tornadoes, Kentucky
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Gov. Andy Beshear praised the Trump administration’s response to a deadly tornado in his state, even as he worried about cuts at NWS.
The National Weather Service in Paducah has confirmed that at least nine tornadoes touched down across the western Kentucky, Illinois, and Missouri region Friday afternoon and evening.
1don MSN
The Jackson, Kentucky, office is one of at least four such facilities across the country that is so short-staffed that it is no longer routinely operating 24/7.
Storm surveys are continuing after destructive storms hit areas in southern Kentucky, leaving a trail of destruction across several communities.
The National Weather Service faces staffing shortages as tornadoes hit Kentucky, raising concerns about future severe weather preparedness.
The Jackson, Kentucky, weather service office recently cut overnight staff but meteorologists were called in to handle the deadly tornado outbreak.
Nine tornadoes struck Missouri and Kentucky on May 16, including a deadly EF3 in Scott County that killed two people and destroyed homes. The National Weather Service confirmed tornadoes up to EF4 strength.
This number could increase as the National Weather Service surveys areas impacted by the severe storms that hit the state Friday.