Storm Surveys Feb 20, 2014

• Fort Payne (Dekalb County)
• Coxey Tornado (SW Limestone to Central Limestone Counties)
• Cartwight Tornado (Central Limestone County)
• Anderson Tornado (Eastern Lauderdale County)
• Rogersville (Eastern Lauderdale County)
• Marble Hill Tornado (Moore County, TN)
• Tim Ford's Tornado (Franklin County, TN)
• Estill Springs Tornado (Franklin County, TN)

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A brief but strong tornado touched down at the Jet Polymer Plant off of Gault Avenue about 4 miles NNE of the town of Fort Payne in central Dekalb county. The tornado flipped 3 large tractor trailers, one of which was vaulted into the air, landing on top of the plant's roof.  Adjacent to the plant, across a parking lot, a medium sized metal building structure had much of its metal siding removed and roof uplifted. Also, the column anchorage was severely bent and failed. The tornado continued its track NE, snapping and uprooting medium to large trees.

Beyond this point, the tornado appeared to skip along its track (litlte to no damage seen), before doing significant structural damage to several homes along Green Valley Circle. One person experienced minor injuries (lacerations) at one of the homes in this location. Two single-family well constructed residences sustained a complete loss of roof material and a collapse of at least two exterior walls (mainly around the garage areas).  Numerous trees surrounding the properties were snapped or uprooted.  In addition, one small and one medium sized shed were completely destroyed. This area appeared to be where the tornado was at its strongest (Peak Winds: 125 mph/EF-2 rating). Other nearby homes in the neighborhood along the  Green Valley Circle sustained mainly loss of roof shingles, siding panels, and broken windows.

Just up the hill from this location, a small apartment complex was hit.  Partial uplift of the roof occurred at this location.  Also nearby, a small apartment complex was hit, where partial uplift of the roof, loss of siding, an broken windows were seen at this two story apartment complex.  Other smaller buildings had just minor roof damage, with small trees snapped off, and small branches broken off of trees.  The tornado continued NE along its short track and appeared to quickly weaken and eventually lift near the intersection of 55th Street and Martin Avenue, but not before causing partial roof loss to a home. At this location, plastic fencing around a pool was knocked out and several trees were snapped about halfway down. Quite a bit of debris was also noticed littering the area, seemingly deposited by the tornado as it diminished.

Start Time: 12:28 AM (February 21, 2014)          End Time: 12:31 AM (February 21, 2014)

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A tornado touched down along CR 399 in northern Lawrence county. Here large limbs were borken as the tornado was initially weak and disorganized. The tornado began to strengthen as it lifted northeast an dcrossed CR 400. here a swath of hardwood trees were uprooted with a few trees snapped.  The tornado then apparently crossed the Tennessee River, making its way toward Limestone county.

The tornado track was found continuing on the Limestone side of the river at Bay Hill Drive at the Bay HIll Marina on Bay HIll Drive. The marina sustained minor damage and several of the condos and homes here had minor structural damage and several of the condos and homes here had minor structural damage. Trees were snapped and uprooted here as well. Utility poles were  snapped along Snake road as the tornado strengthened to EF-1 intensity.

The tornado moved NE and snapped multiple trees as it crossed Wright road. Utility poles were also snapped here. The peak wind was estimated at 105 mph.  A manufactured home was damaged along Wright road just south of highway 72 and a utility building was also destroyed.  Clements High School sustained minor damage to athletic fields.

Homes sustained minor damage along Allison Loop road and Cox road, mainly minor roof uplift and loss of shingles).  The tornado continued to move NE and crossed Blue Springs Road. A large number of hardwood trees were snapped at the base here and power poles were also snapped near the ground. Several homes sustained damage when the trees fell on top of the homes.  A car was also crunched in this location. The tornado then crossed the Elk River as it uprooted trees along Curtis road. The tornado then apparently lifted.

Start Time: 8:45 PM (February 20, 2014)          End Time: 9:00 PM (February 20, 2014)

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A tornado touched down along Section Line road just east of highway 99 in the Cartwright community. Initially the tornado was relatively weak snapping small limbs on softwood trees along Harris Loop Road. Power poles were also were also snapped in this location. Estimated winds in this area were roughly 100 mph. A home along Section Line Road also received minor roof uplift and loss of shingles.  As the tornado continued to move ENE, additional tree damage was noted along Easter Ferry road and Davis Lane.  The tornado apparently lifted along the hilltops just west of Witty Mills road.

Start Time: 9:05 PM (February 20, 2014)          End Time: 9:09 PM (February 20, 2014)

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A tornado touched down in the Anderson community of eastern Lauderdale county Thursday morning. THe tornado first touched down along highway 207 south of CR 86. Multiple hardwood trees were uprooted and snapped here. In addition at least one power pole was snapped at the base.

The tornado moved NE crossing highway 207 onto CR 86.  Here several well built homes sustained minor to moderate roof damage with significant  uplift of at least one roof structure.  A child suffered minor injuries in one of the homes. The tornado reached its maximum intensity of approximately 105 mph here.

The tornado crossed Hudson Avenue, snapping additional trees and producing minor damage to one home. Sporadic tree damage was also noted along CR 95 and CR 52 before the tornado lifted just east of CR 530.

Start Time: 8:55 PM (February 20, 2014)          End Time: 8:58 PM (February 20, 2014)

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A tornado touched down in the Ramblewood subdivision on the south side of Rogersville. Along Ramblewood Drive, many very large hardwood and softwood trees were uprooted. Several hardwood trees were snapped near the base. At least two utility poles were snapped in this location.

Several homes sustained minor roof damage with the loss of shingles, siding, or gutters. The tornado may have touched down south of this location but it was unclear at the time of the survey. The tornado then moved northeast over forested and rural terrain, finally crossing near the intersection of Lambs Ferry Road and CR 608. Here, a few very small trees were snapped. The tornado moved to the northeast, snapping a few tree branches and crossing Lambs Ferry Road before lifting south of Fuqua Lane.

Start Time: 8:51 PM (February 20, 2014)          End Time: 8:53 PM (February 20, 2014)

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A tornado touched down in the Marble Hill community along Marble Hill Road during the late evening hours on February 20th. The tornado damaged several barn and farm structures along Marble Hill Road, tearing the side completely off one. A well-built home sustained very minor siding damage. Large hardwood trees were uprooted along Marble Hill Road and a few were snapped and twisted near the base. The tornado apparently lifted as it moved northeast across Highway 50 and into the higher terrain of Bean Hollow.

Start Time: 9:53 PM (February 20, 2014)          End Time: 9:55 PM (February 20, 2014)

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A tornado touched down in the Tim's Ford area just west of Wiley Road. Several trees were snapped or uprooted in this area. In addition, a large outbuilding was destroyed and a home sustained roof damage. The tornado tracked generally east, pretty much paralleling Cole Lane. Numerous trees were uprooted and another farm building was damaged.

Along Owl Hollow Lane, a home sustained significant damaged when a farm building was completely destroyed and a portion of the roof was blown through the side of the house. About 1/3 of the south facing wall of the home was destroyed and a large chunk of the farm building ended up inside one of the second story bedrooms. Fortunately, the occupants stated they received the warning of the storm coming and took shelter minutes before the storm arrived. The tornado then continued its eastward trek before lifting somewhere west of Haddon Lane.

Start Time: 10:08 PM (February 20, 2014)          End Time: 10:09 PM (February 20, 2014)

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A tornado touched down in the Estill Springs and Wilder Chapel communities of far northeast Franklin County late on the evening of February 20th. The tornado first snapped trees along and west of Oak Grove Road, north of the intersection with Dabbs Road. The tornado lifted northeast and crossed Wilder Chapel Road. Here, a large swath of hardwood trees were snapped and twisted near the base. A large outbuilding was also destroyed and a home had minor roof damage. Further down Oak Grove Road, additional hardwood trees were uprooted. The tornado weakened as it lifted northeast toward the county line with only minor damage noted along Baker Cemetery Road.

Start Time: 10:23 PM (February 20, 2014)          End Time: 10:25 PM (February 20, 2014)