Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Nashville, TN

February 18, 2009Cumberland County, Putnam County, White County, Tennessee

NWS Nashville, TN issued this tornado warning at Feb 18, 2009, 1:15 PM CST for Cumberland County, Putnam County, White County, Tennessee. It was in force for 30 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Feb 18, 2009, 1:15 PM CST (19:15 UTC)
Expired
Feb 18, 2009, 1:45 PM CST
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Nashville, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Cumberland County, TN, Putnam County, TN, White County, TN

The radar

The Nashville radar (KOHX), 140 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:17 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Feb 18, 1:33 PM CSTHAIL 0.752 N Crossville, TNSPOTTER REPORTED HAIL AT INTERSECTION OF I-40 AND HIGHEAY 127.
Feb 18, 1:38 PM CSTHAIL 0.88Fairfield Glade, TN

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Feb 18, 11:09 AM CSTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 7.3 hours before the alert went out and 141 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 2009-02-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 2009-02-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 599 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
519 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
78 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
599 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
631 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
WFUS54 KOHX 181915
TOROHX
TNC035-141-185-181945-
/O.NEW.KOHX.TO.W.0004.090218T1915Z-090218T1945Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
115 PM CST WED FEB 18 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NASHVILLE HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN CUMBERLAND COUNTY IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF CROSSVILLE...
  SOUTHEASTERN PUTNAM COUNTY IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE...
  NORTHEASTERN WHITE COUNTY IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE...

* UNTIL 145 PM CST

* AT 114 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 19 MILES WEST OF
  CROSSVILLE...OR 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF SPARTA...MOVING EAST AT 55
  MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  CROSSVILLE BY 135 PM CST...
  FAIRFIELD GLADE BY 140 PM CST...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CST WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

LAT...LON 3594 8473 3590 8541 3609 8542 3615 8489
TIME...MOT...LOC 1914Z 264DEG 46KT 3600 8535

$$
13
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS54 KOHX 181928
SVSOHX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
128 PM CST WED FEB 18 2009

TNC141-185-181938-
/O.CAN.KOHX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-090218T1945Z/
WHITE TN-PUTNAM TN-
128 PM CST WED FEB 18 2009

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN PUTNAM AND NORTHEASTERN WHITE
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

THE STORM THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED TO THE EAST OF THE 
AREA. 

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 PM CST WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON FOR CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

LAT...LON 3594 8523 3609 8522 3615 8489 3594 8473
TIME...MOT...LOC 1928Z 267DEG 47KT 3601 8511

$$

TNC035-181945-
/O.CON.KOHX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-090218T1945Z/
CUMBERLAND TN-
128 PM CST WED FEB 18 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 145 PM CST FOR NORTHERN
CUMBERLAND COUNTY...

AT 126 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR PLEASANT HILL...OR
7 MILES NORTHWEST OF CROSSVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  CROSSVILLE BY 135 PM CST...
  FAIRFIELD GLADE BY 140 PM CST...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON DOPPLER RADAR...IT MEANS
THAT STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY
ALREADY BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY. 

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS DANGEROUS STORM...MOVE INDOORS AND TO 
THE LOWEST LEVEL OF THE BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. IF 
DRIVING...DO NOT SEEK SHELTER UNDER A HIGHWAY OVERPASS.

LAT...LON 3594 8523 3609 8522 3615 8489 3594 8473
TIME...MOT...LOC 1928Z 267DEG 47KT 3601 8511

$$
STEIGERWALDT
000 
WWUS54 KOHX 181939
SVSOHX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NASHVILLE TN
139 PM CST WED FEB 18 2009

TNC035-181945-
/O.CON.KOHX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-090218T1945Z/
CUMBERLAND TN-
139 PM CST WED FEB 18 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 145 PM CST FOR
NORTHEASTERN CUMBERLAND COUNTY...

AT 136 PM CST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR CROSSVILLE...
MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH.

DO NOT USE HIGHWAY OVERPASSES FOR SHELTER. OVERPASSES DO NOT PROVIDE
PROTECTION FROM TORNADIC WINDS. VEHICLES STOPPED UNDER BRIDGES BLOCK
TRAFFIC AND PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GETTING OUT OF THE STORMS PATH AND
TO SHELTER. IF YOU CANNOT DRIVE AWAY FROM THE TORNADO...GET OUT OF
YOUR VEHICLE AND LIE FLAT IN A DITCH AS A LAST RESORT.

LAT...LON 3611 8504 3613 8489 3594 8473 3594 8507
TIME...MOT...LOC 1939Z 268DEG 48KT 3599 8491

$$
STEIGERWALDT

The office that day

Everything else NWS Nashville, TN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 18, 12:15 AM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOHXMontgomery, Stewart30 min
Feb 18, 12:52 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOHXCumberland, DeKalb, Putnam, White23 min
Feb 18, 1:26 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOHXClay, Fentress, Overton, Pickett34 min
Feb 18, 1:57 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOHXFentress, Overton, Putnam33 min
Feb 18, 2:12 PM CSTSevere Thunderstorm WarningOHXCumberland, Fentress, Overton, Putnam33 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Tennessee, 2009Every tornado warning in 2009Tornadoes in 2009

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.