Wingo mayor says avoid his community as storms bring down trees, power lines across the area

Severe thunderstorms brewed up in the 98-degree heat on Sunday that brought down trees and power lines in Hickman, Graves and Calloway counties.

The National Weather Service office in Paducah said that at 8:45 p.m. they got a report of 1 1/4-inch hail in Clinton.

A few minutes later, the Hickman County emergency manager reported that trees were down, blocking KY 307 northeast of Crutchfield. The roadway was cleared overnight.

In Graves County, numerous trees and power poles snapped in the Wingo area. A tree came down across County Road 129 south of KY 339. Wingo Mayor Charles Shelby told West Kentucky Star that his community is “a mess.” He said that with the amount of debris and the work by crews trying to repair downed lines that people who don’t live, work, or have specific business in Wingo should avoid the area.

More thunderstorm damage was reported southeast of Sedalia off of KY 97 at Melvin Road, and several other trees were brought down in the southern half of the Graves County.

Severe storms with reported 60-mph winds continued into Calloway County and east of the lakes. A tree blocked Swan Road northeast of Bell City.

At various times last night more than 2000 customers were without power in western Kentucky, mostly in Graves County.

The strongest storms of the day occurred earlier on Sunday afternoon from Madisonville to Owensboro, with widespread reports of large hail from an inch to over 2 inches in diameter collected at Owensboro Airport.