2012 Crittenden tornado
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 Velocity signature of the tornado as it was near Piner, Kentucky | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 9 minutes[1] |
| Formed | March 2, 2012, 4:23 p.m. EST (UTC−05:00) |
| Dissipated | March 2, 2012, 4:32 p.m. EST (UTC−05:00) |
| EF4 tornado | |
| on the Enhanced Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | 175 mph (282 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 4 |
| Injuries | 8 |
| Damage | $20.5 million (2012 USD) |
| Areas affected | Grant Coutny, Kenton County including Crittenden, Piner, and Morning View |
| Script error: The function "split" does not exist. IBTrACS | |
On March 2, 2012, a short-lived yet violent, deadly, and destructive tornado stuck the communities of Crittenden[2], Piner[3], Fiskburg[4], and Morning View[5] in the U.S. state of Kentucky.[6] The tornado was spawned from the same supercell that previously produced a deadly tornado that struck the community of Henryville, Indiana.[7] The tornado was rated an EF4 with a maximum windspeed of 175 miles per hour[8][9][10] on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
The tornado tracked 9.85 miles through Grant County, and Kenton County[11], destroying houses mainly in Crittenden at EF4 intensity. The tornado claimed the lives of 4, and injuring 8 more.[12][13] The tornado was the last tornado in Kentucky to be rated an EF4 until the 2021 Western Kentucky tornado.[14]
Meterological synopsis
On March 1, 2012, a moderate risk of severe weather was issued by the Storm Prediction Center for March 2 a day in advance for a large area from near Tuscaloosa, Alabama to Dayton, Ohio as an intense low-pressure area tracked across the region in a very high shear and convective instability environment.[15] The severe weather agency noted that the environment, consisting of high convective available potential energy (CAPE), favorable thermodynamics, and a warm front that was expected to destabilize the atmosphere across portions of Mississippi, Tennessee, and Ohio Valleys, would support an environment for intense tornadoes across the moderate risk area.[15] Parts of the risk area were upgraded to a high risk of severe weather, primarily for Middle Tennessee and central Kentucky, which was later extended into central and southern Indiana, as well as southern Ohio.[16][17] The Storm Prediction Center noted the combination of a destabilizing warm sector, favorable dewpoints, a forcing mechanism, and strong lower-level shear; this would lead to the potential for significant, long-tracked tornadoes.[17]
Tornado summary
Touchdown near Crittenden, Kentucky, EF4 intensity
Following the Henryville tornado, the same supercell moved east and rapidly started spinning again before entering the town limits of Crittenden.
The tornado touched down near the northwest of Crittenden, Kentucky at 4:23 PM EST,doing minor damage before moving northeast and entering the northwestern part of the town. The tornado then crossed over Interstate 75, hurling vehicles and killing 1 woman. then rapidly intensified and inflicted EF4 damage on the northside of town[18]. All 4 fatalities occurred in northern Crittenden.[19][lower-alpha 1] The tornado then continued east, continuing to inflict EF4 damage before leaving Crittenden's northern section located in southern Kenton County.[20]
Piner, Kentucky to Morning View, Kentucky and dissipation
The tornado continued northeast after crossing the Grant County—Kenton County border towards Piner, where the storm would produce EF1 to high-end EF3 damage, ripping a roof off of a brick house, with sections ripped off of the foundation of the home.[21] Two other homes were ripped off of their foundations, with vehicles being thrown up to a quarter of a mile away from their spots[22][23], giving a high-end EF3 rating in this area.[24]
The tornado moved out of Piner, taking a more eastern direction towards Morning View, Kentucky, which then involved a rear flank downdraft (RFD) of around 100 MPH, which destroyed barns, and outbuildings.[25]
The tornado soon then entered Mountain View doing EF1-EF2 damage in the area before dissipating at 4:32 pm EST.[26]
See also
Notes
- ↑ Located in Kenton County
References
- ↑ The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's finalized damage survey by county
- National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio (2012). Kentucky Event Report: EF3 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
- National Weather Service in Wilmington, Ohio (2012). Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
- ↑ "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information". www.ncei.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ Katko, Ben; Foxx, Kara (2014-03-03). "Two year anniversary: A look back at the deadly Piner, Ky. tornadoes". Fox 19 Now. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ Horstmeyer, Steve (2016-03-03). "4th anniversary of Piner tornado". Fox 19 Now. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ "NKY Tornado Upgraded To EF4". WLWT. 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ Katko, Ben; Foxx, Kara (2014-03-03). "Two year anniversary: A look back at the deadly Piner, Ky. tornadoes". Fox 19 Now. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ "Storm Events Database - Event Details | National Centers for Environmental Information". www.ncei.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ Enquirer, Cindy Schroeder, The Cincinnati. "Tornado's destruction unites communities in Kentucky". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ "NKY Tornado Upgraded To EF4". WLWT. 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ Horstmeyer, Steve (2016-03-03). "4th anniversary of Piner tornado". Fox 19 Now. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "March 2, 2012 -- Tornado near Crittenden and Piner". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ Horstmeyer, Steve (2016-03-03). "4th anniversary of Piner tornado". Fox 19 Now. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ Katko, Ben; Foxx, Kara (2014-03-03). "Two year anniversary: A look back at the deadly Piner, Ky. tornadoes". Fox 19 Now. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ "Storm Events Database - Search Results | National Centers for Environmental Information". www.ncei.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Goss, Steve (March 1, 2012). "March 1, 2012 1730 UTC Day 2 Convective Outlook". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
- ↑ Thompson, Rich; Leitman, Elizabeth (March 2, 2012). "March 2, 2012 1300 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Jewell, Ryan; Rogers, Jaret (March 2, 2012). "March 2, 2012 1630 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook". Storm Prediction Center. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved March 3, 2012.
- ↑ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "March 2, 2012 -- Tornado near Crittenden and Piner". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ "NKY Tornado Upgraded To EF4". WLWT. 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "March 2, 2012 -- Tornado near Crittenden and Piner". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "March 2, 2012 -- Tornado near Crittenden and Piner". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ Horstmeyer, Steve (2016-03-03). "4th anniversary of Piner tornado". Fox 19 Now. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ "NKY Tornado Upgraded To EF4". WLWT. 2012-03-09. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "March 2, 2012 -- Tornado near Crittenden and Piner". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "March 2, 2012 -- Tornado near Crittenden and Piner". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
- ↑ US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "March 2, 2012 -- Tornado near Crittenden and Piner". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2026-04-17.
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