This April comes in second for national tornado record

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - With severe weather in the forecast this week, we’re looking back at a damaging month for some Kentucky counties and what crews are doing to prepare for another potentially stormy month.

“With severe weather, you can often think, ‘Well, if April Showers bring May flowers, it also brings severe weather too,’” Emily Fay with Lexington-Fayette County Emergency Management shared

Tornadoes touched down in 10 Kentucky counties this April, leaving serious damage behind in places like Anderson, Bourbon, Clark and Jessamine County. Many in those areas are still trying to rebuild more than a month later – ahead of another round of severe weather.

“After a tornado hits, the emergency management role becomes one of recovery. So, we will be monitoring the weather as it’s coming, help people remain prepared, help the response with first responders such as police and fire, but then afterward, we help take care of the community,” Fay continued.

According to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, the month of April had the second most tornadoes on record with 300 confirmed nationwide. At least 19 of those hit Kentucky. The most was in April 2011, when there were 757 tornadoes nationwide.

“So after severe weather hits, start looking for information coming out from your local emergency management agency,” Fay said. Not just us but everywhere. Cause we will be helping coordinate state and federal resources to those people affected by the storm.”

With an active weather pattern promised for the week ahead, it will be important for folks to have weather preparedness kits in case damaging winds or even tornadic activity hits their home.

“When it comes to severe weather, the best thing we can do is be prepared. I can’t tell Mother Nature what to do as much as I would like it to be 75 and sunny all the time. Make sure you have multiple ways to receive weather alerts and notifications in the case of a weather event.”

For more information about Fayette County’s emergency preparedness programs or to sign up for LexAlerts, visit https://www.bereadylexington.com/