April 27, 2011 Super Outbreak Tornadoes | ||||||||
# | Counties | Rating | Time (CST) | Length (miles) | Width (yards) | Fatalities | Injuries | |
1 | Lauderdale AL/Wayne | EF1 | 0301 | 9.79 | 200 | 0 | 0 | |
2 | Wayne | EF1 | 0319 | 6.16 | 200 | 0 | 0 | |
3 | Lawrence | EF1 | 0350 | 7.11 | 300 | 0 | 1 | |
4 | Wilson | EF0 | 0423 | 3.00 | 50 | 0 | 0 | |
5 | Bedford/Rutherford/Marshall | EF1 | 0434 | 7.50 | 150 | 0 | 0 | |
6 | Sumner | EF0 | 0435 | 3.70 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |
7 | Rutherford | EF1 | 0443 | 9.90 | 500 | 0 | 0 | |
8 | Rutherford | EF0 | 0454 | 4.60 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |
9 | Moore/Bedford/Coffee | EF2 | 0513 | 4.17 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |
10 | Wilson | EF0 | 0513 | 4.50 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |
11 | Smith | EF0 | 0524 | 3.43 | 50 | 0 | 0 | |
12 | Macon/Clay/Allen KY | EF0 | 0529 | 5.96 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |
13 | Smith/Jackson | EF0 | 0531 | 6.73 | 200 | 0 | 0 | |
14 | Jackson | EF0 | 0539 | 4.38 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |
15 | Coffee | EF0 | 0540 | 1.67 | 50 | 0 | 0 | |
16 | Jackson/Clay | EF1 | 0541 | 9.70 | 500 | 0 | 0 | |
17 | Warren | EF1 | 0547 | 13.17 | 100 | 0 | 2 | |
18 | Overton | EF0 | 0612 | 1.96 | 50 | 0 | 0 | |
19 | Fentress | EF0 | 0643 | 0.42 | 50 | 0 | 0 | |
20 | Cumberland | EF0 | 0647 | 5.60 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |
21 | Grundy | EF0 | 1700 | 1.16 | 50 | 0 | 0 |
Overview | |
After two days of active severe weather across Middle Tennessee on April 25 and 26, another powerful QLCS (Quasi-Linear Convective System), also known as a squall line, moved across the region during the late evening hours on April 26 into the early morning hours on April 27. This QLCS spawned nearly two dozen mainly weak tornadoes across Middle Tennessee, along with producing widespread wind damage and flash flooding. Thankfully, rain-cooled air from this QLCS kept the atmosphere stable across the Mid State the rest of the day, sparing Middle Tennessee from the devastating tornadoes that would strike Alabama and east Tennessee later that same afternoon and evening. Data on this tornado outbreak is from local storm reports, NWS storm surveys, radar imagery from OHX and HTX radars, satellite imagery available in Google Earth, and additional research conducted in 2015 and 2016 by Sam Shamburger, a lead forecaster at NWS Nashville. |
Links | |||
NWS Huntsville 4/27/2011 Page | NWS Birmingham 4/27/2011 Page | NWS Morristown 4/27/2011 Page | |
NWS Memphis 4/27/2011 Page | NWS Jackson 4/27/2011 Page | NWS Atlanta 4/27/2011 Page |
Radar | |
OHX Radar Base Reflectivity Loop 3AM - 8AM | OHX Radar Storm Relative Velocity Loop 3AM - 8AM |
EF0 Overton County Tornado | |
Counties: | Overton |
Time: | 6:12 AM CST |
EF Scale: | EF0 |
Damage Path Length: | 1.96 miles |
Damage Path Width: | 50 yards |
Fatalities: | 0 |
Injuries | 0 |
Damage: STORM DATA: An EF0 tornado with maximum wind speeds between 75 and 80 mph crossed Highway 111 near the Rickman Community. Dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted. Some of the trees fell on homes and vehicles. SHAMBURGER (2015): NCDC and Storm Data incorrectly list this tornado as occurring in Jackson County, and it was corrected to Overton County in this entry. The time of the tornado was also adjusted based on radar data. |
EF0 Cumberland County Tornado | |
Counties: | Cumberland |
Time: | 6:47 AM CST |
EF Scale: | EF0 |
Damage Path Length: | 5.60 miles |
Damage Path Width: | 100 yards |
Fatalities: | 0 |
Injuries | 0 |
Damage: STORM DATA: An EF-0 tornado with maximum winds 70 to 80 mph touched down near the intersection of Pomona Road and U.S Highway 70N. Damage continued northeast approximately 4.5 miles to near the intersection of Potato Farm Road and U.S Highway 127. Numerous trees were snapped and twisted along the 50 to 100 yard wide path. |
EF0 Grundy County Tornado | |
Counties: | Grundy |
Time: | 5:00 PM CST |
EF Scale: | EF0 |
Damage Path Length: | 1.16 miles |
Damage Path Width: | 50 yards |
Fatalities: | 0 |
Injuries | 0 |
Damage: STORM DATA: An EF0 tornado with maximum winds 70 to 80 mph briefly touched down around 6 pm in Grundy County. Initial damage was noted 3 miles southeast of Altamont along Fletcher Strip Road. The damage path was around 1 mile long and 50 yds wide. SHAMBURGER (2015): Even though a NWS storm survey was conducted for this tornado, it is erroneously omitted from NCDC and Storm Data records. |