The National Weather Service out of Nashville has had meteorologists in storm battered portions of Middle Tennessee, surveying damage. The preliminary damage survey for the Saturday morning storm that hit Rutherford County was completed late Sunday afternoon.
They report damage was from a tornado, which entered Rutherford County around Eagleville as an EF-1 and then lifted while the storm continued onto the other side of I-24. The tornado then recycled, growing into an EF-2 tornado with 130 mph winds, causing the damage in Readyville.
RELATED COVERAGE: County Mayors Carr and Mitchell Seeking TEMA's Help (Aerial Video)
The storm is believed to have been a long-tracked tornado, traveling many miles. This EF-3 tornado was responsible for killing 9 people in McNairy County and Hardin County damage in West Tennessee. It then touched down in Wayne and Lewis Counties, doing EF-2 damage. It lifted over Maury County before causing EF-1 damage in Marshall and northern Bedford before moving into Rutherford County.
According to National Weather Service tornado stats, with the touchdown here early Saturday morning, there have been 43 tornadoes since 1950. That's the fourth highest in the state. Memphis and Nashville, the two largest cities, have the most at 56 (in data before the latest storm system). Only Wilson (55) and Sumner (51) have reported a higher number of twisters.
RELATED COVERAGE: UPDATE: Tornado Hits Readyville Hard
Tornadoes are rated from EF-0 to EF-5 using the Enhanced Fujita Scale. The rating scale is used to assign a tornado a 'rating' based on estimated wind speeds and related damage. When tornado-related damage is surveyed, it is compared to a list of Damage Indicators (DIs) and Degrees of Damage (DoD) which help estimate better the range of wind speeds the tornado likely produced. From that, a rating (from EF0 to EF5) is assigned.
An EF-1 tornado has winds between 86-110 mph and an EF-2 has winds from 111-135 mph.
RELATED COVERAGE: Readyville Mill Destroyed by Tornado
EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph
EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph
EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph
EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph
EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph
EF5...Violent...>200 mph
RELATED COVERAGE: TORNADO: Readyville Market Gone
RELATED COVERAGE: TORNADO: "The Corners" Damaged
Public Information Statement National Weather Service Nashville TN 348 AM CDT Mon Apr 3 2023 ...NWS Nashville Damage Survey for 3/31/2023 to 4/1/2023 Marshall/Bedford/Rutherford and Rutherford/Cannon Tornadoes... Damage surveys were conducted on Sunday for two tornadoes that struck parts of Marshall, Bedford, Rutherford, and Cannon Counties in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 1. These tornadoes were spawned from the same supercell that produced the long track tornado across Wayne and Lewis Counties. So far, a total of 3 tornadoes have been confirmed across Middle Tennessee from the severe storms late Friday evening March 31st into early Saturday morning April 1st. Additional damage surveys will be conducted today for possible tornado damage in Trousdale and Macon Counties. All tornado information should be considered preliminary and will be updated as new satellite and drone imagery becomes available. .Marshall/Bedford/Rutherford County EF1 Tornado... Rating: EF1 Estimated Peak Wind: 110 mph Path Length /statute/: 12.98 miles Path Width /maximum/: 150 yards Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 04/01/2023 Start Time: 01:16 AM CDT Start Location: 4 WNW Chapel Hill / Marshall County / TN Start Lat/Lon: 35.6642 / -86.753 End Date: 04/01/2023 End Time: 01:31 AM CDT End Location: 6 E Eagleville / Rutherford County / TN End Lat/Lon: 35.7222 / -86.5343 Survey Summary: This EF1 tornado touched down 4 miles northwest of Chapel Hill near Moss Road in northern Marshall County. Moving northeast, the tornado blew down severe trees and caused minor to moderate damage to homes on Thick Road, Egypt Road, Smiley Road, and Blackwell Road. The tornado intensified as it continued northeast, blowing 5 train cars off a track along Highway 31A and heavily damaging homes on Beasley Road and TN Central Road. The tornado clipped the extreme northwest edge of Bedford County where an outbuilding was heavily damaged, then moved into Rutherford County were several trees were blown down on Highway 41A. More trees were knocked down and a few homes were damaged along Bunker Hill Road and Hant Hollow Road before the tornado lifted south of Versailles Road. .Rutherford/Cannon County EF2 Tornado... Rating: EF2 Estimated Peak Wind: 130 mph Path Length /statute/: 16.2 miles Path Width /maximum/: 1/4 mile Fatalities: 0 Injuries: 0 Start Date: 04/01/2023 Start Time: 01:41 AM CDT Start Location: 6 SSE Murfreesboro / Rutherford County / TN Start Lat/Lon: 35.7554 / -86.3814 End Date: 04/03/2023 End Time: 01:58 AM CDT End Location: 3 WNW Woodbury / Cannon County / TN End Lat/Lon: 35.8426 / -86.1157 Survey Summary: This strong EF2 tornado touched down 6 miles south of downtown Murfreesboro near County Farm Road, then moved northeast along Elam Road where several trees and fences were blown down and a few homes suffered minor damage. Trees continued to be blown down as the tornado crossed Lyle Creek Road, Bradyville Pike, Floraton Road and McElory Road. The tornado strengthened to EF1 as it crossed Highway 70 west of Old Woodbury Pike, significantly damaging one home and several nearby outbuildings. Intensifying even futher to a strong EF2, the tornado moved into the Readyville community on Murfreesboro Road at the Rutherford/Cannon County line, heavily damaging or destroying numerous homes and businesses. Several historic properties dating to the early 1800s such as the Readyville Mill and The Corners on Stones River were also heavily damaged. The tornado weakened as it continued northeast but still blew down numerous trees and caused minor damage to homes on Porterfield Road and Locke Creek Road before lifting. && EF Scale: The Enhanced Fujita Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories: EF0...Weak......65 to 85 mph EF1...Weak......86 to 110 mph EF2...Strong....111 to 135 mph EF3...Strong....136 to 165 mph EF4...Violent...166 to 200 mph EF5...Violent...>200 mph NOTE: The information in this statement is preliminary and subject to change pending final review of the events and publication in NWS Storm Data. $$ Reagan/Herron/Shamburger
