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| Extreme tornado damage in Kentucky last night |
The death toll is certainly in the dozens from the late season storms, with some neighborhoods and towns completely decimated by large tornadoes in Arkansas, Missouri, Tennessee and Kentucky.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said dozens have died in his state. "We believe our death toll from this event will exceed 50 Kentuckians and probably end up 70 to 100," told television station WLKY in Louisville. "This is likely to be the most severe tornado outbreak in our states history."
Though numerous tornadoes were reported, one powerful tornado appears to have started in Arkansas and traveled at least 250 miles through northeast Arkansas, the boot heel of Missouri and on into Tennessee and Kentucky.
Radar showed debris in the air for at least 270 miles along the huge tornado's track. If it is eventually confirmed a single tornado along this track stayed on the ground continuously, it will be the longest tracked tornado in U.S. history.
Although that continuous track is not confirmed yet, it's already being dubbed the "Quad-State Tornado." That's a comparison to the Tri-State Tornado of 1925, which at least until now, had the longest continuous path - going 219 miles through Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. That 1925 tornado killed 695 people, making it the worst single tornado in U.S. history.
As horrible as last night and this morning is, we can at least doubt the death toll is that bad.
Still, what happened last night is beyond tragic.
This main tornado or tornadoes was especially powerful. Radar images showed debris being lofted 37,000 feet into the air, which is incredible for any tornado. The tornado first touched down at around 7 p.m. local time southwest of Jonesville, Arkansas and, incredibly, was still on the ground four and half hours later southwest of Louisville.
Damage on the ground from this thing is extreme as it roared from town to town in the central Mississippi Valley. In Monette, Arkansas, it swept through a nursing home, with at least one fatality there.
The tornado was perhaps at its maximum strength in Mayfield, Kentucky, where, among other things it hit a candle factory while 110 workers were inside. The remains of the factory were being searched early this morning, and there is likely numerous fatalities there. Drone video taken above the scene shows the factory being an unrecognizable as a building. Just a mound of debris
Storm chasers who reached Mayfield said huge swaths of the city of 10,000 people were flattened.
Video from Leachville, Arkansas showed, among other things, a flattened Dollar General store, and more heartbreakingly, a destroyed, overturned home with a child's toy truck beneath it.
There are also reports of extreme damage in and around Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Other tornadoes struck near St. Louis, Missouri. Just northeast of St. Louis, in Edwardsville, Illinois, a tornado collapsed much of an Amazon warehouse. At least 100 people were working inside at the time. Rescuers at last report were looking for survivors and bodies.
Other tornadoes also swept the St. Louis area. Meteorologists at the National Weather Service office near St. Louis had to take shelter for a time as an apparent tornado passed by very close to them.
Tornado warnings were still going off this morning in and around Tennessee. Chances of further tornadoes are lower today than they were last night, but still possible in a band from northern Alabama through Tennessee and Kentucky today.
This is a breaking story and there probably be updates as we go along today. Unfortunately, I believe any additional news will not be good.
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