As a storm system approached Jackson, in Southeastern Kentucky, on May 16, a few individuals agreed to work double shifts to make sure timely warnings continued during the overnight hours, said Tom Fahy, legislative director for the National Weather Service Employees Organization.

According to the posts, the administration's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, championed by tech billionaire Elon Musk, cut the area's tornado warning systems as part of cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS).

The U.S. is on track to see more tornadoes this year than in 2024, which was the second-busiest tornado year on record.

Areas in Laurel County that were impacted by a tornado late May 16 will be evacuated during the evening hours of May 20 ahead of more severe storms are set to move into the area, state and local officials announce during a news conference.

Did alerts go out? What type of alerts did people receive? National Weather Service and others have said the Jackson office was staffed Friday night despite staffing shortages.

Preliminary storm surveys from the National Weather Service have confirmed significant tornado damage across multiple Kentucky counties following the recent severe weather outbreak.

Elliott, 63, often called "Kenny," died following the recent London tornado, according to a GoFundMe. His niece, Rachel Harris, started the campaign to pay for his funeral expenses, with funds going to her father and Elliott's brother, Darrell Elliott.

Due to staffing shortages, the National Weather Service in Jackson no longer has overnight staff. But NWS and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear say the office was staffed Friday night and early Saturday.

Survey teams were still working to assess damage into the evening Sunday, but officials said they have already documented severe damage near and west of the London-Corbin Airport.

States like Kentucky, along with several that stretch from Texas to Iowa, remain at risk of severe conditions.

Gov. Andy Beshear said Saturday that there were no problems with weather alerts after devastating tornadoes hit Kentucky Friday night.