Alert archive / Kentucky / Tornado Watches in 2021
Tornado Watch 554
The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at Dec 10, 2021, 7:21 PM EST for 4 states. It was in force for 10 hr.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- Dec 10, 2021, 7:21 PM EST (00:21 UTC)
- Expired
- Dec 11, 2021, 5:14 AM EST
- In force
- 10 hr
- Issued by
- the Storm Prediction Center
- Largest hail expected
- 1.5 in
- Strongest gust expected
- 70 kt
All 80 counties
Clark County, IN, Crawford County, IN, Dubois County, IN, Floyd County, IN, Harrison County, IN, Jefferson County, IN, Orange County, IN, Perry County, IN, Scott County, IN, Washington County, IN, Allen County, KY, Anderson County, KY, Barren County, KY, Breckinridge County, KY, Bullitt County, KY, Butler County, KY, Christian County, KY, Edmonson County, KY, Franklin County, KY, Grayson County, KY, Green County, KY, Hancock County, KY, Hardin County, KY, Hart County, KY, Henry County, KY, Jefferson County, KY, Larue County, KY, Logan County, KY, Marion County, KY, Meade County, KY, Metcalfe County, KY, Monroe County, KY, Muhlenberg County, KY, Nelson County, KY, Ohio County, KY, Oldham County, KY, Shelby County, KY, Simpson County, KY, Spencer County, KY, Taylor County, KY, Todd County, KY, Trimble County, KY, Warren County, KY, Washington County, KY, Alcorn County, MS, Benton County, MS, Itawamba County, MS, Lafayette County, MS, Lee County, MS, Pontotoc County, MS, Prentiss County, MS, Tippah County, MS, Tishomingo County, MS, Union County, MS, Benton County, TN, Cheatham County, TN, Chester County, TN, Davidson County, TN, Decatur County, TN, Dickson County, TN, Hardin County, TN, Henderson County, TN, Hickman County, TN, Houston County, TN, Humphreys County, TN, Lawrence County, TN, Lewis County, TN, Macon County, TN, Maury County, TN, McNairy County, TN, Montgomery County, TN, Perry County, TN, Robertson County, TN, Rutherford County, TN, Stewart County, TN, Sumner County, TN, Trousdale County, TN, Wayne County, TN, Williamson County, TN, Wilson County, TN
The radar
The Ft Campbell radar (KHPX), 69 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:21 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
What SPC expected
The probabilities SPC published with the watch, for the watch area over its life.
- Two or more tornadoes
- 70%
- One or more EF2 to EF5 tornadoes
- 40%
- Ten or more severe wind reports
- 60%
- One or more gusts of 65 knots or more
- 40%
- Ten or more severe hail reports
- 20%
- One or more hailstones of 2 inches or more
- 10%
- Six or more combined severe hail and wind reports
- 80%
Warnings issued inside it
66 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 10, 8:12 PM EST | Tornado Warning | PAH | Hopkins, McLean, Muhlenberg | 48 min |
| Dec 10, 8:48 PM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Ohio | 57 min |
| Dec 10, 9:19 PM EST | Tornado Warning | PAH | Christian, Hopkins, Muhlenberg | 41 min |
| Dec 10, 9:24 PM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Breckinridge, Hancock | 36 min |
| Dec 10, 9:26 PM EST | Tornado Warning | PAH | Caldwell, Christian, Hopkins, Trigg | 34 min |
| Dec 10, 9:32 PM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Ohio | 30 min |
| Dec 10, 9:48 PM EST | Tornado Warning | PAH | Christian, Hopkins, Muhlenberg | 42 min |
| Dec 10, 10:21 PM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Ohio | 39 min |
| Dec 10, 10:25 PM EST | Tornado Warning | PAH | McLean, Muhlenberg | 20 min |
| Dec 10, 10:37 PM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Harrison | 17 min |
| Dec 10, 11:09 PM EST | Tornado Warning | PAH | Caldwell, Christian, Hopkins, Lyon | 51 min |
| Dec 10, 11:36 PM EST | Tornado Warning | PAH | Hopkins, McLean, Muhlenberg | 39 min |
| Dec 10, 11:42 PM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Ohio | 63 min |
| Dec 10, 11:44 PM EST | Tornado Warning | PAH | Hopkins, Muhlenberg | 31 min |
| Dec 10, 11:58 PM EST | Tornado Warning | PAH | McLean, Muhlenberg | 17 min |
| Dec 11, 12:07 AM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Breckinridge, Grayson, Hancock | 53 min |
| Dec 11, 12:29 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Stewart | 46 min |
| Dec 11, 12:51 AM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Breckinridge, Hardin, Meade | 39 min |
| Dec 11, 1:03 AM EST | Tornado Warning | PAH | Christian, Trigg | 42 min |
| Dec 11, 1:03 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Montgomery, Stewart | 16 min |
| Dec 11, 1:19 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OHX | Montgomery, Stewart | 41 min |
| Dec 11, 1:29 AM EST | Tornado Warning | PAH | Todd | 21 min |
| Dec 11, 1:36 AM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Logan, Simpson | 39 min |
| Dec 11, 1:41 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Bullitt, Nelson, Spencer | 34 min |
| Dec 11, 1:44 AM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Bullitt, Nelson, Shelby, Spencer | 46 min |
| Dec 11, 1:58 AM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Butler, Edmonson, Logan, Simpson, Warren | 47 min |
| Dec 11, 2:25 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Benton, Carroll, Chester, Decatur, Gibson, Hardeman and 2 more | 65 min |
| Dec 11, 2:27 AM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Metcalfe, Warren | 48 min |
| Dec 11, 2:28 AM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Franklin, Scott | 20 min |
| Dec 11, 2:28 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OHX | Stewart | 21 min |
| Dec 11, 2:32 AM EST | Tornado Warning | MEG | Carroll, Chester, Henderson, Madison | 28 min |
| Dec 11, 2:46 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | PAH | Calloway, Christian, Todd, Trigg | 8 hr |
| Dec 11, 2:47 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OHX | Dickson, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lewis, Montgomery and 2 more | 73 min |
| Dec 11, 2:49 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | PAH | Christian, Todd | 26 min |
| Dec 11, 2:53 AM EST | Tornado Warning | MEG | Benton, Carroll, Decatur, Henderson | 25 min |
| Dec 11, 2:55 AM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Barren, Green, Hart, Larue, Marion, Metcalfe and 1 more | 50 min |
| Dec 11, 3:03 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Houston, Humphreys, Stewart | 27 min |
| Dec 11, 3:07 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Dickson, Hickman, Humphreys, Perry | 38 min |
| Dec 11, 3:16 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Anderson, Franklin, Harrison, Henry, Nelson, Scott and 3 more | 29 min |
| Dec 11, 3:16 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Butler, Logan, Simpson, Warren | 44 min |
| Dec 11, 3:22 AM EST | Tornado Warning | LMK | Boyle, Casey, Larue, Lincoln, Marion, Mercer and 1 more | 38 min |
| Dec 11, 3:23 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Dickson, Houston, Montgomery, Stewart | 37 min |
| Dec 11, 3:38 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Dickson, Hickman, Humphreys | 37 min |
| Dec 11, 3:39 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Cheatham, Dickson, Montgomery | 14 min |
| Dec 11, 3:41 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Benton, Marshall | 49 min |
| Dec 11, 3:47 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OHX | Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Hickman, Lewis, Maury and 5 more | 58 min |
| Dec 11, 3:58 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Cheatham, Davidson, Dickson, Williamson | 32 min |
| Dec 11, 3:59 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Davidson, Williamson | 31 min |
| Dec 11, 4:00 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | LMK | Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Green, Hart, Logan and 3 more | 6 hr |
| Dec 11, 4:03 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Alcorn, Benton, Tippah | 42 min |
| Dec 11, 4:13 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan and 2 more | 32 min |
| Dec 11, 4:19 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OHX | Davidson, Hickman, Lewis, Marshall, Maury, Robertson and 5 more | 41 min |
| Dec 11, 4:21 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Davidson, Sumner, Wilson | 39 min |
| Dec 11, 4:29 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OHX | Davidson, Rutherford, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson and 1 more | 46 min |
| Dec 11, 4:30 AM EST | Tornado Warning | MEG | Hardin, McNairy | 21 min |
| Dec 11, 4:33 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Davidson, Macon, Smith, Sumner, Trousdale, Wilson | 42 min |
| Dec 11, 4:46 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Clay, Macon, Sumner, Trousdale | 44 min |
| Dec 11, 4:47 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LMK | Allen, Barren, Edmonson, Grayson, Green, Hardin and 7 more | 28 min |
| Dec 11, 4:48 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OHX | Lewis, Perry, Wayne | 42 min |
| Dec 11, 4:50 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OHX | Clay, DeKalb, Jackson, Macon, Putnam, Smith and 3 more | 17 min |
| Dec 11, 4:56 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | LMK | Harrison | 3 hr |
| Dec 11, 4:56 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Lewis, Perry, Wayne | 13 min |
| Dec 11, 4:59 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MEG | Lafayette, Lee, Pontotoc, Union | 31 min |
| Dec 11, 5:03 AM EST | Flash Flood Warning | MEG | Calhoun, Lafayette, Lee, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Tallahatchie and 3 more | 2 hr |
| Dec 11, 5:07 AM EST | Tornado Warning | OHX | Clay, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Smith, Trousdale | 38 min |
| Dec 11, 5:11 AM EST | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | OHX | Clay, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett and 4 more | 34 min |
Discussions around it
SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.
- Mesoscale Discussion 1983 Severe potential...watch possible
- Mesoscale Discussion 1985 Severe potential...tornado watch likely
- Mesoscale Discussion 1990 Severe potential...watch likely
- Mesoscale Discussion 1994 Tornado watch 554
- Mesoscale Discussion 1998 Tornado watch 552...554
- Mesoscale Discussion 2001 Tornado watch 552
- Mesoscale Discussion 2003 Tornado watch 554
- Mesoscale Discussion 2004 Severe potential...watch likely
- Mesoscale Discussion 2006 Tornado watch 554
- Mesoscale Discussion 2008 Tornado watch 554
- Mesoscale Discussion 2009 Severe potential...tornado watch likely
- Mesoscale Discussion 2010 Tornado watch 554
- Mesoscale Discussion 2013 Tornado watch 558
- Mesoscale Discussion 2015 Tornado watch 558
- Mesoscale Discussion 2016 Tornado watch 558
The nearest sounding before it
Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 0.4 hours before the alert went out and 91 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 182 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -168 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 593 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 58 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 391 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 370 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.5
The text
As transmitted.
548
WWUS20 KWNS 110019
SEL4
SPC WW 110019
INZ000-KYZ000-MSZ000-TNZ000-110800-
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 554
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
620 PM CST Fri Dec 10 2021
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Tornado Watch for portions of
Southern Indiana
Western to central Kentucky
Northeast Mississippi
Western to middle Tennessee
* Effective this Friday night and Saturday morning from 620 PM
until 200 AM CST.
* Primary threats include...
A few tornadoes likely with a couple intense tornadoes possible
Scattered damaging winds likely with isolated significant gusts
to 80 mph possible
Isolated large hail events to 1.5 inches in diameter possible
SUMMARY...Initially discrete supercells should spread northeast from
western portions of Kentucky and Tennessee, with an additional
supercell or two possibly developing out of northeast Mississippi.
Broader clustering and linear segments should develop late evening
into the overnight.
The tornado watch area is approximately along and 60 statute miles
east and west of a line from 45 miles north northeast of Louisville
KY to 5 miles southwest of Tupelo MS. For a complete depiction of
the watch see the associated watch outline update (WOUS64 KWNS
WOU4).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REMEMBER...A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
and possible warnings.
&&
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 552...WW 553...
AVIATION...Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 1.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 70 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 400. Mean
storm motion vector 23040.
...GramsSPC that day
Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 11, 3:00 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison and 2 more | 90 min |
| Dec 11, 4:15 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Marion | 90 min |
| Dec 11, 4:41 AM EST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson and 10 more | 6 hr |
| Dec 11, 7:15 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Cullman, Fayette, Franklin, Jackson, Lamar, Lawrence and 6 more | 90 min |
| Dec 11, 8:34 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bibb, Blount, Calhoun, Cherokee, Clay, Cleburne and 8 more | 86 min |
| Dec 11, 11:47 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Autauga, Bullock, Butler, Chambers, Clarke, Clay and 15 more | 118 min |
| Dec 10, 8:18 PM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bartholomew, Benton, Boone, Brown, Carroll, Cass and 37 more | 87 min |
| Dec 10, 8:47 PM EST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Bartholomew, Benton, Boone, Brown, Clay, Clinton and 24 more | 8 hr |
| Dec 10, 9:35 PM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Harrison | 85 min |
| Dec 10, 10:36 PM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Vigo | 54 min |
| Dec 10, 11:25 PM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bartholomew, Benton, Blackford, Boone, Brown, Carroll and 50 more | 95 min |
| Dec 11, 12:03 AM EST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Gibson, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, Warrick | 5 hr |
| Dec 11, 12:08 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Dearborn, Decatur, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Hamilton and 16 more | 67 min |
| Dec 11, 12:20 AM EST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Adams, Allen, Blackford, Carroll, Cass, Dearborn and 27 more | 6 hr |
| Dec 11, 12:28 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Clay, Daviess, Fountain, Gibson, Greene, Knox and 9 more | 92 min |
| Dec 11, 2:46 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bartholomew, Brown, Daviess, Dearborn, Decatur, Delaware and 21 more | 59 min |
| Dec 10, 7:22 PM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Fulton, Graves, Hickman | 53 min |
| Dec 10, 8:41 PM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Fulton | 64 min |
| Dec 10, 9:48 PM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Carlisle, Fulton, Graves, Hickman, Lyon, Marshall | 57 min |
| Dec 10, 10:48 PM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Caldwell, Graves, Hopkins, Lyon, Marshall | 57 min |
| Dec 10, 11:09 PM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Ballard, Caldwell, Calloway, Carlisle, Crittenden, Fulton and 7 more | 96 min |
| Dec 10, 11:44 PM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Caldwell, Grayson, Hopkins, McLean, Muhlenberg, Ohio | 61 min |
| Dec 11, 12:36 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Calloway, Christian, Logan, Simpson, Todd, Trigg | 54 min |
| Dec 11, 12:53 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Breckinridge, Bullitt, Grayson, Hardin, Jefferson, Meade and 3 more | 67 min |
| Dec 11, 2:02 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Adair, Allen, Anderson, Barren, Bath, Bourbon and 51 more | 88 min |
| Dec 11, 2:05 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Green, Hart, Logan and 2 more | 55 min |
| Dec 11, 2:27 AM EST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Adair, Allen, Anderson, Barren, Bath, Bourbon and 51 more | 7 hr |
| Dec 11, 3:51 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Boyle, Casey, Clark, Estill, Garrard, Jessamine and 4 more | 54 min |
| Dec 11, 6:32 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bell, Breathitt, Clark, Clay, Estill, Jackson and 18 more | 88 min |
| Dec 10, 10:40 PM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Alcorn, Benton, Coahoma, DeSoto, Lafayette, Marshall and 8 more | 2 hr |
| Dec 10, 11:00 PM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bolivar, Carroll, Claiborne, Hinds, Holmes, Humphreys and 8 more | 90 min |
| Dec 10, 11:44 PM EST | Tornado Watch | SPC | Alcorn, Benton, Bolivar, Calhoun, Chickasaw, Coahoma and 21 more | 6 hr |
| Dec 11, 3:51 AM EST | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Cheatham, Davidson, Rutherford, Williamson, Wilson | 84 min |
Nearby
Tornado Watches in Kentucky, 2021Tornado Watches in Tennessee, 2021Tornado Watches in Indiana, 2021Every tornado watch in 2021
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.