Essay Instructions: All papers must be submitted in the format shown in the Writing Guidance from the week 1 reading. Papers must be double-spaced, in 12-point font, with 1-inch margins left and right and 1-inch margins on the top and bottom. The page counts listed below do not include cover pages or References pages. Cite at least five reference sources for each paper. Wikipedia is not an acceptable academic source.
Project Idea: 1997 Tennessee Tornadoes
Paper must contain the following:
1. Name of Incident Location Date(s) and time incident occured
2. Hazard Identification-type of hazard(s) Impact - loss of life, casualties, extent of property loss, and economic loss.
3. Response measures Recovery - include wheather Federal Declaration, Emergency Declaration, discuss cost.
4. Preparedness of emergency responders.
5. Preparedness of victims and community Mitigation - proposed measures after event.
6. Building codes or land use planning (if applicable), structural controls, training, exercises, and planning to prepare for future similar events.
7. Legislation or Regulatory Changes following event.
8. Special Considerations: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ohx/?n=tornadoclimatology
Largest Outbreak Synopsis of the Event-The Supercell Tornado Outbreak Across Middle Tennessee January 24, 1997
The supercell tornado outbreak of January 24, 1997 resulted in 13 tornadoes across middle Tennessee. Damage in excess of 9 million dollars occurred across Rutherford, Cannon, Wilson, and Smith counties. Over 300 buildings, including homes, businesses, and public facilities were either damaged or completely destroyed. Thirty-one persons were injured as the tornadoes, ranging from F2 to F4 intensity, moved across this area. Incredibly, there were zero fatalities.
The threat of severe weather across middle Tennessee was first identified by the early afternoon of January 23. A special weather statement was issued to highlight the severe weather threat for middle Tennessee for the afternoon of January 24. Another special weather statement was issued early on January 24 to continue to alert the public of the possibility of severe weather.
The tornado outbreak unfolded quickly across middle Tennessee during the early afternoon of January 24. Shortly after 330 PM, Doppler radar indicated a tornado as severe weather spotters reported a funnel cloud just east of Centerville, Tennessee. A tornado warning was issued at 333 PM for northern Maury and Williamson Counties as the tornado moved toward the more heavily populated area of Franklin. By 344 PM, another tornado warning was issued for Maury County as another tornado was indicated by Doppler radar in western Maury County, about 15 miles west of Columbia.
Responsive to the seriousness of the event, a severe weather statement was issued at 404 PM highlighting that the tornado was expected to move through Boston, Thompson Station, Spring Hill, and to near the heavily populated area of Franklin by 430 PM. Short term forecasts (NOW's) were issued during the event, but were written in a broadbrush manner for the several counties warned and did not include specific storms. The NOW's were replaced by the severe weather statements (SVS's) to maintain public awareness of tornado locations and movements.
The public was heavily warned in Maury and Williamson Counties with both counties having a 37 minute lead time before large hail occurred at 410 PM. Additionally, phone calls were made to sheriffs' offices both to ensure the warnings were received and to exchange information regarding the tornadoes.
By 422 PM, a tornado warning was issued for Rutherford and extended for Williamson County until 515 PM. Three tornadoes were indicated by Doppler radar from about 10 miles northeast and 5 miles west of Franklin and also along the Maury-Williamson County line. Several weather spotters, amateur radio operators, and sheriffs' deputies were maintaining contact with NWSO Nashville and provided excellent updates of the tornadoes, which coincided with Doppler radar indications.
A very important severe weather statement was issued shortly after 430 PM highlighting the multiple tornadoes in Williamson County. This statement provided crucial information regarding areas within the Nashville metropolitan area which were in the paths of the tornadoes (including heavily populated areas such as Murfreesboro in Rutherford County).
At 440 PM, the northernmost tornado about 5 miles northeast of Franklin continued to maintain itself, prompting a tornado warning for Wilson county valid until 545 PM.
Another crucial severe weather statement was issued at 454 PM to indicate tornado locations and to pinpoint towns along the tornado paths. This particular statement mentioned that tornadoes would move to near Murfreesboro between 500 and 515 and to just southeast of Lebanon by 515 PM.
At around 500 PM, an F2 tornado touched down near Smyrna in Rutherford County and produced damage as it moved southeast of Lebanon in Wilson County to near Watertown in southeast Wilson County at the predicted 515 PM time. Rutherford County residents had a 48 minute tornado warning lead time and Wilson county a 20 minute lead time.
The tornado in southeast Williamson County moved to near Eagleville at 445 PM and continued its eastward track, evolving into a violent F4 tornado in the Barfield community at 503 PM. Because of the severity of this tornado, a crucial phone call was also made to the Rutherford County Sheriff to warn of the impending F4 tornado approaching the Murfreesboro area. Residents in the Barfield community had a 41 minute lead time. Because the time-saving NOAA Weather Radio (NWR) Quickwarn technique was employed by the NWSO Nashville staff, Rutherford and Williamson Counties received additional lead time as all media, local law enforcement, and many residents across middle Tennessee own weather radios. Extensive damage occurred in the Barfield community with the tornado virtually levelling the South Ridge subdivision.
A tornado warning was subsequently issued for Cannon county at 505 PM as numerous damage reports were received from southeast Rutherford County. The tornado lifted then touched down in northern Cannon county at 556 PM, producing widespread damage and a few injuries. The residents of Cannon County were also warned well in advance with a 51 minute lead time.
The media was greatly impressed with the actions taken by the NWSO Nashville staff. Television and radio personalities commented that the information received was accurate, timely, and life-saving during this destructive tornado event. The local Nashville television weathermen, Bill Hall, from the NBC affiliate WSMV-TV, Davis Nolan, from the ABC affiliate WKRN, and Ron Howes, from CBS affiliate WTVF, all praised the lead times provided the warned counties. Each of these personalities also publicly stated on air that if the warnings and statements had not been issued with as much lead time, the likelihood of deaths, because of the extensive damage which occurred across Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, and Cannon Counties would have been high.
Because of the long lead times that occurred with the issuance of these tornado warnings, staff members at NWSO Nashville were interviewed by NBC Nightly News (via telephone) and were complimented extensively by NBC Dateline. Local Nashville area radio stations and newspapers also publicly praised the quick and effective actions taken during the event. NWSO Nashville has received several letters and calls stating that the lead times and numerous updates of tornado positions and movements contributed to the prevention of deaths with this extensive and violent F2 and F4 tornado event. Tennessee Emergency Management (TEMA) also praised the quick, timely, and accurate actions taken by the NWSO Nashville staff during the event. A letter is also attached from TEMA.
It is rare that a tornado of such magnitude as F4 can pass through a heavily populated metropolitan area without causing fatalities. (The combined population of the three hardest hit counties, Williamson, Rutherford, and Wilson exceeds 267,000.) That no fatalities occurred on January 24 can be attributed in large to the enormous tornado warning lead times and crucial follow-up severe weather statements provided by the NWSO Nashville staff.
It must also be mentioned that a pro-active warning preparedness program involving the public paid off. Several instances were noted of individuals who had taken steps to protect themselves according to National Weather Service safety lessons. This factor surely contributed to the absence of deaths.
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March 1, 1997 7:20 PM F4
A 13-year-old girl was killed as she sought cover in one of 25 homes that were destroyed in the the Lake Luanna community between Dyersburg and Newbern, Tennessee. About 20 people were injured. More information on the March 1, 1997 tornadoes can be found at the Southern Region National Weather Service site. Seven other counties in Tennessee were also declared disaster areas due to tornadoes.
