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Overview

A line of severe thunderstorms rumbled across Middle Tennessee during the night and early morning hours of March 28-29, 2020. The storm system that was responsible for these damaging storms took shape over the north-central Plains and continued toward the Great Lakes Region. Further south, a cold front was racing east across the Mid and Lower Mississippi Valleys. Sufficient instability and wind shear was in place across Middle Tennessee to intensify storms ahead of the cold front. Line segments of damaging wind and hail formed over western Middle TN and southern AL, racing east-northeast at speeds of 60-80 mph!

Widespread wind damage and large hail was reported as the system tracked across Stewart, Maury, Marshall, Bedford, Coffee, Cannon, DeKalb, Warren, Van Buren, White, Overton, Cumberland, and Fentress Counties. Wind speeds were estimated as high as 95 mph in some areas. Peak wind speeds measured at area weather station included 69 MPH at Short Mountain (Cannon County), 63 MPH at Clarksville Outlaw Field (Montgomery County), and 63 MPH at Crossville Memorial Airport (63 MPH). In addition, one EF-0 tornado was determined to have touched down in White County.

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Damage to a home in Sparta, TN. Photo by Kristy Bush.

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