Southern Tennessee Weather

Not one, but TWO TORNADOES have been confirmed from Saturday’s storms! Below is video I was sent from the Allardt community of Fentress County (credit Robin Smith Terry). This tornado was very brief – touching down near Heiness Rd at 6:32 p.m. CDT, travelling northeast from there before lifting near Baseline Rd at 6:34 p.m. The tornado was only 50 yards wide with a path less than half a mile. Estimated peak winds were around 70 mph. Treetops were snapped and a few trees were uprooted. Otherwise, no harm, no foul. The other tornado touched down near Grapevine Rd in Bledsoe County at 6:21 p.m. Video of this tornado has circulated, as well. It traveled a little less than two miles to the northeast into Cumberland County, lifting near Jerry Edmonds Rd at 6:27 p.m. Per the survey, this tornado “uprooted trees, removed shingles, and damaged multiple outdoor buildings and a barn.” Winds were estimated at around 75 mph. It’s worth noting that while neither tornado was warned, radar did not show a clear rotation couplet. The two radar sites serving the area in question are both located over 80 miles away (KOHX is located in Old Hickory, nearly 100 miles away; KMRX is located in Morristown, more than 80 miles away). Due to the curvature of the earth, the lowest level radar can see is ~10,000ft above the surface in these areas. With both tornadoes being on the weaker side, the classic tight rotation couplet we look for simply could not be seen as this radar beam height. Thankfully no one was injured, but this further highlights the *NEED* for a real-deal Doppler radar site somewhere along the Plateau!