An intense fast moving squall line tracked east at 50 to 60 mph across southern middle Tennessee. Ahead of the line, southerly winds accelerated to 30 to 40 mph with a few gusts around 55 mph.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
An intense fast moving squall line tracked east at 50 to 60 mph across southern middle Tennessee. Ahead of the line, southerly winds accelerated to 30 to 40 mph with a few gusts around 55 mph. The winds knocked some trees and power lines down.
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 Feb 24, 8:15 PM CST, 3 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
815 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011
.UPDATE...
FOR BRIEF MESOSCALE DISCUSSION...AND EVENING UPDATE TO GRIDS
&&
.DISCUSSION...
AS IS SO OFTEN THE CASE...THE LINE HAS SPED UP IN THE LAST COUPLE
HOURS AND IS NOW POISED TO IMPACT THE EXTREME NORTHWESTERN EDGE OF
THE CWFA BETWEEN 9 AND 10PM. FROM THERE...IT WILL RAPIDLY SPREAD
EASTWARD...EXITING DEKALB COUNTY BETWEEN 2 AND 3 AM. THE MAIN THREAT
TONIGHT IS STILL EXPECTED TO BE DAMAGING WINDS /ESPECIALLY WITHIN
BOWING SEGMENTS/...ALTHOUGH ISOLATED INSTANCES OF HAIL OR TORNADOES
ARE ALSO POSSIBLE.
THE 00Z BMX/JAN SOUNDINGS SHOW A PRETTY SOLID CAP AT AROUND
700MB...WHICH IS PROBABLY WHAT HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE LACK OF
THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT OUT AHEAD OF THE MAIN LINE. WHILE BUFR
SOUNDINGS DO SHOW THIS CAP EVENTUALLY WEAKENING IN TIME FOR THE MAIN
LINE...THIS DOES SUGGEST THAT THE OVERALL SEVERE WINDOW SHOULD BE
RELATIVELY SHORT LIVED. HOWEVER...SRH OFF BOTH SOUNDINGS /AND OHX AS
WELL/ IS SUFFICIENTLY AMPLE FOR LOW LEVEL ROTATION WITHIN ANY
STORM...AND ANY STORM ALONG THE LINE SHOULD BE ABLE TO MIX DOWN MOST
OF THE 50-60KT JET.
HAVE UPDATED THE HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK TO REFLECT THE FASTER
TIMING...AND THE WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT. IN ADDITION...MADE
SOME TWEAKS TO THE GRIDS TO REFLECT THE TEMPORAL RESOLUTION OF THE
SQUALL LINE. UPDATED ZONES WILL BE FORTHCOMING VERY SHORTLY.
&&
.AVIATION.../UPDATED FROM 00Z TAFS/
STRONG COLD FRONT STILL POISED TO IMPACT BOTH TERMINALS
OVERNIGHT...BUT CONDITIONS UPSTREAM OF HERE SUGGEST THAT VFR
CONDITIONS WILL LARGELY PREVAIL UNTIL THE BROKEN SQUALL LINE
ARRIVES. SOUTH WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO GUST TO 25-30KT THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS...WITH LITTLE CHANGE IN DIRECTION OR STRENGTH
ANTICIPATED UNTIL THE LINE ARRIVES. TIMING THE APPROACHING SQUALL
LINE SUGGESTS IT WILL IMPACT MSL AROUND 4-5Z AND HSV AROUND
06Z...HOWEVER CANNOT COMPLETELY DISCOUNT ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM
DEVELOPMENT AHEAD OF MAIN LINE. CURRENT OBS AND CLIMO SUGGEST MVFR
CONDITIONS DURING MOST OF THE SQUALL LINE...WITH POCKETS OF IFR
CIGS/VIS CERTAINLY A POSSIBILITY. BEHIND THE LINE...LOOK FOR A SHIFT
TO WESTERLY WINDS WITH MVFR/IFR CIGS THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE
OVERNIGHT. SOME IMPROVEMENT IS EXPECTED IN CIGS THROUGH THE MORNING
HOURS FRIDAY AND WINDS WILL BE NORTHERLY...BUT CONDITIONS MAY NOT
BECOME VFR AT EITHER TERMINAL UNTIL LATE IN THE TAF PERIOD.
&&
.HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST FRIDAY FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: COLBERT...CULLMAN...DEKALB...FRANKLIN AL...
JACKSON...LAUDERDALE...LAWRENCE...LIMESTONE...MADISON...
MARSHALL...MORGAN.
TN...WIND ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM CST FRIDAY FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: FRANKLIN TN...LINCOLN...MOORE.
&&
JLLHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL 757 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011 ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-251100- LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN- MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN- 757 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE TENNESSEE VALLEY THIS EVENING THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL MOVE INTO NORTHWESTERN ALABAMA AFTER 930 PM...AND WILL THEN CROSS THE INTERSTATE 65 CORRIDOR AROUND 11 PM TO MIDNIGHT...AND FINALLY BEGIN TO EXIT NORTHEAST ALABAMA AND SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AROUND 2 TO 3 AM FRIDAY MORNING. THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AND HAIL UP TO ONE INCH. IN ADDITION...ISOLATED TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG THE LINE OF STORMS. IN ADDITION TO THE SQUALL LINE...STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS ASSOCIATED WITH THE SURFACE LOW WILL OCCASIONALLY GUST TO AROUND 35 MPH. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE TENNESSEE VALLEY THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED DURING SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY AS YET ANOTHER STRONG COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA. EARLY INDICATIONS CONTINUE TO SHOW A RISK FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WITH THIS SYSTEM. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS REQUESTED THIS EVENING AND DURING THE OVERNIGHT. KDW
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
923 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0854 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 N MOULTON 34.51N 87.29W
02/24/2011 LAWRENCE AL AMATEUR RADIO
TREE DOWN 2 MI NORTH OF MOULTON ON CR 170.
&&
SLACORTEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1014 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0854 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 N MOULTON 34.51N 87.29W
02/24/2011 LAWRENCE AL AMATEUR RADIO
TREE DOWN 2 MI NORTH OF MOULTON ON CR 170.
1006 PM TSTM WND DMG CHEROKEE 34.76N 87.97W
02/24/2011 COLBERT AL EMERGENCY MNGR
DAMAGE TO RESIDENCE IN DOWNTOWN CHEROKEE AT MM08 ON
US-72.
&&
SLACORTEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1024 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0854 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 N MOULTON 34.51N 87.29W
02/24/2011 LAWRENCE AL AMATEUR RADIO
TREE DOWN 2 MI NORTH OF MOULTON ON CR 170.
1006 PM TSTM WND DMG CHEROKEE 34.76N 87.97W
02/24/2011 COLBERT AL EMERGENCY MNGR
DAMAGE TO RESIDENCE IN DOWNTOWN CHEROKEE AT MM08 ON
US-72.
1013 PM TSTM WND DMG OAKLAND 34.84N 87.80W
02/24/2011 LAUDERDALE AL EMERGENCY MNGR
POWER OUTAGE IN OAKLAND. ESTIMATED 60MPH WIND GUST.
1015 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG HUNTSVILLE 34.73N 86.59W
02/24/2011 MADISON AL AMATEUR RADIO
TREE DOWN ON 9TH AVENUE IN HUNTSVILLE.
&&
SLACORTEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1031 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0854 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 N MOULTON 34.51N 87.29W
02/24/2011 LAWRENCE AL AMATEUR RADIO
TREE DOWN 2 MI NORTH OF MOULTON ON CR 170.
1006 PM TSTM WND DMG CHEROKEE 34.76N 87.97W
02/24/2011 COLBERT AL EMERGENCY MNGR
DAMAGE TO RESIDENCE IN DOWNTOWN CHEROKEE AT MM08 ON
US-72.
1013 PM TSTM WND DMG OAKLAND 34.84N 87.80W
02/24/2011 LAUDERDALE AL EMERGENCY MNGR
POWER OUTAGE IN OAKLAND. ESTIMATED 60MPH WIND GUST.
1015 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG HUNTSVILLE 34.73N 86.59W
02/24/2011 MADISON AL AMATEUR RADIO
TREE DOWN ON 9TH AVENUE IN HUNTSVILLE.
1017 PM TSTM WND DMG 7 W TUSCUMBIA 34.73N 87.83W
02/24/2011 COLBERT AL EMERGENCY MNGR
POWER OUTAGES IN CROOKED OAK AND LOCUST SHORES.
&&
SLACORTEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1052 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0854 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 N MOULTON 34.51N 87.29W
02/24/2011 LAWRENCE AL AMATEUR RADIO
TREE DOWN 2 MI NORTH OF MOULTON ON CR 170.
1006 PM TSTM WND DMG CHEROKEE 34.76N 87.97W
02/24/2011 COLBERT AL EMERGENCY MNGR
DAMAGE TO RESIDENCE IN DOWNTOWN CHEROKEE AT MM08 ON
US-72.
1013 PM TSTM WND DMG OAKLAND 34.84N 87.80W
02/24/2011 LAUDERDALE AL EMERGENCY MNGR
POWER OUTAGE IN OAKLAND. ESTIMATED 60MPH WIND GUST.
1015 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG HUNTSVILLE 34.73N 86.59W
02/24/2011 MADISON AL AMATEUR RADIO
TREE DOWN ON 9TH AVENUE IN HUNTSVILLE.
1017 PM TSTM WND DMG 7 W TUSCUMBIA 34.73N 87.83W
02/24/2011 COLBERT AL EMERGENCY MNGR
POWER OUTAGES IN CROOKED OAK AND LOCUST SHORES.
1017 PM TSTM WND DMG TUSCUMBIA 34.73N 87.71W
02/24/2011 COLBERT AL EMERGENCY MNGR
ROOF DAMAGE TO JJS RESTAURAUNT AND PEOPLES DRUG STORE ON
HWY 72 IN CHEROKEE. MULTIPLE POWER OUTAGES IN BARTON,
CROOKED OAK, LOCUST SHORES, NEW BETHEL AND TUSCUMBIA.
1027 PM TSTM WND GST RUSSELLVILLE 34.51N 87.73W
02/24/2011 M63.00 MPH FRANKLIN AL BROADCAST MEDIA
MEDIA REPORTS 63MPH WIND GUST MEASURED FROM ALFA CAM.
&&
SLACORTEPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
1104 PM CST THU FEB 24 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0854 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG 2 N MOULTON 34.51N 87.29W
02/24/2011 LAWRENCE AL AMATEUR RADIO
TREE DOWN 2 MI NORTH OF MOULTON ON CR 170.
1006 PM TSTM WND DMG CHEROKEE 34.76N 87.97W
02/24/2011 COLBERT AL EMERGENCY MNGR
DAMAGE TO RESIDENCE IN DOWNTOWN CHEROKEE AT MM08 ON
US-72.
1013 PM TSTM WND DMG OAKLAND 34.84N 87.80W
02/24/2011 LAUDERDALE AL EMERGENCY MNGR
POWER OUTAGE IN OAKLAND. ESTIMATED 60MPH WIND GUST.
1015 PM NON-TSTM WND DMG HUNTSVILLE 34.73N 86.59W
02/24/2011 MADISON AL AMATEUR RADIO
TREE DOWN ON 9TH AVENUE IN HUNTSVILLE.
1017 PM TSTM WND DMG 7 W TUSCUMBIA 34.73N 87.83W
02/24/2011 COLBERT AL EMERGENCY MNGR
POWER OUTAGES IN CROOKED OAK AND LOCUST SHORES.
1017 PM TSTM WND DMG TUSCUMBIA 34.73N 87.71W
02/24/2011 COLBERT AL EMERGENCY MNGR
ROOF DAMAGE TO JJS RESTAURAUNT AND PEOPLES DRUG STORE ON
HWY 72 IN CHEROKEE. MULTIPLE POWER OUTAGES IN BARTON,
CROOKED OAK, LOCUST SHORES, NEW BETHEL AND TUSCUMBIA.
1027 PM TSTM WND GST RUSSELLVILLE 34.51N 87.73W
02/24/2011 M63.00 MPH FRANKLIN AL BROADCAST MEDIA
MEDIA REPORTS 63MPH WIND GUST MEASURED FROM ALFA CAM.
1053 PM NON-TSTM WND GST CULLMAN 34.17N 86.84W
02/24/2011 M51.00 MPH CULLMAN AL TRAINED SPOTTER
STORM SPOTTER MEASURES WIND GUST OF 51MPH IN CULLMAN.
&&
SLACORTEThe Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:21 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown down on Shelbyville Highway. Power outages were reported in the Vann Town area.
Trees were blown down on Lewisburg Highway.
Trees and powerlines were blown down in Elora near Borderline road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, February 2011
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: 289287, 289290, 289291.