Summary of the
16 April 1998 tornado:
The Initial touchdown was approximately at 4:40 pm
CDT in Hardin County, TN,5 mi. (3 km) southeast of Savanah. The tornado traveled
northeast at 45 mph(72 km/hr) cutting a 0.5 mi. (.8 km) wide path for
25 mi (40 km). Thenthere is a short break in the damage path just west
of the Natchez TraceParkway in Wayne, Co. The tornado then continued
for another 20 mi (32 km)to northeast of Deerfield, where again there is a
break in the damage.
Finally the tornado traveled 25 more miles (40 km)
until it lifted atapproximately 6:20 pm CDT near Culleoka in Maury
County. The damage swathwas generally on the order of .25 mi (.4 km) for
the last two damage paths.
The total path length was approximately 75 mi ((120
km). Spotter andeyewitness reports support that one tornado caused
all the damage along thethree paths, with the breaks occurring when the tornado
lifted off theground, instead of there being three separate tornados.
F-4 damage occurredin all the damage paths, with a well constructed
house in the second damagepath (see photos) having F-5 damage. F-5 damage wasn't
confirmed in theother two paths due to the remote areas it passed
through, and the lack of a
thorough damage analysis in these areas.
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