The Violent Tornado Outbreak of December 10-11, 2021

Summary:

A violent, long-track tornado entered Fulton County in western Kentucky from Obion County in northwest Tennessee shortly before 9:00 p.m. CST. The small community of Cayce in Fulton County was struck directly at 9:01 p.m. The tornado produced EF-4 damage in Cayce, including the total destruction of buildings and complete collapse of the walls in family homes. The tornado reached Hickman County at 9:06 p.m., where the tornado damaged 40 buildings, with at least 12 buildings completely destroyed. Moving northeast, the tornado raced through Graves County,  reaching the city of Mayfield at 9:26 p.m. Mayfield experienced profound damage, including the near-total destruction of Mayfield’s downtown historic district. Over 3,778 residences, 183 commercial properties, and 103 other buildings were either damaged or totally destroyed, including the county courthouse and the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory. Across Graves County, 24 people died, and at least 200 people were injured.

After moving through Mayfield, the tornado showed no signs of weakening as it tracked  northeast through rural eastern Graves County and western Marshall County. As it moved through forested areas, it uprooted thousands of trees. Numerous agricultural buildings and electrical and communication lines were also destroyed. In Marshall County, the tornado passed along the northwest edge of the city of Benton from 9:45 to 9:50 p.m. with estimated peak wind speeds of 140 MPH. Seven miles north of Benton in the small town of Briensburg, there were a few homes with large sections of roof structures removed, though most walls remained standing. Along the outskirts of the town were small barns or farm outbuildings with collapsed roofs. From there the tornado progressed over U.S. Highway 68, where power lines were destroyed along with collapsed metal truss towers, before arriving at the Cambridge Shores community on the western shore of Kentucky Lake at 9:57 p.m. One person died here, and the tornado produced EF-4 damage, including several homes with all the walls collapsed, large sections of roofs torn off, and uprooted  hardwood trees.  After crossing Kentucky Lake, the tornado thrashed across the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, where thousands of trees were ravaged. After crossing Lake Barkley on the eastern side of the recreation area, the tornado was now in Lyon County. One person perished near the western shore of Lake Barkley near Eddyville. 

At 10:14 p.m., the tornado reached Caldwell County. The most severe damage in Caldwell County occurred as the tornado passed just south of Princeton. A neighborhood near the Princeton Golf and Country Club was hit at 10:18 p.m., and several structures experienced EF-4 tornado damage. Many family residence homes experienced loss of significant roof covering material, collapsed chimneys and garage doors, and walls completely folded with broken windows and shattered glass. 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. Additionally dozens of vehicles were tossed hundreds of yards from the building’s parking lot.

 Continuing northeast, the tornado entered Dawson Springs in far eastern Hopkins County at 10:32 p.m. Still producing violent EF-4 damage, numerous homes and pieces of infrastructure suffered catastrophic damage. The worst of the damage occurred near the Dawson Springs park, where several homes were completely destroyed, including a few low rise apartment buildings. In this area, 15 residents of Dawson Springs perished. 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. South of Earlington, the tornado derailed a train, moving several rail cars several feet up an embankment next to the railroad tracks. In all, there were 15 fatalities, 200 injuries, and over 1500 damaged structures in Hopkins County. Around 10:55 p.m. the tornado left Hopkins County and entered Muhlenberg County, reaching the small community of Bremen at 11:00 p.m. Several homes experienced catastrophic EF-4 damage here. In Bremen, the tornado claimed the lives of 11 residents of the town of 300 people. After exiting Bremen, the tornado crossed through mainly rural areas of eastern Muhlenberg, Ohio, Breckenridge, and Grayson counties. Most of the damage in this area was to farm buildings, but some homes near the town of Hartford in Ohio County suffered EF-3 damage. The tornado finally weakened and dissipated near the Falls of Rough in Grayson County at 11:55 p.m. In all, the tornado covered over 165 miles in about three hours, claiming 57 lives and injuring over 500 people. The tornado was the deadliest in U.S. history to occur in the month of December. Its path length of 165 miles was the ninth longest tornado path ever recorded in the U.S. The tornado outbreak that took place this night over the western Kentucky region resulted in damage costs up to $3.5 billion. 

Damage Estimates by County:

Fulton County, KY:​
Deaths: 1
Injuries: 5
Structures damaged: 40
Structures destroyed: 21

Hickman County, KY:
Deaths: 0
Injuries: 5
Structures damaged: 40
Structures destroyed: 12

Graves County, KY:
Deaths: 24
Injuries: 200 to 225
Single family residences:
    1159 damaged and 730 destroyed
Commercial properties:
    165 damaged and 18 destroyed
Other structures:
    66 damaged and 37 destroyed

Marshall County, KY:
Deaths: 1
Injuries: 54
Structures damaged: 341
Structures destroyed or uninhabitable: 356

Lyon County, KY:
Deaths: 1
Injuries: 5
Structures damaged: 141
Structures destroyed: 45

Caldwell County, KY:
Deaths: 4
Injuries 11 (including 3 critically)
Structures damaged: Unknown
Structures destroyed: 300 (estimate)

Hopkins County, KY
Deaths: 15
Injuries: At least 200
Structures damaged: 1000 (estimate)
Structures destroyed: 500 (estimate)

Muhlenberg County, KY
Deaths: 11
Injuries: 25
Structures damaged: 81
Structures destroyed or uninhabitable: 84

Ohio, Breckenridge, and Grayson County, KY:
No deaths or injuries. 

Summary:

The first observed damage was in Newbern near Washington Street. The tornado moved northeast, uprooting and snapping numerous trees along its path. Several homes had significant roof damage. The tornado initially produced EF-1 damage but while progressing northeast, it continued to strengthen to EF3 as it approached Dresden, TN. Several buildings and homes in downtown Dresden suffered significant damage or were completely destroyed. The tornado slightly weakened and moved northeast toward Paris Landing and eventually crossed the Tennessee River. 5 people were injured in west Tennessee.

The tornado clipped the Fort Donelson National Battlefield area of extreme southeastern Calloway County, Kentucky where it blew down several trees, then crossed the Tennessee River into the
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 tornado struck a well constructed single
family brick home near Bear Creek where it took off the roof and top story. It then continued to travel northeast where it passed Indian Branch and Morgan Branch where it continued to uproot trees and destroyed some farm outbuildings, lifted the roofs off of some single and double wide mobile homes and completely flattened some barns and single wide structures. The most
widespread and severe damage in Stewart County was between Indian Branch and Morgan Branch, to the south of Bumpus Mills. The
tornado then continued northeast across the far northwest corner of Fort Campbell Army Base continuing to blow down trees before moving into Kentucky. The tornado received a maximum rating of EF2 in Stewart County, and 4 people were injured.

The tornado passed just south of the city of Lafayette, Kentucky where it immediately struck a barn and knocked down several electrical transmission lines. The tornado tracked northeast over mostly open country before causing significant damage to several homes off of Boddie Road and Darnell Road. More significant damage
occurred to several homes, farm outbuildings, and structures on Palmyra Road. A mobile home was completely demolished and significant roofing damage was done to a brick home on Herndon
Oak Grove Road. As the tornado approached Interstate 24, mostly tree damage was observed with a few structures impacted as well.
Once the tornado crossed Fort Campbell Blvd, additional damage to electrical transmission lines was observed including over a dozen wood poles snapped. The tornado continued northeast causing mostly tree damage before completely destroying four tobacco barns and damaging three equipment garages off of Bradshaw Road. Two other buildings were also heavily damaged along with multiple silos destroyed. Damage estimates were in the millions according to the owners for just this one farm. The tornado then took straight aim for the city of Pembroke where significant tree damage was observed along with multiple houses with roof damage. Once the tornado moved out of Pembroke, two mobile homes were completely
destroyed with the occupants injured. The tornado then crossed into Todd County where mostly tree damage and damage to farm/outbuildings were observed. The tornado then lifted just before impacting the city of Elkton where straight-line winds became dominant. The tornado received a maximum rating of EF2 in Christian County and EF1 in Todd County, and 4 people were
injured. The next tornado then touched back down just to the east across the Todd/Logan County line.

Summary:

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.

Numerous trees and large branches were broken near and along the Western Kentucky Parkway, starting at the Wendell Ford Regional Training Center grounds and continuing to near Central City.

Near the southwest city limit of Central City, a metal retail building suffered extensive loss and some damage to walls.  A house had roof damage and windows were blown out.  A nearby church had minor structural damage.  A road sign along the Western Kentucky Parkway was blown about a tenth of a mile near the end of the track.