Tennessee, 2014

Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Tennessee, April 28, 2014

April 28, 2014 · NWS HUN · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

A tornado outbreak occurred during the late afternoon and evening across the central Tennessee Valley on the 28th. Several cyclic supercells produced tornadoes, some of which were strong.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
2
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
5

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS HUN wrote it up.

A tornado outbreak occurred during the late afternoon and evening across the central Tennessee Valley on the 28th. Several cyclic supercells produced tornadoes, some of which were strong. There were also reports of flash flooding, especially in urban areas of Lincoln and Franklin counties, where up to 5 inches fell within two hours.

What forecasters said that day

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 28, 3:55 PM CST, 1 hour 14 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 28, 3:55 PM CST, 1 hour 14 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
455 PM CDT MON APR 28 2014

.UPDATE...
MESOSCALE UPDATE.

&&

.MESOSCALE UPDATE...
SUPERCELLS CONTINUE TO MARCH EASTWARD ACROSS THE HUN CWFA THIS
AFTERNOON...WITH A CONFIRMED TORNADO ON THE GROUND AT THE MOMENT
CROSSING THE TENNESSEE RIVER FROM THE LAWRENCE/LAUDERDALE COUNTY BORDER
INTO LIMESTONE COUNTY. THIS CELL DEVELOPED WEST OF RUSSELLVILLE JUST
A SHORT WHILE AGO AND HAS STRENGTHENED AS IT MOVED EAST/NORTHEAST.
LOW LEVEL HELICITIES OF 200 TO 300 M2/S2 AND LCL LEVELS OF 500-700M ARE
POOLING JUST HEAD OF/ALONG THE SUPERCELLS, AIDING IN TORNADO
DEVELOPMENT THIS AFTERNOON.

THE AREA REMAINS IN THE RIGHT REAR QUADRANT OF A H5 JET ROUNDING THE
BASE OF THE UPPER TROF PARKED OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS, ENHANCING LIFT
ALOFT FOR THE ONGOING CONVECTION.

IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE THREAT, HP SUPERCELLS ARE ALSO KNOWN FOR
THEIR PROLIFIC RAIN-PRODUCING PROPERTIES. AS SUCH, RAIN RATES OF 3-4"
PER HOUR HAVE BEEN NOTED OVER NORTHWEST ALABAMA. FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS
WILL FOLLOW THIS LINE OF CONVECTION AS IT MARCHES EASTWARD THIS
EVENING.

12

&&

.AVIATION...
/ISSUED 1222 PM CDT MON APR 28 2014/
FOR 18Z TAFS...
TS WILL INCREASE BETWEEN 21-23Z FOR AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF I-65.
STORMS WILL IMPACT KMSL INITIALLY AND POSSIBLY KHSV BY 23Z.
CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER...INCLUDING
TORNADOES...THROUGH THIS EVENING ACROSS N AL. AS STORMS APPROACH...
EXPECT WIDESPREAD MVFR CIGS AND VSBY WITH HEAVY RAIN/INTENSITY OF
STORMS TEMPORARILY LOWERING CIGS/VSBY TO IFR (OR WORSE). WIND GUSTS
WILL BE ERRATIC. CONDITIONS APPEAR TO IMPROVE WEST TO EAST BETWEEN
03-07Z/TONIGHT.

DJN.83

&&

.HUN WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
AL...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR ALZ001>010-016.

TN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING FOR TNZ076-096-097.

&&

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE
AT WEATHER.GOV/HUNTSVILLE.
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 28, 1:28 PM CST, 3 hours 41 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
228 PM CDT MON APR 28 2014

ALZ001>010-016-TNZ076-096-097-291000-
LAUDERDALE-COLBERT-FRANKLIN AL-
LAWRENCE-LIMESTONE-MADISON-MORGAN-MARSHALL-JACKSON-DEKALB-CULLMAN-
MOORE-LINCOLN-FRANKLIN TN-
228 PM CDT MON APR 28 2014

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH ALABAMA AND PORTIONS
OF SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK POSSIBLE ACROSS THE TENNESSEE
VALLEY LATER THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH THIS EVENING.

ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE REGION LATER THIS
AFTERNOON AND INTO THIS EVENING. ALL TYPES OF SEVERE WEATHER ARE
POSSIBLE WITH THIS ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS...INCLUDING DAMAGING
WINDS...TORNADOES...LARGE HAIL...AND FLASH FLOODING. A FEW STRONG
TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING WILL INCREASE
THIS EVENING AS MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF HEAVY RAINFALL OCCUR...ESPECIALLY
ACROSS NORTHWEST ALABAMA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...

ONE FINAL ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED ALONG A COLD FRONT AS
IT MOVES ACROSS THE AREA TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOME OF THESE
STORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE SEVERE WEATHER...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS AS THE PRIMARY THREATS.

.SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT...

ACTIVATION OF STORM SPOTTERS AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL IS
REQUESTED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 28, 3:23 PM CST, 1 hour 46 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
423 PM CDT MON APR 28 2014

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0417 PM     HAIL             4 NNW LEIGHTON          34.76N 87.56W
04/28/2014  E0.50 INCH       COLBERT            AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            DIME SIZED HAIL WAS REPORTED.

&&

KWEBER
Local storm report, Apr 28, 3:50 PM CST, 1 hour 19 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
450 PM CDT MON APR 28 2014

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0410 PM     TORNADO          8 W LEIGHTON            34.70N 87.67W
04/28/2014                   COLBERT            AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            A TORNADO WAS REPORTED BY A TRAINED SPOTTER AT THIS
            LOCATION.

0400 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     5 N NORTH COURTLAND     34.74N 87.33W
04/28/2014                   LAWRENCE           AL   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED A WALL CLOUD NORTH OF COURTLAND

&&

KWEBER
Local storm report, Apr 28, 3:58 PM CST, 1 hour 11 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
458 PM CDT MON APR 28 2014

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0400 PM     TORNADO          2 NNW RUSSELLVILLE      34.53N 87.74W
04/28/2014                   FRANKLIN           AL   STORM CHASER

            STORM CHASER REPORTED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND NORTHWEST
            OF RUSSELLVILLE.

&&

KWEBER
Local storm report, Apr 28, 4:04 PM CST, 1 hour 5 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
504 PM CDT MON APR 28 2014

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0359 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NNW RUSSELLVILLE      34.53N 87.74W
04/28/2014                   FRANKLIN           AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            MULTIPLE TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN NORTHWEST OF
            RUSSELLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL.

&&

KWEBER
Local storm report, Apr 28, 4:22 PM CST, 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
522 PM CDT MON APR 28 2014

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0521 PM     HAIL             ELKMONT                 34.93N 86.98W
04/28/2014  E2.75 INCH       LIMESTONE          AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            BASEBALL SIZED HAIL WAS REPORTED.

&&

KWEBER
Local storm report, Apr 28, 4:45 PM CST, 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HUNTSVILLE AL
545 PM CDT MON APR 28 2014

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0330 PM     TSTM WND DMG     RED BAY                 34.44N 88.14W
04/28/2014                   FRANKLIN           AL   EMERGENCY MNGR

            MULTIPLE REPORTS OF TREES DOWN...SOME ON BUILDINGS...AND
            POWER POLES DOWN. ONE WOMAN WAS TRAPPED IN HER HOUSE...NO
            INJURIES REPORTED.

&&

KWEBER

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 38 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:07 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 tornado, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Lincoln

When
April 28, 5:09 PM CST to 5:24 PM CST
Where
Lincoln County, 0.99 mi W of Vanntown to 1.96 mi S of Shady Grove
Rating
EF2
Path length
9.53 mi
Path width
250 yd
Reported by
NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates
35.019, -86.487

The tornado touched down along North King Road, near the intersection with Lincoln Loop Road. It snapped and uprooted many trees along Lincoln Loop Road then crossed Vanntown School Road. The tornado then damaged a farm complex along Stewarts Chapel Road, where it tore the roof off an office building, destroyed two metal sheds, and vaulted a metal silo 150 yards. It continued tracking northeast, snapping and uprooting numerous trees, and causing minor roof damage to single family residences. One large tree fell onto a residence along Wells Lee Road. The tornado continued to snap and uproot numerous trees as it crossed Flintville School Road and Elora Road, with minimal structural damage noted. As it crossed Highway 64 east of Old Elora Road, the tornado pushed a mobile home off its foundation. At this stage, the tornado appeared to weaken, causing progressively weaker tree damage as it crossed Hotel/Terry Dunavan Road north of Highway 64. It is believed to have dissipated between Hotel/Terry Dunavan road and the Franklin County line.

Flash Flood, Franklin

When
April 28, 6:55 PM CST to 9:45 PM CST
Where
Franklin County, 0.29 mi WSW of Huntland to 0.36 mi SW of Huntland
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
35.048, -86.275

Four to five inches of water reported over Oakwood Drive.

Tornado, Lincoln

When
April 28, 7:09 PM CST to 7:27 PM CST
Where
Lincoln County, 1.92 mi WSW of Lincoln to 1.73 mi E of Champ
Rating
EF3
Path length
20.91 mi
Path width
500 yd
Continued into
Moore, Tn (HUN)
Deaths
2 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by
NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates
35.007, -86.550

A tornado touched down in extreme southern Lincoln County, just north of the state line, near the intersection of Jeans Road and Old Quick Road. The tornado produced mainly tree damage as it moved northeast across Lincoln Road, but tore off portions of the roofs of houses along Smith Mill Road. It continued moving northeast and intensified near the intersection of Old Lincoln Road and Tipton Lane where it produced its most significant damage. Three houses were almost completely destroyed, leaving only a few interior walls standing. This is also the area where two fatalities occurred, as their mobile home was flipped and destroyed, with its frame having been thrown approximately 125 yards across the street. At another nearby house along Smith Mill Road, even interior walls were collapsed and pushed (though left partially intact). The cars In the attached garage were pushed 10 to 15 feet. A nearby barn was completely destroyed and a nearby RV was rolled approximately 10 yards. The tornado tore off much of the roof from South Lincoln Elementary school, dragged a school bus approximately 75 yards, and caused it to impact the front wall of the school. Additional damage was incurred to homes just northeast of the school, where large sections of roofing were removed. Some of the most widespread damage occurred along Price Lane where multiple mobile homes were rolled as much as 50 yards and completely destroyed. Single family homes had exterior walls collapsed and roofs removed with electrical transmission towers completely toppled. The tornado continued to produce tree and roof damage as it moved northeast across Corders Crossroads and Crystal Springs Roads. Houses were pushed off their foundations near the intersection of Howell Mill Road and Crystal Springs Road, and nearby truss electrical transmission towers were crumpled.

The tornado appeared to weaken somewhat northeast of this location as it continued to snap multiple trees and produce minor roof damage. It broadened upon crossing Highway 64 and moved along Smithland Road where it snapped hundreds more trees and a few power poles. The tornado crossed the Elk river, toppled more trees, and produced minor roof damage in the Champ community.

Flash Flood, Lincoln

When
April 28, 7:15 PM CST to 9:30 PM CST
Where
Lincoln County, 0.52 mi NE of Fayetteville to 0.3 mi ENE of Fayetteville
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Amateur Radio
Coordinates
35.155, -86.573

Several roads around downtown Fayetteville deemed impassible due to flood waters.

Tornado, Moore

When
April 28, 7:27 PM CST to 7:33 PM CST
Where
Moore County, 2.28 mi W of Hurdlow to 0.46 mi NW of Bakertown
Rating
EF1
Path length
5.85 mi
Path width
500 yd
Reported by
NWS Storm Survey
Coordinates
35.174, -86.370

The tornado continued into southern Moore County, where it snapped and uprooted hundreds, possibly thousands more trees as it crossed the hills near Oak Grove Road, Rising Moon Road, Wet Prong/Ferris Creek Road and Short Creek Road. Structural damage was limited, aside from a few large sheds or barns being destroyed, minor damage to several single family houses, and more substantial roof, window, and porch damage to a house along Wet Prong Road near Alexander Lane. The damage in Moore County was deemed to be EF-1 intensity with peak winds of 110 mph. The tornado appeared to dissipate northeast of the intersection of Winchester Hwy and Coffee Creek Road in central Moore County.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

EventDateAgeSexWhereKind
Tornado, Lincoln2014-04-2860MaleMobile/Trailer HomeDirect
Tornado, Lincoln2014-04-2844FemaleMobile/Trailer HomeDirect

What these are

Tornado
A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Tennessee in 2014Every state in 2014This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Tennessee, 2014Warnings in Tennessee, April 2014

Sources

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: 505227, 514919, 505228, 514925, 505229.