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On December 10, 2021, an intense, long-tracked tornado moved across Western Kentucky, producing severe to catastrophic damage in numerous towns, including Mayfield, Benton, Dawson Springs, and Bremen. Crossing through eleven counties of the Jackson Purchase and Western Coal Field regions during its lifespan, the tornado was exceptionally long-tracked, moving approximately 163 mi. It was the deadliest and longest-tracked tornado in an outbreak that produced numerous strong tornadoes in several states. At least 51 fatalities have been confirmed. The second tornado in an exceedingly long-tracked tornado family, this tornado began just inside northern Obion County, Tennessee, a few miles after another long-tracked tornado–which traveled through northeast Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel, and northwest Tennessee–dissipated in western Obion County.

Tornado summary
The tornado began in the community of Woodland Mills in Obion County, Tennessee along TN 5 at 8:56 p.m. CST (02:56 UTC), produced by the same supercell that had previously produced another long-track tornado that affected northeast Arkansas, the Missouri Bootheel, and northwest Tennessee, near Reelfoot Lake. After dissipation of that tornado in Obion County northeast of Samburg, the supercell produced this tornado near the state line. After moving northeast a half mile (0.8 km), it crossed the Tennessee–Kentucky line near the community of State Line in Fulton County. Soon after, the tornado directly impacted the community of Cayce, causing major damage.

After moving to the northeast of Cayce, the tornado moved through rural areas, passing through Hickman County and into Graves County. Closely paralleling Interstate 69 (I-69) and U.S. 45, the tornado moved directly toward the city of Mayfield, where the National Weather Service issued a tornado emergency at 9:26 p.m. CST (03:26 UTC). On the southwest side of Mayfield, numerous homes were destroyed along Cardinal Rd. near the Mayfield Bypass. After the tornado crossed the bypass, it struck Mayfield Consumer Products, a candle factory, where approximately 110 employees were working. The building completely collapsed, trapping many employees and resulting in eight deaths and numerous injuries. Allegedly, workers' jobs were threatened if they left the factory between the first and second tornado warnings for the area–a tornado warning had been issued earlier that evening at approximately 5:30 p.m. CST–and then again after the second tornado warning was issued after 9:00 p.m. CST.

Afterward, the tornado moved directly through the center of the city. Most of the structures in downtown Mayfield were heavily damaged or destroyed, and a water tower was torn down and reduced to rubble. Serious damage occurred to several structures in the Mayfield Downtown Commercial District, including the city hall; the Graves County Courthouse sustained significant roof damage, had its clock tower torn off, and had some of its exterior upper-floor walls knocked down. The fire station and police station in the city were also destroyed, the emergency operations center lost the ability to transmit radio communications.

After leaving Mayfield, the tornado continued northeast along I-69, crossing into Marshall County and striking the northwest side of Benton, producing major damage along the way. A second tornado emergency was issued as the tornado neared Benton. It continued through the community of Cambridge Shores, where more significant damage occurred, and passed over Kentucky Lake into Lyon County. The tornado moved through the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area before crossing Lake Barkley. Soon after, it crossed Interstate 24 and moved into Caldwell County. The tornado passed near the county seat of Princeton, where a tornado emergency was issued, before producing catastrophic damage in Dawson Springs, located along the Caldwell–Hopkins county line. A fourth tornado emergency was in effect for Dawson Springs and St. Charles as the storm moved through. At least eleven people were killed in the Dawson Springs area. The tornado crossed I-69 again as it moved through Hopkins County, before passing near Earlington (where a tornado emergency was in effect ) and once again crossing I-69 just east of there. A CSX freight line train was derailed in Earlington; 25 freight cars were derailed and one was thrown into a house. Continuing into northern Muhlenberg County, a tornado emergency was issued for the community of Bremen, where eleven people were killed.

Passing near the Muhlenberg–McLean county line, the tornado then crossed into Ohio County. It moved just north of both Centertown and Hartford, where it crossed U.S. 231 and Interstate 165, along with the Rough River twice. Large steel power poles were pushed over along Johnson School Rd. just west of Hartford, earning an EF3 rating. The last area of EF3-strength damage occurred along Kentucky Route 69 northeast of Hartford, where several homes were destroyed. The tornado crossed the Rough River three more times in this area. North of Olaton, the tornado crossed the Rough River a sixth time and produced EF2-strength damage. It continued producing EF1–EF2 damage as it moved northeastward along the Ohio–Grayson county line, before crossing Kentucky Route 54 and entering Breckinridge County shortly after. It paralleled the Breckinridge–Grayson county line, before crossing the Rought River twice more, briefly entering Grayson County northwest of Falls of Rough at EF1 intensity. After crossing the river for a final time northeast of Falls of Rough, it re-entered Grayson County and crossed Kentucky Route 79, damaging a boat storage facility and scattering debris 200 yd to the northeast, across a small airport. The tornado then moved into Rough River Dam State Resort Park before dissipating near Rough River Lake in Grayson County, approximately 4 mi west of McDaniels at 11:45 p.m. CST (5:45 UTC). The tornado was on the ground for nearly three hours, tracking approximately 163 mi from State Line to Rough River Dam State Resort Park, among the longest continuous tornado tracks ever recorded.

Aftermath
Recovery efforts are currently underway, as disaster-aid and humanitarian groups, such as the American Red Cross, The Salvation Army, and World Vision are collecting donations and traveling to or shipping relief items to affected areas to provide aid.

On December 11, President Joe Biden approved a federal emergency disaster declaration for the state of Kentucky. Earlier that day, Governor Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency for parts of western Kentucky. Beshear also announced the creation of a tornado relief fund and asked people to donate blood, as donated blood was running low throughout the pandemic. On December 15, Mayor of Mayfield Kathy Stewart O’Nan said that recovery efforts would continue.

Accusations that factory management prohibited workers from leaving the candle factory before the tornado struck were reported on December 13.