Mayfield Tornado (2021)

This historic EF-4 tornado was associated with a very long-track supercell that originally formed over eastern Arkansas. The supercell produced a nearly continuous tornado damage path from northeast Arkansas across western Tennessee and western Kentucky. The starting point of this particular tornado was in northwest Tennessee, northwest of Union City (see Storm Data, Tennessee, Western for information on the beginning of this tornado). This tornado crossed from Graves County into Marshall County along Interstate 69 about seven miles west-southwest of Benton. The tornado widened to nearly 1.5 miles (2450 yards) soon after crossing into Marshall County. The tornado width fluctuated from 0.8 mile to nearly 1.5 miles during its trek across the county. The community most impacted was Cambridge Shores, a rather dense subdivision of vacation homes and some luxury homes on Kentucky Lake. This is the only location in Marshall County where the tornado achieved a rating of EF-4. This community was the site of the only fatalities in Marshall County. A 78-year-old female resident died in the hallway of her house. Another elderly woman died of a heart attack while trying to remove debris (indirect). There were numerous homes in Cambridge Shores that were levelled, including the loss of all walls (DI 2, DOD 9). Some homes were wiped off the foundation. Marshall County's highest wind speed estimate of 170 mph was assigned to the damage in the Cambridge Shores area. A total of 356 structures in Marshall County were destroyed or uninhabitable. Another 341 structures sustained light to moderate damage. A number of vehicles were thrown and destroyed, including some that landed in Kentucky Lake. Nearly total tree destruction was observed in the Cambridge Shores area. After crossing into Marshall County, the tornado path stayed over Interstate 69 from the county line to about three miles west of Benton. In this area a few miles west of Benton, a home was blown off its foundation and a few other homes were demolished (DI 2, DOD 9). The tornado narrowly missed the county seat of Benton, passing only a mile or two northwest of the downtown area. Where the tornado crossed U.S. 641 just north of Benton, a home was destroyed with the exception of some interior walls (DI 2, DOD 8). The tornado crossed U.S. Highway 68 about one mile southeast of the county high school, then continued on to Cambridge Shores. The tornado exited Marshall County into Lyon County over Kentucky Lake, about 1.5 miles east-northeast of Cambridge Shores.

On the evening of Friday, December 10, 2021, a potent storm system moving across the central United States resulted in significant long-track tornadoes. A violent EF-4 tornado began in far northwest Tennessee, and moved across western Kentucky, resulting in dozens of lost lives and a swath of destruction. The tornado was on the ground for 128 miles within the NWS Paducah forecast area, and the total path length was about 165 miles from Obion County, TN to Breckinridge County, KY. Another long-track EF-3 tornado started in Dyer County, TN, and traveled about 125 miles through northwest Tennessee and into Christian and Todd Counties in western Kentucky. A strong upper-level trough over the western Plains induced a deepening surface low that tracked northeast across the Iowa/Illinois border. A very strong and deep southwest wind flow brought moist and unstable air into the Tennessee and lower Ohio Valleys. Record high temperatures were recorded, including a high of 73 at Paducah. The combination of very strong winds aloft, unseasonably warm conditions, and a strong low pressure system were ideal for this tornado outbreak.