Tornado touches down at 231, 141

As Tennessee's attention turned to Mt. Juliet, Gallatin and Hickman County during the early hours of Jan. 30, Trousdale did not remain unscathed as tornadoes criss-crossed the Mid-State.

According to The National Weather Service an EF1 (Enhanced Fujita Scale 1) did touch down at Mann Road in Wilson County and contiuned for 10.2 miles causing damage along southern Trousdale County at Highway 231 South and stopping at Highway 141 along Hartsville Pike just north of Riadon Road. The 150 yard wide tornado stayed on the ground for roughly 10 minutes with winds estimated up to 100 mph.

Captain Steven Spencer of the Wilson Emergency Management Agency said, "I suspected it, because when we draw out the damaged area from Mt. Juliet up to that point, it’s a straight line. What that indicates is that the EF-2 tornado that did so much damage in Mt. Juliet is part of that same cell, so basically the EF-2 weakened some, and when it went into that area it was an EF-1 instead of the EF-2."

The National Weather Service press release added, "The most significant damage…including significant roof damage along with destroyed outbuildings…was along Beasley's Branch and Canoe Branch Roads,"

Tom Thompson with the National Weather Service commented, "There was also considerable damage to sheds, outbuildings, trees and a home that porch columns blown out along Highway 25 in the Dixon Springs area that was caused by straight line winds causing a microburst, with winds around 85 mph."

Anja Salter, whose home had it's roof ripped off during the storm, said, "We were in the storm room, and we just thought it was the furniture on the porch moving back and forth. Then we saw water coming down…then we heard it, and we thought, 'oh no! the roof is gone.'

"Thank God that we are all alive."

Ken Buckmaster with the Trousdale County Rescue Squad commented there were no injuries from the storms.

"When you look at the tornado warnings that was coming at us and the cells that was coming at us, I would say that we could have been much worse. We had pretty much every road in the county blocked at one time.

"The police department was moblized…most of their deputies, the county highway department, rescue…everything worked out well as far as I can tell."

Managing Editor Marie Corhern can be reached at 615-374-3556 or by email at thevidette@bellsouth.net.