Tennessee State Library and Archives
Disasters in Tennessee
Panorama of East Nashville after the Great Fire, 1916, Library Photograph Collection
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Tornadoes in Tennessee

 

    Timber driven by a tornado into a large tree   

Timber driven by a tornado into a large tree
in the front yard of the Hughes home,
Columbia, Maury County, Tennessee, n.d.

THS Photograph Collection

Tornadoes can occur all over the world, but they most frequently occur in the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. According to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there are approximately 800 tornadoes each year in the U.S., and they cause, on average, 80 deaths and 1,500 injuries. Tornadoes vary in intensity: weak tornadoes (with winds less than 110 mph) account for 69% of all tornadoes in the U.S., but only 5% of tornado-related deaths; strong tornadoes (with winds 110-205 mph) account for 29% of tornadoes in the U.S. and 30% of deaths; violent tornadoes (with winds greater than 205 mph) account for only 2% of tornadoes in the U.S. but 70% of deaths. In 1971 Ted Fujita of the University of Chicago developed a scale to measure the intensity of tornadoes, known afterwards as the Fujita Scale. The scale was refined and updated in 2007 and is now called the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

Tennessee has experienced numerous tornadoes over the years, with all categories on the Fujita Scale represented. The earliest recorded tornado in Tennessee occurred on May 24, 1807, and struck Roane, Knox, Sevier, Jefferson, and Cocke counties. In Middle Tennessee there were 486 recorded tornadoes between 1830–May 2007, and they caused 421 deaths.

Fujita Scale

 

Nashville tornado

Nashville Tornado, Nashville, Tennessee, April 16, 1998

Photograph by Lucinda Kinsall

Nashville, Tennessee, April 16, 1998
On April 16, 1998, Nashville was hit by 3 tornadoes. Around 3:30 p.m. an F3 tornado touched down one mile west of Charlotte Pike and I-440. The tornado traveled NE for about 42 miles through downtown Nashville, East Nashville, Donelson, and Hermitage before finally lifting near Hartsville in Trousdale County. 100 people were injured by this tornado, and one man later died from his injuries. Approximately 300 homes were damaged and 600 businesses were damaged or destroyed. 35 buildings in downtown Nashville were declared structurally unsound. Property damage was estimated at over $100 million.

An F2 tornado touched down less than an hour later just east of Cornelia Fort Airport and traveled into Wilson County. The third tornado, also an F2, occurred about an hour after the second. It touched down near Elmington Park and traveled one mile before lifting near Centennial Park.

On the same day another powerful tornado hit four counties in southern Tennessee, traveling 69 miles. It touched down as an F3 tornado 11 miles south of Clifton in Wayne County, was upgraded to an F5 as it passed through Lawrence County, downgraded to an F4 as it passed through Giles County, and downgraded further to an F3 as it passed into Maury County, finally lifting SE of Columbia. It killed 3 people, injured 36, and caused about $13 million in property damage.

Legislative Plaza

Charlotte Avenue

State Capitol

Legislative Plaza, Nashville, Tennessee, April 16, 1998
GP 55, Governor Don Sundquist Papers


Charlotte Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee, April 16, 1998
GP 55, Governor Don Sundquist Papers


Tennessee State Capitol, Nashville, Tennessee, April 16, 1998
Tornado damage outside of the Senate Chamber.
GP 55, Governor Don Sundquist Papers


James K. Polk tomb

Centennial Park

Governor Sundquist, et al. touring the damage

Tennessee State Capitol, Nashville, Tennessee, April 16, 1998
Tornado debris around the tomb of James K. Polk on the grounds of the Capitol.
GP 55, Governor Don Sundquist Papers


Centennial Park, Nashville, Tennessee, April 1998
The tornado felled about 6,000 trees in and around Nashville. Nearly 1,200 of those trees were at the Hermitage, home of President Andrew Jackson.
GP 55, Governor Don Sundquist Papers


Congressman Bob Clement, Vice President Al Gore, Governor Don Sundquist, & Mayor Phil Bredesen touring the tornado damage, Nashville, Tennessee, April 1998
GP 55, Governor Don Sundquist Papers


James K. Polk State Office Building

BofA Plaza

James K. Polk State Office Building,
Nashville, Tennessee, April 16, 1998
GP 55, Governor Don Sundquist Papers


Bank of America Plaza,
Nashville, Tennessee, April 16, 1998
GP 55, Governor Don Sundquist Papers


tornado damage

tornado damage

tornado damage

 


Tornado damage, Middle Tennessee, April 1998
GP 55, Governor Don Sundquist Papers


 


 

  Montgomery County Court House  

Montgomery County Court House,
Clarksville, Tennessee, January 22, 1999

W. J. Souza Photograph Collection

Clarksville, Tennessee, January 22, 1999
At 4:15 a.m. on January 22, 1999, an F3 tornado touched down in Clarksville. It was on the ground for only 5 minutes and traveled just 4.3 miles, but it was 880 yards wide. Despite the short duration of the tornado, it did extensive damage to downtown Clarksville. The Montgomery County Court House was severely damaged, as were the offices of the Leaf-Chronicle newspaper. Twenty-two buildings at Austin Peay State University were also heavily damaged. The estimated property damage caused by the tornado was nearly $73 million.

Montgomery County Courthouse

Leaf-Chronicle building

South 2nd Street

Montgomery County Court House
& intersection of South 3rd & Commerce Streets,
Clarksville, Tennessee,
January 22, 1999
W. J. Souza Photograph Collection


Leaf-Chronicle building,
Clarksville, Tennessee,
January 22, 1999
W. J. Souza Photograph Collection


South 2nd Street,
Clarksville, Tennessee,
January 22, 1999
W. J. Souza Photograph Collection


Goodlette, Peay, & Hurt law office

Trinity Episcopal Church

Madison Street Methodist Church

Goodlette, Peay, & Hurt law office,
Clarksville, Tennessee,
January 22, 1999
W. J. Souza Photograph Collection


Trinity Episcopal Church,
Clarksville, Tennessee,
January 22, 1999
W. J. Souza Photograph Collection


Madison Street Methodist Church,
Clarksville, Tennessee,
January 22, 1999
W. J. Souza Photograph Collection


Hiter & Franklin Streets

Clarksville

Clarksville

Building on the corner of
Hiter & Franklin Streets,
Clarksville, Tennessee,
January 22, 1999
W. J. Souza Photograph Collection


Clarksville, Tennessee,
January 22, 1999
W. J. Souza Photograph Collection


Clarksville, Tennessee,
January 22, 1999
W. J. Souza Photograph Collection


 

Looking Back at Tennessee Photograph Collection

Centerville, Hickman County, TN

Centerville, Hickman County, TN

Centerville, Hickman County, Tennessee,
April 30, 1909


Centerville, Hickman County, Tennessee,
April 30, 1909


Centerville, Hickman County, TN

Centerville, Hickman County, TN

Centerville, Hickman County, Tennessee,
April 30, 1909


Centerville, Hickman County, Tennessee,
April 30, 1909


Wilson Hill School

Golddust, Lauderdale County, TN

Wilson Hill School, Wilson Hill, Marshall County, Tennessee,
March 13, 1913
Taken the day after a tornado destroyed the school & killed the teacher, Mary Wilson.


Golddust, Lauderdale County, Tennessee,
May 2, 1935


Western State Hospital

Newbern, Dyer County, TN

Western State Hospital,
Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tennessee, 1942
The hospital’s greenhouse destroyed by a tornado.


Newbern, Dyer County, Tennessee, 1952


 

Next Page: Murfreesboro and Liberty tornadoes

 

 

Section researched and written by Will Thomas, Archival Assistant