| |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | December 10, 2021, 8:54 p.m. CST (UTC−06:00) |
| Dissipated | December 10, 2021, 11:48 p.m. CST (UTC−06:00) |
| Duration | 2 hours, 54 minutes |
| EF4 tornado | |
| on the Enhanced Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | 190 mph (310 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 57 (+1 indirect)[1][2] |
| Injuries | 519 |
| Areas affected | Obion County, Tennessee and Western Kentucky, United States |
Part of the tornado outbreak of December 10–11, 2021 and tornado outbreaks of 2021 | |
During the late evening of Friday, December 10, 2021, a violent, long-tracked, EF4-intensity tornado, sometimes referred to as the Western Kentucky tornado,[3] Mayfield tornado,[4] or The Beast,[5] moved across Western Kentucky, United States, producing severe-to-catastrophic damage in numerous towns, including Mayfield, Princeton, Dawson Springs, and Bremen.[2] This tornado was the second significant tornado in an exceedingly long-tracked tornado family; it began just inside northern Obion County, Tennessee – a few miles after another long-tracked tornado that traveled through northeast Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel, and northwest Tennessee – and dissipated in western Obion County.[6] After crossing into Kentucky, the tornado moved through eleven counties of the Jackson Purchase and Western Coal Field regions, at times becoming wrapped in rain during its almost three-hour lifespan that covered 165.6 miles (266.5 km). It was the deadliest and longest-tracked tornado in an outbreak that produced numerous, strong tornadoes in several states; this tornado caused 57 deaths.[2]
Early estimates suggested the tornado family, which some media outlets described as a "Quad-State tornado" due to the storm's long track and similarity to the 219-mile (352 km) Tri-State tornado of 1925, might have traveled 250 miles (400 km) on the ground, making it the longest-tracked tornado in history.[7][8][9] Storm surveys found the majority of the storm's path consisted of two separate EF4 tornadoes, and three weak, short-lived tornadoes in between them in northwestern Obion County, Tennessee. The parent supercell that produced the two EF4 tornadoes, and eleven tornadoes in total, later became known as the Quad-State supercell.
- ^ The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's finalized damage survey by county
- National Weather Service in Memphis, Tennessee; National Centers for Environmental Information (March 19, 2022). "Tennessee Event Report: EF4 Tornado (Obion County)". Storm Event Database. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Paducah, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Louisville, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Louisville, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Louisville, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Louisville, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- "Kentucky Event Report: EF4 Tornado". National Centers for Environmental Information. National Weather Service in Louisville, Kentucky. 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- ^ a b c "Dec 10–11, 2021 Tornado Event". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Paducah, Kentucky. January 25, 2022. Archived from the original on December 12, 2021. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
- ^ "How far did deadly Western Kentucky tornado travel? NWS sets preliminary distance". Lexington Herald-Leader. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- ^ National Centers for Environmental Information (January 2022). "December 2021 National Climate Report". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
The historic "Mayfield tornado," as its commonly called, was on the ground for 165.7 miles, had peak winds of 190 mph, and resulted in 55+ fatalities.
- ^
- Spoden, Pat; Wielgos, Christine (March 23, 2022). "The December 10-11, 2021 West Kentucky Tornado Rated EF4 - The Beast". NASA. National Weather Service Paducah, Kentucky. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
- Pelley, Scott (December 19, 2021). "Stories and science from the devastating December 10-11 tornado outbreak". CBS News. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
One meteorologist we talked with called that tornado, "the beast."
- "One Year Later, Mayfield Coming Back after Devastating Tornado". Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. December 13, 2022. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
Just before 9:30 that evening, one of the strongest tornadoes to hit the United States in the past decade—a storm so ferocious it moved one National Weather meteorologist to nickname it "the Beast"—roared through the center of downtown Mayfield.
- "Community Ventures; USDA Help Local Market Remain Open After Western KY Tornadoes". CVKY. Community Ventures. July 19, 2024. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
Shortly after opening, in December of 2021 a historic twister dubbed 'The Beast' by the weather service ripped a path of devastation across four states, effectively leveling the town of Mayfield.
- Craig, Berry (March 17, 2022). "Union members nationwide rally to Kentucky brothers and sisters hit by tornadoes". People's World. Retrieved November 13, 2024.
He knew nothing of the massive tornado system dubbed "The Beast" until he saw shocking news reports on TV at home in Louisville.
- ^ "December 10–11, 2021 Tornado Outbreak". National Weather Service Forecast Office in Memphis, Tennessee. December 15, 2021. Archived from the original on December 20, 2021. Retrieved December 20, 2021.
- ^ Ryan Reynolds (December 11, 2021). "Kentucky tornado may have broken 1925 'Tri-State Tornado's' longest continuous path record". Evansville Courier & Press. Archived from the original on December 11, 2021. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
- ^ "How the 'Quad States' tornado happened". WCPO. December 14, 2021. Archived from the original on December 14, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ "Longest tornado ever? Deadly twister that hit 5 states may set record". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on March 17, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2021.