December 13, 2021: HQ-21-260: Release Date: . The Violent Tornado Outbreak of December 10-11, 2021 Three other tornadoes were reported in Kentucky overnight, though those storms are believed to have been smaller than the one that hit Mayfield. To the northeast of Dawson Springs and Interstate 69 there was damage to small barns and other farm outbuildings, along with roofs and walls separated from floor and undercarriages of manufactured homes. The tornado tracked northeast over mostly open country before causing significant damage to several homes off of Boddie Road and Darnell Road. 2021 Western Kentucky tornado 1 language During the late evening of Friday, December 10, 2021, a violent, long-tracked EF4 tornado moved across Western Kentucky, producing severe to catastrophic damage in numerous towns, including Mayfield, Princeton, Dawson Springs, and Bremen. Lucas Aulbach can be reached at laulbach@courier-journal.com, 502-582-4649 or on Twitter @LucasAulbach. Damage in this area was rated EF2 to low-end EF3.[26]. The tornado entered a flatter area to the west of Hartford and began to intensify once more, and large steel power poles were bent over or broken along Johnson School Road, earning an EF3 rating. To be exact, 72 of those counties are without obstetric services. Deaths: 1 After the dissipation of that tornado in Obion County northeast of Samburg, the supercell produced three weak, brief tornadoes before this one formed several miles to the northeast. Deaths: 4 [18][19], The SPC issued a record-setting 43 mesoscale discussions (MCD) throughout the course of the day (12 UTC December 10 to 12 UTC December 11), all of which were associated with the broader storm system: 38 of the MCDs issued were convective discussions relating to the severe thunderstorm activity, and five were non-convective discussions relating to heavy snow associated with the system that concurrently fell throughout much of the Upper Midwest. Photos: Before and after satellite images reveal extent of tornadoes Experimental Graphical Hazardous Weather Outlook, Evansville Local Standard Radar (low bandwidth), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Before and after satellite imagery of downtown Mayfield. [74] The following January, the factory closed and Mayfield Consumer Products laid off approximately 250 workers there, shifting operations and the remaining workers to a new plant in the nearby town of Hickory.[75]. [41] Damage continued through the Briensburg community at EF2 intensity, where homes sustained partial to total roof loss, outbuildings were damaged or destroyed, and a metal truss tower collapsed. Mayfield is south of Paducah, a town in Western Kentucky with an estimated population of about 25,000 people. Kentucky tornado path map: See the deadly, 200-mile path Past Barnsley, the tornado passed through an unpopulated swampy area, where more large trees were snapped or uprooted, and damage was rated EF2. Tornado Watch Map, Forecast for Tennessee, Kentucky - Newsweek Scott County to install tornado shelters near mobile home parks This area endured some of the worst damage of the fierce storm front. (Chris Conley/270 Drones Aerial Imagery), Tornado devastation in Bremen on December 13, 2021. Many family residence homes experienced. List of F5 and EF5 tornadoes - Wikipedia Mon 13 Dec 2021 05.26 EST Last modified on Mon 13 Dec 2021 07.51 EST. Share on Facebook; . The large and well-constructed Graves County Courthouse had much of its roof torn off, its clock tower collapsed, and it had some of its exterior upper-floor walls knocked down. Another person remains missing in Lake County, he said. After crossing Kentucky Lake, the tornado thrashed across the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, where thousands of trees were ravaged. Some outbuildings were also damaged or destroyed in this area. Recovery efforts begin after tornadoes rip through several states Tornado #3 - EF-1Tornado near Central City, KY. A relatively weak and short-lived tornado occurred on the evening of December 10, 2021,in central Muhlenberg County prior to the larger and more powerful EF-4 tornado in northern parts of the county. The tornado continued northeast causing mostly tree damage before completely destroying four tobacco barns and damaging three equipment garages off of Bradshaw Road. Kentucky tornado could break historic record for distance | Lexington . [28], The National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency for Mayfield at 9:26p.m. CST (03:26 UTC) as the now-massive wedge tornado approached the town from the southwest. 200 PHOTOS . Click to enlarge. AFTER (right): this image shows the damage to homes and buildings after the tornado in Mayfield, Ky. on Dec. 11, 2021. ", "To lose a loved one in a storm like this is an unimaginable tragedy," Biden said on Twitter. Andy Beshear. After moving northeast a half mile (0.8km), it crossed the TennesseeKentucky state line near the community of State Line in Fulton County, causing additional EF0 tree damage. Land Between the Lakes area of Stewart County and did massive tree damage to heavily wooded areas uprooting thousands of trees along its path. The Graves County Courthouse in Mayfield was also heavily damaged in Friday night's deadly tornado, according to the statement. The tornado passed closest to Princeton around 10:21 p.m. Just south of the city, the University of Kentucky Research and Education Center experienced severe structural damage. Regional radar loop across the Lower Ohio and Mississippi River valleys from 6 PM Dec. 10 to 8 AM Dec. 11. The storms caused tornadoes to form in the early evening hours west of Kentucky. Hundreds of trees were downed along Cane Ford Road, and an abandoned trailer home was destroyed. However, the National Weather Service did not confirm this.[48][49]. "This will be, I believe, the deadliest tornado system to ever run through Kentucky," he added. Interactive Damage Survey Map- Zoom in and click the points to see damage information and pictures. The tornado initially caused minor damage to trees and roofs as it moved through the north side of Woodland Mills, crossing SR 5. Paducah, KY8250 Kentucky Highway 3520West Paducah, KY 42086-9762270-744-6440Comments? (NWS Storm Survey), Graves County Courthouse in downtown Mayfield. Despite a COVID-19 surge in Kentucky, Beshear said hospitals were in good shape. Injuries: 5 The Paducah officealso saidan aerial assessment of damage appearedto show an "historic long track tornado" that was at least three-quarters of a mile wide in Kentucky as it went from southwest of Cayce in Fulton County to at least Beaver Dam in Ohio County. Dual polarization radar imagery showed that the tornado had lofted debris up to 30,000 feet (9,100m) into the air as it impacted the city. Damaged vehicles and personal property are strewn over a wide area, Dec. 11, 2021, in Bremen, Ky, after a devastating tornado swept through the area overnight. A tale of two loads of Kentucky tornado relief collected, distributed During the late evening of Friday, December 10, 2021, a violent, long-tracked EF4 tornado moved across Western Kentucky, producing severe to catastrophic damage in numerous towns, including Mayfield, Princeton, Dawson Springs, and Bremen. In all, there were 15 fatalities, 200 injuries, and over 1500 damaged structures in Hopkins County. The storm spawned one single. There were at least 22 reported tornadoes across six states: Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee. [11] One of the first tornadoes associated with the storm, an EF0, touched down in western Poinsett County (near Weiner) around 6:40p.m. CST; about fifteen minutes later, storm spotters reported a large tornado near Greenfield, prompting a PDS tornado warning for portions of Poinsett, Craighead and Mississippi counties (including areas to the south of Jonesboro). :EF3, or higherEarly estimates of the strength and size of the main Kentucky tornado. The Associated Press has confirmed the deaths of 22 people in Kentucky from the storms, as search and rescue missions are ongoing. "This has been the most devastating tornado event in our state's history," Beshear said during a Saturday morning press briefing. [31][32][29][30] Allegedly, workers' jobs had been threatened if they left the factory between the first and second tornado warnings for the area a tornado warning had been issued earlier that evening at approximately 5:30p.m. CST and then again after the second tornado warning was issued after 9:00p.m. Hundreds of trees were downed in this area, and a couple of structures sustained minor damage. Unreal #kywx", "Kentucky tornado updates: Death toll now 76; another Mayfield candle factory worker dies", "We're out here at the UK Research Center in Princeton and this is the most intense tornado damage I've ever seen in my life", "Damage Survey of the Mayfield, KY Tornado: 10 December 2021", "Tornado Emergency For Dawson Springs and St. Charles", "Dawson Springs mother clutched her 2 kids in bed when the storm lifted her mattress into the air", "Photo from tornado-damaged home lands almost 130 miles away", "1.) [26], Soon after, it intensified again and crossed into Caldwell County, producing EF4 damage as it impacted the south edge of Princeton, where a tornado emergency was issued. A nearby church had minor structural damage. [54] Among the fatalities was District Judge Brian Crick, who represented Muhlenberg and McLean counties, as confirmed in a statement from the Supreme Court of Kentucky on December 11. After moving through Mayfield, the tornado showed no signs of weakening as it tracked northeast through rural eastern Graves County and western Marshall County. [4] The following day, the SPC discussed higher certainty in a corridor of organized severe thunderstorm potential stretching from southeastern Arkansas northeast into southern Indiana, upgrading that region to an enhanced risk. The cell began exhibiting surface-based rotation southwest of Searcy, Arkansas around 5:30p.m. CST (23:30UTC). [70], Accusations that factory management prohibited workers from leaving the candle factory in Mayfield before the tornado struck were reported on December 13. Kentucky tornadoes: up to 100 feared dead in historic US - The Guardian 'Quad-State Tornado' crossed four states in four hours, a rare December About. The tornado paralleled the OhioGrayson county line, and very briefly crossed a bend in the Rough River into Grayson County. The report notes that the tornado damage rating might have been higher had more wind resistant structures been encountered. "This has been one of the toughest nights in Kentucky history,and some areas have been hit in ways that are hard to put into words," Beshear said. (NWS Storm Survey), Tossed vehicles and destroyed buildings in Mayfield. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their loved ones, and everyone impacted by the storm. Five others suffered serious injuries. As many as 70 people are believed to have been killed in western Kentucky, and the death toll could exceed 100, according to Gov. On Thursday, the National Weather Service tweeted that the portion of the tornado that traveled through through Western Kentucky was given a preliminary damage rating of EF4. MAYFIELD, Ky. Three days after tornadoes tore a 200-mile wound through Kentucky, scores of people remained unaccounted for on Monday. Still producing violent EF-4 damage, numerous homes and pieces of infrastructure suffered catastrophic damage. Local residents walk past the scene of a train derailment after a devastating outbreak of tornadoes ripped through several states in Earlington, Ky., on Dec. 11, 2021. The tornado continued to devastate residential areas, levelling or sweeping homes from their foundations. Structures damaged: 40 Some of the worst damage in Bremen occurred along Bethlehem Cemetery Road, where a row of four homes were obliterated, with debris scattered and wind-rowed long distances through fields across the street. of Oklahoma), Regional radar loop across the Lower Ohio and Mid-Mississippi River valleys from 6 PM Dec. 10 to 8 AM Dec. 11. The death toll in the "most severe tornado event in Kentucky's history" may end up "exceeding 100 before the day is done," Beshear said. [45] 14 people were killed in the Dawson Springs area, and many others were injured. [26], The tornado reached a peak width of 1.5 miles (2.4km), and was on the ground for nearly three hours, tracking 165.6 miles (266.5km) from Woodland Mills to Rough River Dam State Resort Park. [26][56] Damage of up to high-end EF2 intensity occurred beyond this point as the tornado crossed Humble Valley Road, Halls Creek Road, and Mount Vernon Road before passing north of Olaton. . Residential areas in the northern part of Dawson Springs were devastated, with entire blocks of homes destroyed, many of which were leveled or swept from their foundations. Crick served McLean and Muhlenberg counties, the court said. "For those that have seen it, what it's done here in Graves County and elsewhere, it is indescribable.". The tornado received a maximum rating of EF2 in Christian County and EF1 in Todd County, and 4 people were Observations EF3 damage continued past this point as homes and metal truss towers were destroyed. Deaths: 15 Beshear has activated the National Guard, with 181 guardsmen deployed for search and rescue and recovery operations. Many homes were destroyed along this portion of the path, including several that were obliterated and completely swept away, with little debris remaining. Structures damaged: Unknown A tornado near Hornersville, Missouri, was on the ground at about 8 p.m. local time. Photos by Jeff Stevens on facebook", "Tragic tornado damage to neighborhood on NW side of Bremen, KY", "Kentucky district judge confirmed dead in tornado outbreak", "NWS Damage Survey for 12/10/2021 Tornado Event Ohio/Breckinridge/Grayson County Kentucky Tornado", "One Year Later, Tornado Recovery Continues to Make Progress", "Kentucky tornado survivors living in limbo nearly one year later", "Kentucky hardest hit as storms leave dozens dead in 5 states", "Governor Andy Beshear declares a State of Emergency after Western Kentucky tornadoes", "Mayfield, Ky., mayor: 'There's always hope. Tornado damaged businesses after multiple tornadoes tore through the area, Dec. 11, 2021, in Mayfield, Ky. A line of severe storms sparked tornadoes overnight in Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois and Arkansas. At least six people died in the collapse, Illinois Gov. Drone footage from storm chaser Brandon Clement shows the devastation left by a powerful storm in Mayfield, Kentucky. He joined the newspaper in September 2021 after previously working with . [26], Past Midway, the tornado became violent and reached EF4 strength again, producing catastrophic damage as it made a direct hit on the city of Dawson Springs, located along the CaldwellHopkins county line. On the evening of Friday, December 10, 2021, a potent storm system moving across the central United States resulted in widespread severe weather across the region, including a significant long track tornadoes. A 58th fatality was the result of a heart attack while clearing debris and is listed as indirect. I bailed eastward about 15 seconds later", "Tornado Emergency For Earlington and Afton, KY", "Kentucky tornado derails a train in Hopkins County; one car lands on home", "Before and after photos from a newly constructed home in Bremen. A mother and her three children survived with relatively minor injuries by hanging on to a mattress as they were thrown 200 feet through the air into a field after the tornado swept their Dawson Springs home from its foundation.