The National Weather Service has confirmed the tornado that hit southern Kentucky, causing massive devastation reached EF-4 level strength.

Meteorologists with the NWS Paducah office have also confirmed several tornadoes in its region the afternoon and evening of May 16. Three tornadoes impacted western Kentucky, including an EF-3 tornado in Morganfield with winds of 155 mph, an EF-2 tornado in Allegre and an EF-2 tornado in Casky.

More than 25 people have died amid catastrophic tornadoes and storms in these regions. Critics say that Trump-era cuts to weather agencies could affect future forecasts and warning systems.

The agency’s office in Jackson, Kentucky, had begun closing nightly as deep cuts by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency began hitting. But the weather service kept staffers on overtime Friday night to stay on top of the deadly storms, which killed nearly 20 people in the Jackson office’s forecast area.

The National Weather Service in Louisville is predicting possible severe weather for areas of the state on May 20, following deadly tornadoes that struck parts of Kentucky in recent days. Multiple rounds of storms are possible, with the strongest storms to fall during the evening hours.

As Chairman of the (subcommittee) that funds the National Weather Service, I will work to ensure that our weather offices have the funding and staff necessary to keep our people safe,” Rep. Hal Rogers wrote in a statement.

The National Weather Service has completed the tornado assessment in Laurel County, Kentucky. The preliminary data showed high end EF3 damage, with low end EF4 indicators, mainly in the Sunshine Hills area of London,

Stormy weather on Tuesday is set to bring severe thunderstorms, flash flooding, potentially strong tornadoes and hurricane-force winds to the Southern Plains and several Southeastern states.