A massive tornado ripped through sections of Pulaski and Laurel counties in Kentucky late Friday evening, resulting in severe damage and triggering urgent warnings to evacuate safely.
The hardest hit was along US Route 27 in Somerset, where Baxter’s Coffee and a local Lutheran church experienced visible destruction. The Somerset Fire Department received reports of damage near Stoplight 22 and Parker’s Mill Road at 11 p.m., about the time the tornado started touching down in Pulaski County.
Take a look:
Major damage along Hwy 27 and Parkers Mill Road in Somerset, KY. #kywx pic.twitter.com/i959oW4r1c
— Random Hero WX (@RandomHeroWX) May 17, 2025
Meteorologists monitoring the storm confirmed the development of a tornado, which was traveling northeast at rates of up to 45 miles per hour. By 11:30 p.m., its path had unmistakably moved into adjacent Laurel County.
As the tornado moved forward, forecasters warned people in mobile homes strongly, telling them to leave immediately and go to safe shelter to remain safe from the oncoming storm.
