MIDDLESBORO — A severe storm rocked the Middlesboro and Tri-State area Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, leaving a wake of destruction in its path. Both Tuesday and Wednesday, tornado warnings were issued by the National Weather Service.

Many roads in the area were blocked because of fallen trees and crumpled telephone lines, according to reports.

Meteorologist Tony Edwards, who monitors Bell County’s weather through the National Weather Service office in Jackson, Ky., said a funnel cloud was spotted in Middlesboro Tuesday afternoon. A funnel cloud becomes a tornado when it touches the ground, explained Edwards.

He said that many funnel clouds were spotted in Southeastern Kentucky, though no tornado damage was reported.

The storms were caused by a cold front across eastern Kentucky.

“We had a cold front stall out in the general area,” said Edwards, who monitors 33 counties in southeastern Kentucky. “A disturbance rolled across that front. It developed a squall line that rolled east through part of the state accompanied by severe weather.”

Edwards explained that a squall line was a “solid line of thunderstorms.” In order for funnel clouds to develop, the winds get funneled down to the surface.

Throughout the Cumberland Valley region, Edwards said his office had no reported fatalities, and only one injury from Leslie County involving a tree falling on someone. He said that Bell County saw most of its reported damage and falling trees on Highway 119.

As of Wednesday morning, the Bell County Sheriff’s Office and Middlesboro Fire Department reported no new damage. Pineville Police Department said the only cleanup left was a downed power line on Tennessee Avenue.

Edwards said the storms would likely ease off by today and tomorrow.

Stephen Woodward is a Staff Writer for the Daily News. He may be contacted at swoodward@middlesborodailynews.com.