Are all Middle TN posters okay?

#76
#76
508mikey said:
being at night I guess it saved alot of lives - cringe to think if school was in session
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This time yes, and we should all be grateful for that. Make no mistake about the deadliness of spinning nightstalkers. They tend to be the worst. OK, now not replying directly to 508mikey, but posting the below for anyone who doesn't know, wish to know, become better prepared, become better informed, and hopefully, the information saves yours and others lives:

1. Nighttime Tornadoes More Than Twice as Likely to Be Deadly | The Weather Channel
2. Forecast: More Killer Tornadoes Strike at Night
 
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#77
#77
kamoshika said:
Drove from Kingsport to Cookeville this morning for a business meeting, listening to podcasts until about 30 miles out. Was completely unaware of the tornado until I turned on the radio and heard that Putnam County had been hit hard. Drove to our office here on S Washington Ave and learned that the tornado damage ended just 3-4 blocks away. On the way back from dinner downtown about 2 hours ago, I found a barely damaged photo of a newlywed couple. Sobering to not know what happened to them but want to see if I can return it somehow.
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As damnably annoying as social media can be, it might be your best bet for returning the picture. Facebook or that disgusting thing called Twitter might find a family or friend who knows them and can direct you to returning it. The local newspaper may also be of help.
 
#78
#78
VFL-82-JP said:
We're fine. Ended up being about 8 miles north of the track of the one that hit Mt Juliet and Lebanon.

My bride of 32 years and I were walking around the yard this morning at about 6 am picking up bits of styrofoam, insulation, shingles, and other construction materials deposited at 5-foot intervals across the lawn. Literally thousands of scraps of what used to be homes and businesses. Very few pieces bigger than your hand, all ground up in the violent winds before being rained back down. It felt almost like we were standing a vigil for some poor folks we've never met. I'm sure the tornado that hit East Nashville and Hermitage is the one that carried the litter that ended up on our grass ... the tornado that hit nearer us was on a track too far south to have dumped debris where we live.

Heart goes out to all those families and business owners and workers who are in a tough way today.
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My dad did the same in N. Alabama during the breakout that went through Tuscaloosa. Found a mortgage bill from about 60 miles away. Called the bank on the statement to try to get hold of the person on the bill to send it back to them......person had been killed during the storm.

Edit: I looked and it was Phil Campbell, Alabama. It was about 60 miles from my dad's house.
2011 Hackleburg–Phil Campbell tornado - Wikipedia
 
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#79
#79
82_VOL_83 said:
My dad did the same in N. Alabama during the breakout that went through Tuscaloosa. Found a mortgage bill from about 100 miles away. Called the bank on the statement to try to get hold of the person on the bill to send it back to them......person had been killed during the storm.
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That was a very bad year . I went to Smithville MS right after it happened to help with whatever we could do .
 
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#80
#80
The Original Fade said:
I went to DCA for about 5 years in the first half of the 80s. Very very sad. Praying for all affected by this, especially those who lost loved ones
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Just from pictures I have seen? I think it can be rebuilt in good time. I hope it was well insured. If it has to be razed? It will take longer, but not by much. Anyone planning a home? A basement safe room or storm shelter might be in order. Of course, in the case of this storm? It would not have helped.
 
#81
#81
WoodsmanVol said:
As damnably annoying as social media can be, it might be your best bet for returning the picture. Facebook or that disgusting thing called Twitter might find a family or friend who knows them and can direct you to returning it. The local newspaper may also be of help.
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There is good and bad to everything, WoodsmanVol.
 
#82
#82
Night time tornadoes are the worst. Our house was about 5 miles from the tornado and the office about 3. My phone, my wife's and my son's all went off twice with tornado warnings. Where are we gonna go? I rolled over and went back to sleep as did my son. My wife let the outside dog come in and sort of took stock of what she could see and she went back to bed. I don't know if we're programmed to tune out those alarms. I recognize the importance, but we get an Amber alert a week it seems like and severe thunderstorms aren't really warning worthy most of the time. I think we're conditioned to dismiss the warning and go about our lives. When the big thunder and lightning came, I was more concerned about the big oaks in the yard with the saturated soil being an issue than a tornado.

I can remember one little league baseball season after the 98 tornado outbreak where we had 2 or 3 different tornado warnings occur while we're at the park. The Dad's in those days all had beepers with weather warnings that came with them and when the warning beeps would happen all at once, the kids went nuts. Crying and screaming and losing their composure. They were conditioned to those things going off and everybody running for cover and being scared out of their wits. I don't know of a better warning system, but I'm a proponent of every school having a hardened safe room for tornadic events and designing every structure to EF-03 speed winds at a minimum. Those things are coming in future building codes.
 
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#83
#83
So sad to see all these pictures. My thoughts and prayers to all those hurt by this. Please post info for local charities in need of support now.
 
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#85
#85
GVF ok here. We were close, but spared, though that stretch of Hwy 70 going into Cookeville is experiencing a lot of loss.

The local Hwy I live off of basically parallels Hwy 70 about 8 miles to the north. The original track of the storm probably had us in the direct path, but the storm veered slightly southeast at the town about 30 miles west of Cookeville and ended up on it's final path into town. Many were not as fortunate. And in a town like Cookeville, everyone knows someone that lost someone. Access is still very limited, but was able to catch a glimpse of the aftermath yesterday evening. Those storms are so destructive.
 
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#87
#87
Fullfillmer said:
Waiting at a make shift morgue in Cookeville at Church on the Hill - waiting to identify bodies. Right now 19 have died - 2 of which belonged to us.

It’s shocking the amount of damage and loss of life here. Hug your family members and tell them you love them.
Ask God to look over and bless all who lost their lives.
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I live just over in Jackson County. My brother works in town with someone who also lost 2 siblings. The owner where I work in Baxter attends Sycamore where they lost one of their teens. Our youth minister at Collegeside lost a 4 year old. And the list goes on for many. Truly sorry for your personal loss.
 
#88
#88
MSCE09 said:
It saved a bunch of kids at school, mine included, but the people in Cookeville probably slept through it and is probably why that area took such a hard hit.
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That does have a lot to do with the death toll here that is mounting. My phone alert went off about 1:50 for the tornado warning. My power went out close to 2:30 and in retrospect that was about the time many were taking direct hits. Many were probably still asleep. Also, that highway is a main artery into Cookeville from the west and is heavily populated pretty much from Baxter all the way to Cookeville. One's fortune is another's tragedy. We were probably in the path at one point until the storm suddenly turn slightly southeast at Gordonsville. Ended up being a few miles north of the damage.
 
#90
#90
My indirect(I was at work when it hit my house.) experience with tornadoes is you need an underground bunker to maybe be safe.

They can pick up any structure down to the slab or ground.

I’m glad we are in God’s hands.
 
#91
#91
GVF said:
That does have a lot to do with the death toll here that is mounting. My phone alert went off about 1:50 for the tornado warning. My power went out close to 2:30 and in retrospect that was about the time many were taking direct hits. Many were probably still asleep. Also, that highway is a main artery into Cookeville from the west and is heavily populated pretty much from Baxter all the way to Cookeville. One's fortune is another's tragedy. We were probably in the path at one point until the storm suddenly turn slightly southeast at Gordonsville. Ended up being a few miles north of the damage.
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Serious question: are there no civil defense warning sirens in Cookeville? Communities can’t rely on people hearing an alert on their phones.
 
#92
#92
Were tornadoes even mentioned prior to that night as a possibility? My forecast was just rain and possible thunder, but nothing major.
 
#93
#93
VolNExile said:
Serious question: are there no civil defense warning sirens in Cookeville? Communities can’t rely on people hearing an alert on their phones.
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I don’t really know the answer to that. I live far enough out of town to not hear them and haven’t really thought about that the few years I have lived here. But, it’s not exactly a small town so I would say they probably do. Come to think of it I was listening to local radio the morning after and the mayor did say the system was working and that it did sound off.
 
#94
#94
GVF said:
I don’t really know the answer to that. I live far enough out of town to not hear them and haven’t really thought about that the few years I have lived here. But, it’s not exactly a small town so I would say they probably do. Come to think of it I was listening to local radio the morning after and the mayor did say the system was working and that it did sound off.
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I was trying to remember if I’ve ever heard sirens in Asheville, and I don’t think I have.

We’re a little less vulnerable, being in the lee of the mountains (and still somewhat in them), and our usual concern is flooding along the river beds. But still.
 
#95
#95
davethevol said:
Were tornadoes even mentioned prior to that night as a possibility? My forecast was just rain and possible thunder, but nothing major.
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NWS had Nashville at 2% chance of tornado within 25 miles. That forecast decreased farther East. It was unquestionably worst-case scenario stuff, middle of the night EF4 storm for Cookeville. It's truly an act of guardian angels that more than the 18 weren't killed. I don't know how some survived the damage and obliteration of their homes.
 
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#96
#96
I know Nashville is a few hours away. but I hope you all are ok. My visits to Knoxville have been nothing but great! and I wish nothing but the best for you all and really hope you and all your loved ones are safe.
 
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#97
#97
Ty lost a buddy we played weekend softball tournament's with in Cookeville...Terry Curtis...and a very close friend who opened church gym to play basketball on Friday and Saturday night lost his house darrin crockett..prayers up..#Cookevillestrong....follow of Facebook if possible and donate...at Cookevillestrong
 
#99
#99
davethevol said:
Were tornadoes even mentioned prior to that night as a possibility? My forecast was just rain and possible thunder, but nothing major.
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I had an out of state friend text me this the night before showing 1" or greater hail being likely so I figured tornadoes were a strong possibility. Luckily it missed us. It's that time of year where it's warm one day and cool the next which are perfect circumstances for bad storms.

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