Severe WX December 10 & 11, 2021 Severe Threat

[TH2002]

Probably the most unusual instance of damage I have seen from the Mayfield tornado so far was a bunch of corn husk stuffed into the grill of a Dodge Charger.

 

[andyhb]

I don't want to overly speculate here, but this is a University of Kentucky research facility that was newly built and appears to be completely destroyed. This may be an institutional building. If so, that carries a DOD 11 expected bound of 210 mph, which is well into the EF5 range.

 

[TH2002]

Any ground level views of the damage in Princeton?

 

[OHWX97]

 

[TornadoFan]

 

[Evan]

I don't want to overly speculate here, but this is a University of Kentucky research facility that was newly built and appears to be completely destroyed. This may be an institutional building. If so, that carries a DOD 11 expected bound of 210 mph, which is well into the EF5 range.

If it is in fact an IB structure then, yeah. It's pretty clear there's extensive damage to the building envelope.

Do you have a street address for the building? Bid documents are likely available online for it.

Your picture is a bit fuzzy, but there appear to be cooling towers and commercial air handlers on the roof.

 

[warneagle]

nothing tornadic but some pretty serious straight line winds in the northeast today

 

[locomusic01]

Do you have a street address for the building? Bid documents are likely available online for it.

Appears to be 348 University Dr. Princeton, KY according to their website.

 

[locomusic01]

Lots more photos from around the UK Research and Education Center btw:

 

[TornadoFan]

Appears to be 348 University Dr. Princeton, KY according to their website.

That would be correct. Yeah, looks like most of it is gone.

 

[TH2002]

Pretty significant damage in Leachville, AR:

 

[andyhb]

The tornado as it was approaching Mayfield KY.

 

[TornadoFan]

The tornado as it was approaching Mayfield KY.

Almost gives me Greensburg vibes. Spooky.

 

[andyhb]

Just incredible damage near the site of that train derailment in the Earlington KY area.

 

[TH2002]

Aerial of Earlington does show a large building of some sort totally slabbed.

 

[buckeye05]

NWS Louisville is one of the more conservative WFOs when it comes to surveying. We’ll have to see what happens, but part of me is expecting excessively low-balled surveys. We’ll just have to see.

 

[TH2002]

NWS Louisville is one of the more conservative WFOs when it comes to surveying. We’ll have to see what happens, but part of me is expecting excessively low-balled surveys. We’ll just have to see.

That one home swept away near Defiance that they rated EF3 should have absolutely been rated EF4 unless it was poorly anchored (which it might have been? Hard to tell from the photo)

 

[Evan]

Lots more photos from around the UK Research and Education Center btw:

Video of building renovations and expansion:

Timeline of building:

Timeline | Grain and Forage Center of Excellence

gfce.ca.uky.edu

It's definitely what *I* would call an institutional building as it had labs inside, a conference center, offices, and meeting space. The exhaust for the lab fume hood is visible on the building roof as are multiple large air handlers and several cooling towers (indicating a chiller plant).

Architect's project page for the renovation/expansion:

Industrial Architecture | University of Kentucky Grain And Forage Center of Excellence | JRA

www.jrarchitects.com

 

[buckeye05]

That one home swept away near Defiance that they rated EF3 should have absolutely been rated EF4 unless it was poorly anchored (which it might have been? Hard to tell from the photo)

Not enough info for me to comment one way or another on that yet.

 

[andyhb]

NWS Louisville is one of the more conservative WFOs when it comes to surveying. We’ll have to see what happens, but part of me is expecting excessively low-balled surveys. We’ll just have to see.

Well Paducah will be responsible for a good chunk of the track as well.