A strong cold front pushed into southern middle Tennessee during the early to mid-afternoon hours on the 11th. Unstable air and a strong wind field ahead of this system produced severe thunderstorms including damaging winds in Franklin County.
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Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS HUN wrote it up.
A strong cold front pushed into southern middle Tennessee during the early to mid-afternoon hours on the 11th. Unstable air and a strong wind field ahead of this system produced severe thunderstorms including damaging winds in Franklin County.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Huntsville, AL wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 11, 1:03 PM CST, 32 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 203 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008 .DISCUSSION... QUICK UPDATE TO ZONES TO ADD TORNADO WATCH FOR DEKALB/JACKSON/MARSHALL COUNTIES IN AL. LINES OF STORMS WERE QUICKLY BEGINNING TO MOVE INTO NE AL. && .HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... AL...NONE. TN...NONE. && 07
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 835 AM CDT FRI APR 11 2008 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-111900- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DE KALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 835 AM CDT FRI APR 11 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... A POWERFUL SPRING STORM WILL MOVE FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS TO THE SOUTHERN GREAT LAKES BY LATE TONIGHT. A COLD FRONT EXTENDING SOUTH OF THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY THIS EVENING. WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING...BUT THE PRIMARY THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL OCCUR ALONG AND AHEAD OF A DEVELOPING SQUALL LINE. THIS LINE WILL APPROACH THE AREA NEAR MIDDAY OR EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...AND SLOWLY WORK ITS WAY EASTWARD. PRIMARY THREATS POSED BY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS OVER 60 MPH AND LARGE HAIL. AN ISOLATED TORNADO CANNOT BE RULED OUT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY... MUCH COLDER AIR WILL SLOWLY INFILTRATE THE TENNESSEE VALLEY DURING THE WEEKEND IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. LOW TEMPERATURES MAY FALL INTO THE LOWER AND MID 30S ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY MORNINGS. DEPENDING ON CLOUD COVERAGE AND WINDS...FROST MAY DEVELOP...AND FREEZING CONDITIONS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS POSSIBLE LATER TODAY. RSB/BCC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 126 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008 ALZ005>007-111915- LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- 126 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LIMESTONE...MADISON AND NORTHERN MORGAN COUNTIES UNTIL 215 PM CDT... AT 126 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR TRINITY...TO MADISON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...PEA TO DIME SIZE HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 45 MPH EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... TRINITY. DECATUR. TANNER. ATHENS. FRENCH MILL. CAPSHAW. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM CDT FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE. DJN
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 144 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008 TNZ097-111930- FRANKLIN- 144 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR FRANKLIN COUNTY UNTIL 230 PM CDT... AT 141 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR HUNTLAND...OR 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WINCHESTER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... MAXWELL. BELVIDERE. TIMS FORD LAKE. WINCHESTER. COWAN. WOODS RESERVOIR. SEEK SHELTER AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM CDT FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE. BCC
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 150 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008 TNZ076-096-111930- LINCOLN-MOORE- 150 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ALERT FOR LINCOLN AND MOORE COUNTIES UNTIL 230 PM CDT... AT 146 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTHEAST OF HAZEL GREEN...OR 10 MILES SOUTH OF FAYETTEVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED ACROSS NORTHWESTERN LINCOLN COUNTY...ALSO MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. ONE HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL AND WINDS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH INCLUDE... CRYSTAL SPRINGS. FLINTVILLE. SMITHLAND. HURDLOW. LYNCHBURG. THIS THUNDERSTORM COULD INTENSIFY QUICKLY...SO BE READY TO ACT IF A WARNING IS ISSUED. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM CDT FRIDAY AFTERNOON FOR NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE. BCC
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
154 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0115 PM HAIL HODGES 34.33N 87.93W
04/11/2008 E0.88 INCH FRANKLIN AL PUBLIC
NICKEL SIZE HAIL REPORTED AT HAROLDS GAS AND GROCERY
STORE IN THE HODGES COMMUNITY.
0125 PM HAIL FRENCH MILL 34.77N 86.88W
04/11/2008 E0.50 INCH LIMESTONE AL EMERGENCY MNGR
DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED.
0130 PM HAIL JONES CHAPEL 34.21N 87.05W
04/11/2008 E1.00 INCH CULLMAN AL EMERGENCY MNGR
QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN THE CRANE HILL AREA.
0137 PM HAIL 5 WNW RUSSELLVILLE 34.53N 87.81W
04/11/2008 M1.25 INCH FRANKLIN AL CO-OP OBSERVER
COCORAHS OBSERVER REPORTED HALF DOLLAR SIZE HAIL 5.7
MILES WNW OF RUSSELLVILLE.
0145 PM HAIL 7 NNW CULLMAN 34.27N 86.89W
04/11/2008 E1.75 INCH CULLMAN AL EMERGENCY MNGR
GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN THE VINEMONT AREA.
&&
KWEBERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
220 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0210 PM HAIL HAZEL GREEN 34.93N 86.57W
04/11/2008 E0.50 INCH MADISON AL EMERGENCY MNGR
DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF WALKER
LANE AND 201 JUST SOUTH OF HAZEL GREEN.
0218 PM HAIL 1 W NEW MARKET 34.91N 86.44W
04/11/2008 E0.88 INCH MADISON AL EMERGENCY MNGR
NICKEL SIZED HAIL REPORTED JUST WEST OF NEW MARKET.
&&
KWEBERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
221 PM CDT FRI APR 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0210 PM HAIL HAZEL GREEN 34.93N 86.57W
04/11/2008 E0.50 INCH MADISON AL EMERGENCY MNGR
DIME SIZED HAIL REPORTED AT THE INTERSECTION OF WALKER
LANE AND 231 JUST SOUTH OF HAZEL GREEN.
&&
KWEBERThe Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 22 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:36 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A severe thunderstorm produced wind gusts estimated at 70 mph in the Huntland community.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, April 2008
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 92374.