MarketDecember 2023 Tennessee tornado outbreak
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December 2023 Tennessee tornado outbreak

A significant, late-season severe weather and tornado outbreak affected portions of the Southern United States, primarily across the states of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi. Tennessee was most affected by the outbreak, with multiple damaging tornadoes touching down, including a high-end EF1 tornado that damaged a National Guard Armory site near Dresden, a long-tracked, intense EF3 tornado that caused heavy damage in northwestern portion of Clarksville, and another strong, long-tracked high-end EF2 tornado that prompted a tornado emergency for the city of Hendersonville.

Meteorological synopsis
On December 5, the Storm Prediction Center issued a 5-day severe weather risk ahead of predictions that strong convective instability and wind shear would occur across portions of the Southern United States, from east Texas to western Mississippi. By December 7, a slight risk was posted in a large region from Louisiana to Kentucky. Uncertainties remained over the instability of airmass and the development of low-level flow conducive to tornado-inducing thunderstorms. By the next day, the slight risk was maintained for the same general area, and a 5% risk corridor for tornadoes was introduced for all of the northern sections of the main risk area, extending from extreme eastern Texas, south and southeastern Arkansas, northern Mississippi, northwestern Alabama, western and central Tennessee, and southwestern Kentucky. In this outlook, the SPC described the atmosphere and conditions as favorable for severe weather, as convective available potential energy (CAPE) values reached 500 J/kg in the main risk area, favorable low-level wind shear ahead of the expected upper-level trough, and moderate instability were all present to allow for sustained thunderstorm development. The first area of concern that the SPC identified extended from southeastern Arkansas northeastward through portions of Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee into southwestern Kentucky. Within this area, tornadoes and large hail were expected to be the primary hazards with isolated supercells before the damaging wind potential increased as storm coverage increased. The first of what would be eight tornado watches during this event was issued shortly before this outlook, mentioning a moderate (60%) chance for tornadoes, and a low (20%) probability for strong (EF2+) tornadoes. == Confirmed tornadoes ==
Confirmed tornadoes
December 9 event December 10 event Clarksville, Tennessee/Allensville–Lickskillet–Auburn, Kentucky This intense tornado formed approximately south of Fort Campbell North, Kentucky in Montgomery County, Tennessee and moved northeast. After initially causing minor EF0 tree damage, the tornado quickly intensified to high-end EF1 intensity, completely destroying the Clarksville School of Fine Arts, inflicting heavy roof damage to homes and a church, and snapping several large trees. The tornado reached EF2 intensity as it passed just north of SR 374 and through multiple neighborhoods in the northwestern city limits of Clarksville. Numerous poorly anchored homes in this area were shifted off their foundations and leveled; many other homes had their roofs partially or completely removed; and hundreds of trees were snapped. One woman was fatally injured when her mobile home was destroyed, dying of her injuries a week later. The tornado then further intensified to high-end EF2 intensity, crested a hill, and entered a heavily wooded area where dozens of mobile and manufactured homes south of Britton Springs Road were obliterated, including some that were swept away with no debris left behind. Additional homes suffered partial to total roof removal, another poorly anchored home was shifted off its foundations and leveled, and hundreds more trees were snapped. The National Weather Service noted that at this time, the tornado was "very narrow and intense," and they also noted that the homes were partially screwed and anchor bolted to the foundation, with mostly nails being used as the foundation anchoring. 114 homes were destroyed (all of which were in Clarksville) while another 857 were damaged, and at least 20,000 people were without power after the tornado in Clarksville alone. The tornado also caused $45,000 in uninsured damage to the Clarksville School of Fine Arts. Madison–Hendersonville–Gallatin–Castalian Springs, Tennessee This strong tornado was first observed by numerous storm spotters and residents at 4:39 p.m. CST (21:39 UTC) before tracking through areas of the Nashville metropolitan area. The tornado initially formed near Trail Hollow Lane, just to the east of I-24. It tracked east-northeast, causing minor EF0 damage to trees and residences. This was the first time a tornado had directly struck a Nashville Electric Service power substation since the 1974 Super Outbreak. The tornado continued past the substation and crossed US 31E while fluctuating between EF1 and EF2 intensity, heavily damaging or destroying homes and warehouses, and snapping or uprooting trees and power poles. The tornado continued northeastward and reached its peak intensity of high-end EF2 as it moved along and over the Cumberland River and Old Hickory Lake into the western part of Hendersonville in Sumner County. Hundreds of trees were blown down at the Old Hickory Dam, multiple buildings and warehouses at the dam site and a nearby marina were heavily damaged or destroyed; and a microwave tower was crumpled to the ground. The tornado then began to fluctuate between EF1 and EF2 intensity again as it approached and moved through the center of Hendersonville along US 31E, with a tornado emergency being issued as the tornado entered the town. Heavy damage occurred throughout the town, with multiple businesses at a strip mall reporting heavy roof damage with exterior wall collapses, several warehouses, other businesses, and outbuildings being heavily damaged or collapsed, homes suffering severe roof, siding, and exterior wall damage, and dozens of trees and power poles being snapped or uprooted. One two-story home in the area also had its entire roof removed, causing severe damage to the second floor's exterior walls. Past Hendersonville, the tornado weakened to EF1 intensity again and caused more sporadic damage, mainly in the form of fallen trees and snapped power poles. Some homes and businesses suffered roof and siding damage, and a barn was heavily damaged, with debris from the structure damaging a home. Two homes near the SR 386/US 31E interchange suffered heavy roof damage, with one of them also having its garage cave in. As the tornado approached Station Camp Creek, more homes, apartments, and condos were damaged, including another two-story home that had the second-floor roof removed, a gas station canopy was blown over, and more trees were snapped. One small area of EF2 damage was noted with a metal truss tower that collapsed. while the one in Hendersonville served power to customers, though it needed repairs. == Non-tornadic effects ==
Non-tornadic effects
A winter storm in relation to the system closed I-29 from Fargo, North Dakota to the Canadian border from Manitoba. Strong storms affected the Northeastern United States on December 10–11. The heaviest rain in the New York metropolitan area was on Long Island, where over of rain fell in certain areas, including up to in Fort Salonga. High winds were also reported, with gusts reaching in Kew Gardens and in Orient. Light backend snow was observed in Sullivan County. Nearby, the highest snowfall of was in Roxbury, New York. The storm resulted in ground delay programs at LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport. Parts of New York State Route 25 closed during the floods, as did the eastbound lands of the Belt Parkway. Parts of Connecticut saw rainfall exceed . On December 10, daily rainfall records were set in Philadelphia, Atlantic City and Wilmington. The storm resulted in a brief stretch of I-76 shutting down in Montgomery County following a downed tree and a 3-way car crash. Further south, light snow at Dulles International Airport accumulated , but that was more snow then what fell during the entirety of the previous winter. of snow was recorded at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Richmond, Virginia received their first measurable snow since March 12, 2022. == Aftermath ==
Aftermath
Late in the evening on December 9th, Clarksville mayor Joe Pitts declared a state of emergency for the city and instituted a public curfew. Schools in the city were closed for the remainder of the week following the disaster, with at least one school suffering damage and another being used as an emergency shelter. Massive amounts of people volunteered to help support clean up efforts.Tennessee emergency agencies also arrived. Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift donated $1 million to the Tennessee Emergency Response Fund at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee in support of tornado victims. ==See also==
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