Both the National Weather Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirmed that wind gusts in Caldwell County on the night of the December 10 tornado set a new record for Kentucky.
The 120.1 mph wind gust in Princeton is now the highest official wind gust ever known in the state’s history. The old record was 100.8 mph set on April 26, 2011, in Calloway County.
The December EF-4 tornado produced damage on the south edge of Princeton after forming earlier in the day in Arkansas. Dozens of homes were destroyed near South Jefferson Street, the country club area, and on Dawson Springs Road. In addition, the University of Kentucky Research Center was destroyed.
There were four deaths reported in Caldwell County from the storm.
