Historical eventDecember 102021

Tornado outbreak of December 10–11, 2021

A widespread, deadly, and violent tornado outbreak slams the Central, Midwestern, and Southern regions of the United States. Eighty-nine people are killed by the tornadoes, with most of the fatalities occurring in Kentucky, where a single tornado kills 57 people, and injures hundreds of others. Another tornado in Edwardsville, Illinois strikes an Amazon warehouse, killing six workers.

5th anniversary in 2026

Everything on December 10Original source

In context

When
Friday, December 10 20215 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
21st century · 2020s
Anniversary
5th in 2026
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 2021.

What came beforeAI-assisted

A strong atmospheric setup developed across North America in early December 2021, with a powerful winter storm system moving eastward from the Pacific. Warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico collided with cold air aloft, creating instability across the central United States.

Catalyst / how it startedAI-assisted

A powerful derecho-producing squall line developed on the evening of December 10, 2021, as a cold front swept across the region with strong wind shear and atmospheric instability. The system spawned multiple supercell thunderstorms that rotated and produced tornadoes across six states.

Who was involvedAI-assisted

The outbreak affected residents and communities across Kentucky, Illinois, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, and Mississippi. Amazon warehouse workers in Edwardsville, Illinois were among those killed when a tornado struck the facility during the night shift.

TimelineAI-assisted

The tornado outbreak began on the evening of December 10, 2021, and continued into the early morning hours of December 11. The most violent tornado, which struck Bowling Green and Warren County, Kentucky, occurred around midnight on December 10–11.

What happened

A widespread, deadly, and violent tornado outbreak slams the Central, Midwestern, and Southern regions of the United States. Eighty-nine people are killed by the tornadoes, with most of the fatalities occurring in Kentucky, where a single tornado kills 57 people, and injures hundreds of others. Another tornado in Edwardsville, Illinois strikes an Amazon warehouse, killing six workers.

December 10 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 1995Israeli Ground Forces
  2. 1996Constitution of South Africa
  3. 1999Helen Clark
  4. 2005Sosoliso Airlines Flight 1145
  5. 2014Ziad Abu Ein
  6. 2015Rojava Revolution
  7. 20162016 Beşiktaş bombings
  8. 2017Islamic State
  9. 2019Ostrava hospital shooting
  10. 2021Edwardsville Amazon warehouse collapse
  11. 2021Tornado outbreak of December 10–11, 2021

Also in 2021

  • March 14TatmadawThe Burmese military and police forces killed at least 65 civilians during the Hlaingthaya massacre in Yangon, including those protesting…
  • March 14Hlaingthaya massacreBurmese security forces kill at least 65 civilians in the Hlaingthaya massacre.
  • September 12Siberian Light Aviation Flight 51Siberian Light Aviation Flight 51 crashes short of the runway at Kazachinskoye Airport, killing four.
  • September 162021 Luxian earthquakeA 6.0 Mw earthquake strikes Lu County, Sichuan, China, killing three and injuring more than 88.
  • September 16Inspiration4Inspiration4, the first private orbital crewed spaceflight, is launched from the Kennedy Space Center.
  • September 5Alpha CondéThe President of Guinea, Alpha Condé is captured by armed forces during a coup d'état.
  • August 142021 Haiti earthquakeA magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck in Haiti, killing at least 2,248 people and causing $1.5 billion in damages and economic loss.
  • November 5Astroworld Festival crowd crushThe Astroworld Festival crowd crush results in 10 deaths and 25 people being hospitalized

Everything we record for 2021 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Tornado outbreak of December 10–11, 2021”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/tornado-outbreak-of-december-10-11-2021-2021-december-10, accessed October 28, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Tornado outbreak of December 10–11, 2021 happen?

December 10 2021 — 5 years ago, on a Friday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints. Panels marked AI-assisted were filled where the sources left a heading empty.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

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