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Revision as of 17:56, 21 August 2024 by EF5 (talk | contribs) (finished up previous paragraph)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) EF4 damage to homes along North McBroom Chapel Road and Hensley Drive, just west of Cookeville. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | March 3, 2020, 1:48 a.m. CST (UTC−06:00) |
| Dissipated | March 3, 2020, 1:56 a.m. CST (UTC−06:00) |
| Duration | 8 minutes |
| EF4 tornado | |
| on the Enhanced Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | 175 mph (282 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Casualties | 19 fatalities, 87 injuries |
| Damage | $100 million (2020 USD) |
Tornado summary
The tornado touched down 0.8 miles east of Cedar Hill in Robertson County, directly east of U.S. Route 70 North at 1:48 am CST, and began to track eastward, aligning with Baxter. Trees along Thompson Ridge Road were uprooted at EF0 intensity, and a home located on Bidwell Lane sustained heavy roof damage on the outer edge of the tornado's path, with windspeeds estimated to be around 75 mph (121 km/h) at that location. As the tornado moved across Byers Road, it uprooted more trees and damaged an outbuilding at retained EF0 intensity. It breifly moved parallel to U.S. Route 70, narrowly avoiding the Upperman High School, located on the eastern edge of Baxter. A home located less than a mile from the high school sustained heavy damaged, and another house was partially deroofed.
As the tornado entered the city limits of Baxter, it crossed Millie Lane, where it uprooted trees at EF0 intensity. Several more homes located a short distance east, on Stephanie Lane, were heavily damaged, and an outbuilding was obliterated at EF1 intensity. The tornado continued to move eastward, deroofing 2 homes located on Big Ben Circle and damaging several others.
The tornado continued to move eastward toward Cookeville, and uprooted trees at EF1 intensity before crossing Bloomington Road. Several homes located in the area sustained varying levels of damage, and an outbuilding was completely destroyed at EF3 intensity. More homes were heavily damaged as the tornado moved across Clemmons Road, and the tornado had estimated windspeeds of 150 mph (240 km/h) shortly before entering heavily populated neighborhood in western Cookeville.
The tornado gained intensity and became violent for the first time as it tore through the southern end of Charlton Square, where several homes were slabbed at high-end EF3 intensity and another residence was obliterated at EF4 intensity. The damage rating for the home was initially lowered, but was moved back up to EF4 damage after an analysis of the structure was conducted. An adjacent home was destroyed at EF4 intensity, and the tornado retained this intensity for 0.8 miles.
As the tornado moved across Plunk Whitson Road, it destroyed a home at EF3 intensity and left only a small room standing, where 5 occupants survived. A residence located across the street was completely destroyed, and the tornado had estimated windspeeds of 170 mph (270 km/h) in this area. The tornado continued to move through heavily populated areas, before running parallel to Hensley Drive, where every structure located on the southern half of the street were destroyed at EF4 intensity. A couple who were residing in one of the homes survived, and 4 members of a family sustained minor injuries.
The tornado curved slightly southward on North McBroom Chapel Road, where high-end EF4 damage was documented to a home and several others were damaged at various intensities. The tornado then moved across Mockingbird Hill Circle, where trees were debarked and several structures were destroyed at EF3 and EF4 intensity. It continued to move in a straight path, crossing a creek before directly impacting a 3-story apartment. The apartment was obliterated, with the top 2 stories completely destroyed and debris strewn across the property.
The tornado then directly impacted Echo Valley Drive, where another group of houses were completely destroyed at high-end EF4 intensity, and an Exxon gas station located on the adjacent street was obliterated. As the tornado crossed West Broad Street, it produced largely EF2 damage, where a home sustained roof damage and another was shifted off its' foundation. A metal building system nearby was also destroyed in 145 mph (233 km/h) windspeeds. THe tornado then moved over Locust Grove Road, where a row of houses located on the adjacent street were either heavily damaged or destroyed at high-end EF3 intensity.
As the tornado exited the eastern side of Cookeville, it crossed Tennessee Avenue, where multiple hardwood trees were snapped at EF2 intensity. Multiple structures were damaged or destroyed as the tornado crossed Miller Road, and a home was slid off its' foundation on an adjacent street. It then rapidly strengthened, reaching EF3 intensity as it impacted a home located off of West Broad Street. Multiple nearby buildings were partially deroofed, and an outbuilding was destroyed at EF2 intensity. Another home located nearby was hit and damged at EF2 intensity, and an occupant was killed while on the stairwell. A row of houses located on Crescent Drive sustained EF1 and EF2 dmage, with one home sustaining heavy roof damage.
See also
External links
References
- US Department of Commerce, NOAA. "March 2-3, 2020 Tornadoes and Severe Weather". www.weather.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-21.
- Staff, WZTV (2023-03-03). "Three years later: Tennesseans remember lives lost in deadly March tornado". WZTV. Retrieved 2024-08-21.