Episode narrative: During the afternoon and evening hours of April 5, a low pressure system, moving northeast from Minnesota into Ontario, dragged a trailing cold front through the Lower Ohio Valley. This produced a line of severe storms that moved west to east over central Kentucky, resulting in multiple reports of tree damage, structural damage, and four combined tornadoes in Jefferson and Meade Counties.

Tornado event in MEADE County, KENTUCKY
Start: 05-APR-23 15:41:00
End: 05-APR-23 15:42:00
Direct deaths: 0
Event narrative: The National Weather Service in Louisville conducted a storm survey of damage that occurred just south of Brandenburg near the intersection of Brandenburg road, Pickett Drive and Cedar line  Court. The tornado first touched down near Pickett Drive where  extensive tree damage was observed. Several cedar trees were  uprooted or snapped between 10 and 20 feet in height. Most of the  tree damage was observed toward the north and northeast  directions, although there was some other tree damage that was  directly facing east suggesting a convergence of winds towards  homes along Picket and Cedar Line Road. Significant roof damage  was also observed along Pickett Drive, including damage to  outbuildings. The tornado then crossed Joe Prather Highway  (Brandenburg Road) toward Cedar Line Court, where more tree damage and minor damage to homes occurred. Home video shared also showed a circular pattern to damage that occurred when the storm passed, further confirming that the damage was caused by a tornado. The  tornado quickly dissipated after home damage was observed along  Cedar Line court as no further damage was observed beyond the  nearby farm field.

Tornado event in JEFFERSON County, KENTUCKY
Start: 05-APR-23 15:58:00
End: 05-APR-23 15:59:00
Direct deaths: 0
Event narrative: The National Weather Service in Louisville confirmed an EF-1 tornado in the Pleasure Ridge Park area of western Jefferson County. The tornado touched down just east of Dixie Highway (U.S. Route 31W) at the edge of the railroad tracks, just south of Blanton Lane and just east of Lowe's home improvement store. The tornado did extensive tree damage, ranging from uprooted large root balls to twisted and snapped trees to a few large branches impaled into the ground.

Trees were facing from a north-northeasterly direction all the way to an east-southeasterly direction. Several trees crushed cars along Mills Drive. Numerous power lines were down, and many homes had shingle, gutter, and fascia damage. Several garages and out buildings sustained roof and siding damage all along Blanton Lane.  Drone photography showed extensive tree damage with several uprooted larger trees. One outbuilding near Oak Valley Drive had its roof  and siding blown 125 yards. Wind speeds in this part of the tornado  were between 90 and 100 mph.

The tornado snapped several hardwood trees along Rosemary Lane, along  with sporadic roofing damage to homes. At a house on the 7600 block of Rosemary Lane, a western facing window was somehow sucked out and thrown back to the northwest, some 30 yards away. The homeowner recounted a huge pressure change  when the tornado hit. 

The tornado intensified on Brooklawn Drive, towards the back portion of the apartments.  One entire roofing section of an apartment complex was picked up and thrown and twisted into the trees on the hill behind. This was the most extensive and drastic amount of damage in the area. In the parking lot east of that building, insulation and building fascia surrounded vehicles.

The furthest east apartment building had half of the south-facing fascia and brick removed. In addition, the back side (eastern portion) of the apartment building had a large portion of the siding and fascia removed.  All of the roof material, siding, and insulation was thrown and splattered into the trees. Drone photography showed it scattered about from a northeasterly to a southeasterly facing direction. Wind speeds in the Brooklawn apartment complex were 110 mph, a high-end EF-1 rating.

The tornado lifted on top of the hill just behind the last apartment building and before it reached Renwood Boulevard.