[13] In this outlook, the SPC described the atmosphere and conditions as favorable for severe weather, as convective available potential energy (CAPE) values reached 500 J/kg in the main risk area, favorable low-level wind shear ahead of the expected upper-level trough, and moderate instability were all present to allow for sustained thunderstorm development.

Elevated dew points reaching 60 °F were expected to be present ahead of the passing of an advancing cold front, which, in combination with the aforementioned factors, created a very favorable atmosphere for severe weather.

[14] The first area of concern that the SPC identified extended from southeastern Arkansas northeastward through portions of Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee into southwestern Kentucky.

[16] This intense tornado formed approximately five miles (eight kilometers) south of Fort Campbell North, Kentucky in Montgomery County, Tennessee and moved northeast.

[54] The tornado reached EF2 intensity as it passed just north of SR 374 and through multiple neighborhoods in the northwestern city limits of Clarksville.

The tornado then further intensified to high-end EF2 intensity, crested a hill, and entered a heavily wooded area where dozens of mobile and manufactured homes south of Britton Springs Road were obliterated, including some that were swept away with no debris left behind.

[49][51] As it crossed US 41A in the community of Ringgold, the tornado briefly intensified to low-end EF3 strength with wind speeds up to 140 mph (230 km/h) and destroyed a strip mall with only interior walls left standing.

[49] Vehicles in the strip mall parking lot were flipped over, several other businesses were also destroyed, a church lost its roof, and more trees were snapped.

[51][49] The tornado slightly weakened but remained strong at high-end EF2 intensity, flipping multiple 18-wheelers at a post office, inflicting significant roof and exterior wall damage to multiple well-built apartment townhouses, shifting and leveling more poorly anchored homes while inflicting severe roof and exterior damage to others, and snapping more trees.

[49][51][57] As the tornado continued towards the Tennessee-Kentucky border, it slightly weakened again, but remained strong, inflicting severe EF2 roof damage to dozens of homes in neighborhoods along Needmore Road and SR 236, and leaving behind cycloidal ground scouring in the fields between the two areas.

The latter area also had several apartment or condo buildings sustaining high-end EF2 damage, along with at least two dozen steel electrical poles being bent.

Northeast of the interstate, the tornado impacted several neighborhoods and subdivisions, producing widespread EF1 to EF2 damage to over 100 homes, many of which had roofs partially or totally removed along with some exterior wall collapse.

[49] The tornado then moved northeastward into Todd County, Kentucky and over US 41 to the north of Guthrie at EF1 to EF2 intensity, snapping and uprooting hundreds of trees in rural areas.

[51] In total, the tornado killed four people and injured 61 others along its path of 47.76 miles (76.86 km) while reaching a maximum width of 600 yards (550 m).

The director of the school later said "If we would have had 300 people in the building on the ninth instead of the second, we would be talking about the destruction of possibly hundreds of lives because there's nothing left of the theater.

Further to the northeast, additional damage occurred to residences, trees, and power lines as the tornado crossed Old Hickory Boulevard (SR 45), and I-65.

As the tornado entered the north side of Madison, dozens of trees and power poles were snapped or uprooted, and numerous buildings, including businesses, warehouses, churches, and residences were damaged or destroyed at EF2 intensity.

[67] The tornado continued past the substation and crossed US 31E while maintaining EF2 intensity, heavily damaging or destroying homes and warehouses, and snapping or uprooting trees and power poles.

The tornado continued northeastward and reached its peak intensity of high-end EF2 as it moved along and over the Cumberland River and Old Hickory Lake into the western part of Hendersonville in Sumner County.

Past Hendersonville, the tornado caused more sporadic damage, mainly in the form of fallen trees and snapped power poles.

The tornado weakened to EF1 intensity again, but continued to cause heavy damage to homes as it moved through the southern part of Gallatin and crossed SR 109.

The substation in Madison supplied 161,000 volts to a DuPont Plant in Old Hickory,[68][69] while the one in Hendersonville served power to customers, though it was in need of repairs.

[82] Late in the evening on December 9th, Clarksville mayor Joe Pitts declared a state of emergency for the city and instituted a public curfew.