Tornado Outbreak of December 10-11, 2021

[I-55]

Thread for discussing the outbreak on Dec 10-11, 2021.

Hardest hit areas at time of posting include Monette, AR and Mayfield, KY (from same tornado). This storm has produced remarkable radar imagery and may be the first EF5 tornado since May 20, 2013 in Moore, OK.

If I get a warned storm close enough to West Lafayette I might go out and chase tonight (wouldn't be my first time).

[ozarkman417]

I was quite lucky in that the bulk of the tornado-producing storms formed after the system passed through Springfield, and I needed it. I was stuck several miles from my home due to a flat tire and had to wait for an hour for AAA to do anything about it, shortly before the system swept through town, which prompted a Severe Thunderstorm Warning.

[ilpt4u]

WPSD-NBC 6 out of Paducah, KY was tracking the storm as it went thru WKY all night last night. The imagery of the aftermath is bad

RADAR indicated the tornado was over 1 mile in diameter, and it was the same tornado stretching from near Jonesboro, Arkansas to near Bowling Green, KY

Much of the path in KY followed the Purchase Parkway, which the weather guy for WPSD kept calling I-69 last night. But whatever, the weather teams on all the Local TV stations last night were calling for anyone in/near the path to get to shelter

Gov Beshear (KY) activated the KY National Guard early this morning to assist in the aftermath

[Ryctor2018]

Technically, the highway around Mayfield north to I-24 is I-69. It's been signed that way in the field for a few years. The section from the KY/TN state line to about mile marker 20 is still the Purchase Pkwy. Until maybe next year or 2023 at the latest when the Wingo interchange is upgraded to interstate standards.

[US 89]

RADAR indicated the tornado was over 1 mile in diameter, and it was the same tornado stretching from near Jonesboro, Arkansas to near Bowling Green, KY

No, Bowling Green was definitely a different tornado. That storm tracked up from around Clarksville TN.

What we do know is the tornado reports from Jonesboro AR northeast through Mayfield KY were all associated with the same parent supercell thunderstorm, which tracked from the Little Rock area up towards the Ohio border east of Cincinnati. It remains to be seen whether the tornado stayed on the ground the whole time, or if it lifted briefly at some point. If it lifted at some point along the path, even if it touched back down later, technically those are different tornadoes. NWS survey crews will be out there the next few days to determine that as well as assign damage ratings.

[Stephane Dumas]

RADAR indicated the tornado was over 1 mile in diameter, and it was the same tornado stretching from near Jonesboro, Arkansas to near Bowling Green, KY

No, Bowling Green was definitely a different tornado. That storm tracked up from around Clarksville TN.

What we do know is the tornado reports from Jonesboro AR northeast through Mayfield KY were all associated with the same parent supercell thunderstorm, which tracked from the Little Rock area up towards the Ohio border east of Cincinnati. It remains to be seen whether the tornado stayed on the ground the whole time, or if it lifted briefly at some point. If it lifted at some point along the path, even if it touched back down later, technically those are different tornadoes. NWS survey crews will be out there the next few days to determine that as well as assign damage ratings.

Does the tornado who hit the Amazon warehouse at Edwardsville in Illinois is part of the same supercell thunderstorm?

[ilpt4u]

Does the tornado who hit the Amazon warehouse at Edwardsville in Illinois is part of the same supercell thunderstorm?

No, the tornado activity in the St Louis area, including the Edwardsville tornado, were a separate storm front, pretty sure.

AFA my comment about the long track toward Bowling Green, could have sworn I read one of the Pro's this morning that made that comment, but yes, looking up the track, that would have involved a major NE trajectory to SE trajectory turn, which never happened. So Bowling Green was a different tornado

[US 89]

Does the tornado who hit the Amazon warehouse at Edwardsville in Illinois is part of the same supercell thunderstorm?

No, the tornado activity in the St Louis area, including the Edwardsville tornado, were a separate storm front, pretty sure.

AFA my comment about the long track toward Bowling Green, could have sworn I read one of the Pro's this morning that made that comment, but yes, looking up the track, that would have involved a major NE trajectory to SE trajectory turn, which never happened. So Bowling Green was a different tornado

I mean, all the tornadoes were part of the same large-scale storm system... but yeah the Edwardsville tornado did come from a different supercell thunderstorm than the Jonesboro-Mayfield and Bowling Green supercells.

I bet what you read was just commenting about the insane length of the Jonesboro-Mayfield supercell and tornado path length. The parent supercell thunderstorm tracked over 500 miles. If it is confirmed that the tornado damage produced was all one continuous track, as opposed to lifting and reforming, it would be the longest continuous tornado track in history and the first 4-state tornado ever (AR-MO-TN-KY). Those are both records currently held by the Tri-State Tornado of 1925, which is believed to have cut a 219-mile track through MO/IL/IN.

Personally, I doubt the Quad-State Tornado from yesterday was on the ground the whole time, but I'm also not convinced the 1925 Tri-State was either. Either way - a historic tornado happened last night.

[I-55]

For future clarification, there was a line of severe thunderstorms that stretched from Lake Michigan all the way to Texas. There were multiple supercells ahead of the line, including the Monette-Mayfield cell, the Bowling Green Cell, the Edwardsville cell, and the Nashville cells.

[NWI_Irish96]

So, this is far less significant than the tornado that killed dozens in AR-TN-KY, but there was a confirmed EF-0 tornado about 10 miles south of here. Tornadoes this far north in December are incredibly rare.

[CoreySamson]

The footage of the Quad-State Tornado reminds me heavily of the Greensburg 2007 tornado. Horrifying.

This is not the first EF5-equivalent tornado on record in the US in December. An outbreak on December 18, 1957 generated 13 violent tornadoes (one F5) in similar areas of the country. Also, just 4 years earlier, Vicksburg, MS was hit by an F5 in December. More recently, in December 2000, Tuscaloosa, AL was hit with an F4.

This goes to show that although violent tornadoes are a rarity in December, they nonetheless can happen then, or any time of year, if conditions are right.

[hbelkins]

My colleague who lives in Bowling Green and works in the Bowling Green KYTC district office had his home severely damaged to the point that it may be declared a total loss. He's OK, though.

I was far enough east that all we got was rain, and a gusty cloudburst around daybreak, then another gusty cloudburst around noon when the cold front came through. We didn't even have any thunder or lightning, although I understand we may have been under an active tornado warning (possibly due to weak radar-indicated rotation).

[Rothman]

My colleague who lives in Bowling Green and works in the Bowling Green KYTC district office had his home severely damaged to the point that it may be declared a total loss. He's OK, though.

I was far enough east that all we got was rain, and a gusty cloudburst around daybreak, then another gusty cloudburst around noon when the cold front came through. We didn't even have any thunder or lightning, although I understand we may have been under an active tornado warning (possibly due to weak radar-indicated rotation).

I've got a cousin in Richmond and Berea was hit.

[Chrysler375Freeway]

My colleague who lives in Bowling Green and works in the Bowling Green KYTC district office had his home severely damaged to the point that it may be declared a total loss. He's OK, though.

I was far enough east that all we got was rain, and a gusty cloudburst around daybreak, then another gusty cloudburst around noon when the cold front came through. We didn't even have any thunder or lightning, although I understand we may have been under an active tornado warning (possibly due to weak radar-indicated rotation).

That cell that produced the tornado in Mayfield went a long way before dissipating:

Notable places impacted are in the picture. I think it may have made history as the first four-state tornado. By the time that storm hit the Maysville area, it was a pariah of what it was over Mayfield. In Bowling Green, the public works requested police presence due to people driving around roadblocks, moving barricades, and looting.

[froggie]

Personally, I doubt the Quad-State Tornado from yesterday was on the ground the whole time, but I'm also not convinced the 1925 Tri-State was either. Either way - a historic tornado happened last night.

There is radar evidence to indicate that it was on the ground for most if not all of that 200+ miles. 

[Life in Paradise]

What is relieving to know is that many people took the warnings seriously.  Even in the candle factory in Mayfield, the employees had gone to the safest area, but the devastation was so bad that many lost their lives.  If there had not been the advance warnings, I would guess that only a handful would have come out of that.  In 1925 there was no advance warning sirens, television, or doppler radar.  That's why there were so many dead in that tornado with several cities losing 100% of their buildings.  This could have been a much worse loss of life event, and I'm thankful that we do have more tools today.

[Road Hog]

That supercell took 10 hours to travel from west of Little Rock to east of Cincinnati, Ohio. That's why it never had a chance to occlude. It was bookin' it.

[I-39]

Has the main tornado that hit Mayfield been rated yet?

Here in the Nashville area, we had a few tornado warnings, but it mostly stayed northwest sans an EF2 that went through the Dickson area. By the time it came to Nashville, it was mostly winds. I believe a 78 mph wind gust was recorded at Nashville International Airport.

[CapeCodder]

That supercell took 10 hours to travel from west of Little Rock to east of Cincinnati, Ohio. That's why it never had a chance to occlude. It was bookin' it.

It sure was booking it. I recall reading about a tornado or thunderstorm outbreak in North Carolina that featured a left moving supercell that was moving at speeds between 90-120 mph.

[hbelkins]

My colleague who lives in Bowling Green and works in the Bowling Green KYTC district office had his home severely damaged to the point that it may be declared a total loss. He's OK, though.

I was far enough east that all we got was rain, and a gusty cloudburst around daybreak, then another gusty cloudburst around noon when the cold front came through. We didn't even have any thunder or lightning, although I understand we may have been under an active tornado warning (possibly due to weak radar-indicated rotation).

I've got a cousin in Richmond and Berea was hit.

The NWS Louisville office is surveying damaged locations now and I haven't heard any reports out of Madison County as to whether it was a tornado or just strong winds. There was damage reported in Kirksville (west of Richmond and northwest of Berea) and that area was hit by a tornado a few years ago. I used to drive through there fairly often and could see the damage to trees.

Bowling Green has been rated an F-3. (Or do they call them EF now instead of just F?)

[TXtoNJ]

Has the main tornado that hit Mayfield been rated yet?

Here in the Nashville area, we had a few tornado warnings, but it mostly stayed northwest sans an EF2 that went through the Dickson area. By the time it came to Nashville, it was mostly winds. I believe a 78 mph wind gust was recorded at Nashville International Airport.

Preliminary EF-3+ (that is, aerial surveys confirm at the least EF-3 damage, and experts are surveying specific damage points to confirm possible EF-4 or EF-5 damage).

[Chrysler375Freeway]

My colleague who lives in Bowling Green and works in the Bowling Green KYTC district office had his home severely damaged to the point that it may be declared a total loss. He's OK, though.

I was far enough east that all we got was rain, and a gusty cloudburst around daybreak, then another gusty cloudburst around noon when the cold front came through. We didn't even have any thunder or lightning, although I understand we may have been under an active tornado warning (possibly due to weak radar-indicated rotation).

I've got a cousin in Richmond and Berea was hit.

The NWS Louisville office is surveying damaged locations now and I haven't heard any reports out of Madison County as to whether it was a tornado or just strong winds. There was damage reported in Kirksville (west of Richmond and northwest of Berea) and that area was hit by a tornado a few years ago. I used to drive through there fairly often and could see the damage to trees.

Bowling Green has been rated an F-3. (Or do they call them EF now instead of just F?)

They call them EF. On that scale, the 150+ mph winds would have made it an F2. On that note, Canada stopped calling them F and started calling them EF. The Bowling Green tornado was in fact rated at an EF3.

[Road Hog]

The EF scale is just an update of the original Fujita Scale. It was adopted in the US in 2007 and more accurately matches wind speed with damage.

Anything greater than EF-5 is not possible in this scale because EF-5 represents complete destruction and removal of debris (i.e. a clean slab foundation).

[STLmapboy]

Six people confirmed dead at the Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville now.

[edwaleni]

A woman in New Albany, Indiana woke up and found a picture from a photo album in Dawson Springs, KY laying calmly on her windshield.

166 miles away.

https://www.lex18.com/news/a-ky-family-photo-sent-flying-by-the-tornado-is-found-in-indiana