April 7, 2006 brought at least 11 tornadoes to Middle Tennessee. An F3 tornado with winds of 158-206 mph killed 7 people in Gallatin. This is the most deadly single tornado in Middle Tennessee since April 3, 1974. Other tornadoes killed 3 in Warren County. Many homes and businesses were destroyed. Widespread hail occurred, some up to 3 inches in diameter. Heavy rainfall fell in some areas with Crossville breaking the daily record with 2.61 inches.
Please visit this site from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Morristown for a summary of the meteorological elements that came together to produce this major tornado outbreak.
The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Nashville will receive a Bronze Medal from the U.S. Department of Commerce for providing proactive, life-saving warning services during this extensive tornado outbreak in Middle Tennessee.
Benton County:
An F0 touched down from 1240pm - 1241pm CDT, 4 miles south southwest of Big Sandy. Homes lost shingles at Cedar Hills Estates, and trees were snapped and uprooted. The path length was about 1 mile and the width was about 10 yards.
Another tornado touched down 12 miles south southwest of Camden and moved to 12 miles south southeast of Camden. The path length was 6 miles and the width was 50 yards. The worst damage was along Conley Branch Road where a home lost its roof and rafters. Other homes had roof damage and trees were snapped and uprooted. Damages from this tornado were estimated at $250,000.
Humphreys County:
An F0 tornado occurred from about 105pm – 106pm CDT, 6 miles north northwest of Waverly. Trees were uprooted and 2 homes had roof damage along Clydeton Road. The path length of this tornado was 0.2 mile and the width was 20 yards.
Another F0 occurred from 110pm - 111pm CDT, 8 miles north northeast of Waverly along Arnold Hollow Road and Deer Creek Road. There was structure damage to outbuildings, and a barn was destroyed. The path length was 0.2 mile long and 20 yards wide.
An F1 tornado moved across southern Humphreys County from 205pm CDT to 212pm CDT. The tornado touched down just south of Carroll hollow along Cuba Landing Road. Large trees were snapped, uprooted and blown down. A brick home on Baker Road was 40 percent destroyed. A mobile home was demolished with only a twisted metal frame left at the site. The tornado crossed Jack Rudolph Road and lifted up along Old Highway 13 where trees were destroyed and another mobile home was pushed off its foundation. The tornado path was 5 miles long and 50 yards wide.
Dickson County:
The tornado struck as an F2 on Maple Valley Road in northern Dickson County at 130pm CDT. Three mobile homes were leveled. Numerous trees were uprooted. The tornado continued along Highway 49 and reached Bellsburg as an F3. A single story brick home was demolished and a truck was thrown into the basement. Debris from the house, including appliances and furniture was thrown 100 yards away into the woods. The path length of the Dickson County tornado was 13 miles and the width was about one half mile. Losses from this tornado were estimated at $5 million.
Cheatham County:
The tornado hit Greenbrier, TN as an F1 at 134pm CDT. Several homes had shingles off their roofs. Large trees were snapped and uprooted. This tornado also caused damage in Ashland City around 139pm CDT. There was roof damage to a hospital and nearby buildings. A large communications tower was blown down near the hospital. Many residential homes had roofs peeled, and large trees were snapped and uprooted.
One home was destroyed in Cheatham County, 13 homes had major damage, and 9 homes, farms and businesses had moderate damage. The path length was 6 miles and width was about 100 yards. No fatalities or injuries were reported in Cheatham County. Damages were estimated at $1 million.
Davidson County:
The F3 tornado hit 3 miles west of Goodlettsville about 208pm CDT. Path length was 5 miles in Davidson County, then it continued into Sumner County. Path width was about one half mile. No fatalities occurred in Davidson County, but there were 7 injuries. Damage was estimated at $10 million. 25 homes were destroyed. 13 homes and businesses had major damage, 31 had moderate damage. Metro Baptist church had significant damage to the front and roof of the church.
Sumner County:
The F3 tornado that moved across northern Davidson County continued into Sumner County at 212pm CDT. The tornado moved east northeast around 55 mph across northern Hendersonville and reached the south part of Gallatin around 225pm CDT. The tornado ended over Bledsoe Creek State Park, about 5 miles east of Gallatin, around 232pm.
This tornado had a path length of 18 miles in Sumner County, with a total length of 22.75 miles including the Davidson County portion of the track. Its width varied from 100 to 200 yards.
The tornado caused damage ranging from F2 to high end F3. This places estimated wind speed from 158-206 mph. 7 people were killed in the Gallatin area and about 121 were injured. 1 indirect fatality was caused by a heart attack. TEMA and Sumner County Emergency Management estimated 700 homes and businesses damaged or destroyed.
The city of Hendersonville had 80 homes destroyed. Volunteer State Community College was heavily damaged as were several car dealerships across the road from the college.
Sumner County suffered $69 million in damages.
Lewis County:
An F0 tornado occurred 3 miles northeast of Hohenwald, near U.S. 412 around 243pm CDT. A few trees were snapped, but no significant property damage was reported. The path length was 0.3 miles with a width of 100 yards.
Warren County:
An F1 tornado touched down 11 miles northwest of McMinnville at 445pm CDT killing 2 people in a mobile home on Foster Road. A 53 year-old woman was killed, and an elderly male friend she cared for also died in the mobile home. He was 81 years-old.
Shingles were blown off roofs. Large trees were snapped and uprooted. This tornado touched down on Lance Road, near Blue Hill Road. There was damage to a large barn, and shingles were torn off a portion of the roof. The tornado continued east where it crossed Highway 56 and Highway 287. Damage was noted on this path. Warren County had 10 homes, farms or businesses with major damage. 19 homes, farms or businesses had moderate damage. The tornado ended around 500pm CDT. The path length was 11 miles and the width was 150 yards. Damage was estimated at $500,000.
The second tornado, also an F1, occurred near Morrison, about 9 miles southwest of McMinnville. The first touchdown was along Caney Branch Road at 628pm CDT where there was extreme damage to a barn, a cinder block building was damaged, and numerous trees were blown down. A 48 year old woman was killed when a trailer home was destroyed on Bonner Road. Several home in the country Club subdivision had roof damage. Several outbuildings were destroyed. The path length was 4 miles and width was 100 yards. Warren County had 10 homes, farms or businesses with major damage. 19 homes, farms or businesses had moderate damage. Damage was estimated at $100,000. A total of 15 injuries were reported from the 2 tornadoes that struck Warren County.
Cumberland County:
An F1 tornado began 4 miles southwest of Crossville around 546pm CDT. The path length was 6 miles and the width was 150 yards. No fatalities were reported, but there were 4 injuries. 6 homes were destroyed including 2 mobile homes. 6 other homes had major damage, and a total of 181 homes experienced some damage. Other structures and automobiles were also damaged. Cost of all damage in Cumberland County was estimated at $4 million.
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