User:WeatherWriter/2023 Clarksville tornado

On December 9, 2023, an intense tornado struck the northern parts of the Clarksville metropolitan area in Tennessee before moving through Todd County and into Logan County in Kentucky. The tornado claimed the lives of three people, including a child, and injured an additional 62 others. The tornado destroyed 114 homes, damaging 857 others. The National Weather Service in Nashville rated the worst of the damage from the tornado EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with winds estimated at 150 mph.

Tornado summary
The tornado touched down approximately 5 mi south of Fort Campbell North, Kentucky and moved northeast. Almost immediately after touching down, the tornado destroyed the Clarksville School of Fine Arts, however, the National Weather Service did not release a specific rating for the school’s damage. Several houses around the school and a church next to the school were damaged at high-end EF1 intensity. The tornado then struck a subdivision along Kendall Drive, where dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed at EF2-intensity. After striking the subdivision, the tornado entered a heavily wooded area, where dozens of mobile and manufactured homes south of Britton Springs Road were damaged or destroyed. The tornado killed three people here, including a ten-year-old boy.

The tornado then maintained EF2 strength as it entered the community of Ringgold within the northwestern city limits of Clarksville and moved through several subdivisions. Homes were damaged, destroyed, or shifted off their foundations. As the tornado crossed US 41A/SR 12, it intensified to low-end EF3 strength and struck and destroyed a strip mall, with only interior walls left standing. Cars in the strip mall parking lot were flipped over. The National Weather Service estimated the damage to the strip mall was caused by winds of at least 140 mph. The tornado slightly weakened as it struck another subdivision north of Ringgold Road, where several homes sustained EF1 to EF2 damage. Continuing northeast, the tornado crossed a wooded area surrounding the Little West Fork creek. After exiting the wooded area, the tornado reached peak intensity as it struck a subdivision just south of the West Creek High School. Here, dozens of homes were damaged or destroyed. In particular, four two-story brick and vinyl homes in this subdivision were completely destroyed, with debris from the homes scattered 200 yd towards the northeast. All homes received ratings of EF3, with winds estimated at 150 mph. 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. West Creek High School sustained roof damage as well at this time. The tornado maintained EF3 strength as it crossed Peachers Mill Road, where it struck an apartment complex. Two dozen brand new, two-story apartment buildings were severely damaged, with 12 having their roofs entirely torn off, receiving ratings of EF3 with winds estimated at 140 mph.

As the tornado continued towards Tennessee-Kentucky border, it struck dozens of homes, causing EF2-level damage to several homes. At the junction of Needmore Road and Tiny Town Road, several apartment or condo buildings sustained mid-EF2 damage. As the tornado crossed I-24 at the SR 48 exit, it uprooted numerous cedar trees. The tornado maintained EF2 intensity as it crossed into Todd County, Kentucky. In Tennessee, the tornado struck at least 1,000 homes and dozens of businesses. At least 114 homes were destroyed and 268 other sustained major damage. In Todd County, the tornado snapped and uprooted hundreds of trees. A least a dozen outbuildings were damaged or destroyed while the tornado traveled through rural areas of the county. Just before crossing into Logan County, the tornado directly struck the town of Allensville. At least 51 structures were struck by the tornado, with some sustained low-end EF2 damage. As the tornado continued into Logan County, it maintained EF1 to EF2 strength for several miles. Four miles away from Allensville, the tornado struck the community of Lickskillet, where every structure was struck by the tornado at EF1 to EF2 strength. After continuing for several more miles, the tornado struck the community of Williams Store at EF1 intensity. The tornado lifted southeast of Russellville.

In total, the hour-long tornado killed three people and injured 62 others along its path of 43 mi while reaching a maximum width of 600 yd.