that these winds are just as dangerous as tornadoes, so people need to be just as vigilant with a severe thunderstorm warning as they are with a tornado warning.
"Straight line winds can kill people," Gordon said. "When you hear a severe thunderstorm warning take action. Have a plan of action for your family."
The National Weather Service determined that the damage surveyed was consistent with maximum winds of 60 to 70 mph, which are near-hurricane force winds.
The NWS conducts surveys like these for training and to gather information for emergency managers and insurance agencies.
