Nashville, TN EF3 Tornado of March 3, 2020


A strong tornado hit northwest of downtown Nashville, TN at approximately 1:35 am CST on March 3, 2020. Not a lot of information is confirmed at this time, but an EF4 strength has been confirmed and track for this tornado has been drafted based on the currently available information.

Several images/videos have been embedded with this post, currently 18 fatalities and 88 injuries have occurred from this tornado. The extent of the damage is still unknown.

Figure 1. Radar reflectivity at 1:36 am CST on March 3, 2020.

Below is what we used to estimate this tornado to be at least EF3 in strength. The radar imagery depicted a significant couplet, which suggests, with 83% confidence, that this tornado was likely an EF3.

Check back regularly as we update this post with more current information.

National Centers for Environmental Information reports:

An historic, long-track, strong EF-3 tornado began in western Davidson County then tracked eastward for over 60 miles through Wilson County into Smith County before lifting, causing 5 deaths and 220 injuries. This tornado touched down west of River Road Pike then moved eastward across Bells Bend, destroying a barn and blowing down numerous trees. The tornado strengthened significantly and widened to 0.65 miles wide as it crossed the Cumberland River into the John C. Tune Airport area, causing strong EF-2 damage to numerous planes, hangers, warehouses, and other buildings from Cockrill Bend Way to Briley Parkway. Around $200 million in damage was reported at John C. Tune Airport alone. Continuing eastward, the tornado caused severe damage to the Tennessee State Prison and blew down numerous high-tension transmission towers as it again crossed the Cumberland River into North Nashville, with up to EF-2 damage to farm facilities at Tennessee State University and dozens of homes between I-40 and Buchanan Street. EF-2 damage continued across the Germantown neighborhood just 1/2 mile north of downtown Nashville with several damaged and destroyed apartment complexes, homes, and businesses. The tornado intensified further as it tracked through East Nashville, with EF-3 damage to businesses and other buildings in the Five Points area and EF-2 damage to homes in the Lockeland Springs and Barclay Drive neighborhoods. Two people were killed in Five Points after leaving a bar and going outside as the tornado struck. After crossing the Cumberland River yet again, the tornado weakened as it moved northeast through the Donelson Hills and Lincoya Hills neighborhoods of Donelson, but strengthened again to a strong EF-3 in the Standford Estates area where several homes were leveled. The tornado weakened slightly but continued to cause EF-2 damage to homes and businesses as it turned southeast and passed through Hermitage into Wilson County.

Dozens of homes continued to sustain up to EF-2 damage as the tornado moved across the Chandler Road and Triple Crown Parkway neighborhoods of Mount Juliet. Turning more to the northeast, the tornado strenghtened to strong EF-3 and leveled numerous homes in the Catalpa Drive and Clearview Drive neighborhoods, with one elderly couple killed on Catalpa Drive at Dogwood Drive. Crossing Mount Juliet Road, the tornado severely damaged West Wilson Middle School and Stoner Creek Elementary School, both of which will have to be torn down and rebuilt. The tornado reached its peak intensity of high-end EF-3 and peak size of 0.9 miles wide as it moved across Golden Bear Parkway and along Eastgate Blvd, leveling several large warehouses and killing a security guard at the CEVA warehouse on Athletes Way North. Crossing Highway 109 into Lebanon, the tornado weakened to EF-2 but continued damaging dozens of homes and businesses as it moved through southern sections of the city. Further to the east, buildings on both sides of I-40 in Tuckers Crossroads received up to EF-2 damage before the tornado turned southeast and crossed into Smith County. Weakening and shrinking in size, the tornado caused EF-1 damage to numerous homes and businesses in Grant, New Middleton, and just south of Gordonsville. The tornado finally lifted east of Highway 141 and north of Judkins Lane after a continuous 60.13 miles on the ground.

An historic, long-track, strong EF-3 tornado began in western Davidson County then tracked eastward for over 60 miles through Wilson County into Smith County before lifting, causing 5 deaths and 220 injuries. This tornado touched down west of River Road Pike then moved eastward across Bells Bend, destroying a barn and blowing down numerous trees. The tornado strengthened significantly and widened to 0.65 miles wide as it crossed the Cumberland River into the John C. Tune Airport area, causing strong EF-2 damage to numerous planes, hangers, warehouses, and other buildings from Cockrill Bend Way to Briley Parkway. Around $200 million in damage was reported at John Tune Airport alone. Continuing eastward, the tornado caused severe damage to the Tennessee State Prison and blew down numerous high-tension transmission towers as it again crossed the Cumberland River into North Nashville, with up to EF-2 damage to farm facilities at Tennessee State University and dozens of homes between I-40 and Buchanan Street. EF-2 damage continued across the Germantown neighborhood just 1/2 mile north of downtown Nashville with several damaged and destroyed apartment complexes, homes, and businesses. The tornado intensified further as it tracked through East Nashville, with EF-3 damage to businesses and other buildings in the Five Points area and EF-2 damage to homes in the Lockeland Springs and Barclay Drive neighborhoods. Two people were killed in Five Points after leaving a bar and going outside as the tornado struck. After crossing the Cumberland River yet again, the tornado weakened as it moved northeast through the Donelson Hills and Lincoya Hills neighborhoods of Donelson, but strengthened again to a strong EF-3 in the Standford Estates area where several homes were leveled. The tornado weakened slightly but continued to cause EF-2 damage to homes and businesses as it turned southeast and passed through Hermitage into Wilson County.

Dozens of homes continued to sustain up to EF-2 damage as the tornado moved across the Chandler Road and Triple Crown Parkway neighborhoods of Mount Juliet. Turning more to the northeast, the tornado strenghtened to strong EF-3 and leveled numerous homes in the Catalpa Drive and Clearview Drive neighborhoods, with one elderly couple killed on Catalpa Drive at Dogwood Drive. Crossing Mount Juliet Road, the tornado severely damaged West Wilson Middle School and Stoner Creek Elementary School, both of which will have to be torn down and rebuilt. The tornado reached its peak intensity of high-end EF-3 and peak size of 0.9 miles wide as it moved across Golden Bear Parkway and along Eastgate Blvd, leveling several large warehouses and killing a security guard at the CEVA warehouse on Athletes Way North. Crossing Highway 109 into Lebanon, the tornado weakened to EF-2 but continued damaging dozens of homes and businesses as it moved through southern sections of the city. Further to the east, buildings on both sides of I-40 in Tuckers Crossroads received up to EF-2 damage before the tornado turned southeast and crossed into Smith County. Weakening and shrinking in size, the tornado caused EF-1 damage to numerous homes and businesses in Grant, New Middleton, and just south of Gordonsville. The tornado finally lifted east of Highway 141 and north of Judkins Lane after a continuous 60.13 miles on the ground.

An historic, long-track, strong EF-3 tornado began in western Davidson County then tracked eastward for over 60 miles through Wilson County into Smith County before lifting, causing 5 deaths and 220 injuries. This tornado touched down west of River Road Pike then moved eastward across Bells Bend, destroying a barn and blowing down numerous trees. The tornado strengthened significantly and widened to 0.65 miles wide as it crossed the Cumberland River into the John C. Tune Airport area, causing strong EF-2 damage to numerous planes, hangers, warehouses, and other buildings from Cockrill Bend Way to Briley Parkway. Around $200 million in damage was reported at John Tune Airport alone. Continuing eastward, the tornado caused severe damage to the Tennessee State Prison and blew down numerous high-tension transmission towers as it again crossed the Cumberland River into North Nashville, with up to EF-2 damage to farm facilities at Tennessee State University and dozens of homes between I-40 and Buchanan Street. EF-2 damage continued across the Germantown neighborhood just 1/2 mile north of downtown Nashville with several damaged and destroyed apartment complexes, homes, and businesses. The tornado intensified further as it tracked through East Nashville, with EF-3 damage to businesses and other buildings in the Five Points area and EF-2 damage to homes in the Lockeland Springs and Barclay Drive neighborhoods. Two people were killed in Five Points after leaving a bar and going outside as the tornado struck. After crossing the Cumberland River yet again, the tornado weakened as it moved northeast through the Donelson Hills and Lincoya Hills neighborhoods of Donelson, but strengthened again to a strong EF-3 in the Standford Estates area where several homes were leveled. The tornado weakened slightly but continued to cause EF-2 damage to homes and businesses as it turned southeast and passed through Hermitage into Wilson County.

Dozens of homes continued to sustain up to EF-2 damage as the tornado moved across the Chandler Road and Triple Crown Parkway neighborhoods of Mount Juliet. Turning more to the northeast, the tornado strenghtened to strong EF-3 and leveled numerous homes in the Catalpa Drive and Clearview Drive neighborhoods, with one elderly couple killed on Catalpa Drive at Dogwood Drive. Crossing Mount Juliet Road, the tornado severely damaged West Wilson Middle School and Stoner Creek Elementary School, both of which will have to be torn down and rebuilt. The tornado reached its peak intensity of high-end EF-3 and peak size of 0.9 miles wide as it moved across Golden Bear Parkway and along Eastgate Blvd, leveling several large warehouses and killing a security guard at the CEVA warehouse on Athletes Way North. Crossing Highway 109 into Lebanon, the tornado weakened to EF-2 but continued damaging dozens of homes and businesses as it moved through southern sections of the city. Further to the east, buildings on both sides of I-40 in Tuckers Crossroads received up to EF-2 damage before the tornado turned southeast and crossed into Smith County. Weakening and shrinking in size, the tornado caused EF-1 damage to numerous homes and businesses in Grant, New Middleton, and just south of Gordonsville. The tornado finally lifted east of Highway 141 and north of Judkins Lane after a continuous 60.13 miles on the ground.