Or at least high winds; this was most likely an EF0 or EF1 storm, and while the number of injuries is unknown, local First Responders are calling it a mass casualty event until everyone’s accounted for.
This is in Edwardsville, Illinois, on the eastern side of the St. Louis metroplex, and while tornadoes are unusual in December, they aren’t totally unknown.
The AP article says the wall (and roof) that collapsed is about 100m long.
This is what climate change looks like.
Today it is supposed to be almost 60 degrees in western Massachusetts, with rain and wind. The average high for December here is 20, and it’s often more like 10.
There are reports of 50 dead in Kentucky at a candle factory. Rough weather night for sure.
Apparently one tornado was tracked for 220 miles!
The news is full of awful footage 
One more story of the tornadoes.
I too hope our Dopers were safe.
The report I saw said 12 dead at the candle factory. 50 (may end up being 70-100) in the state of Kentucky.
mmm
Yeah. I’m used to thinking of tornadoes only happening during spring. Unfortunately now we’re seeing spring weather in December. When I got in my car yesterday afternoon the temperature display said 95. I don’t think it was wrong either, as it certainly felt like a summer day.
Is this an actual factory that makes candles? The name sounds like some sort of historic building that has been repurposed.
I don’t know, but I just heard the number of dead there may be 100.
I was thinking it odd for a candle factory working overnight shifts, but then I thought about demand right now. My sister asked for a candle for Christmas.
Don’t these large warehouses and factories have tornado shelters?
Yes, it’s a company that makes candles, in what seems to be a generic modern industrial building. According to this story from last year, one of the brands they make candles for is Febreze.
Yep. The Amazon FC I work at has 5 or 6, denoted by blue signs with a twister on them.
Thank you.
The Amazon tornado has been upgraded to an EF3 (wind speeds of 136-165 mph)
The tornado which killed at least 12 in Bowling Green, KY (a separate storm from the Mayfield tornado) has also been classed as an EF3. This storm also hit the National Corvette Museum, which was damaged in 2014 when a sinkhole opened underneath it.
Well… maybe not. Even in areas with lots of tornadoes a factory might not have a formal tornado shelter, areas not known for a lot of that sort of weather might not.
Other companies do have them - the place I work at has several.
Does God not like Corvettes or something?
I think it is Mother Nature that dislikes Corvettes (and Hummers).
God hates Trailer Parks.
My wife follows that Museum on Facebook (she owns a Corvette) – the museum’s post said that their museum building did not suffer significant damage. However, their racetrack did suffer substantial damage from the storm.
Here is a 4 minute video of daylight drone footage over the town of Mayfield Ky. Holy crap!
