10/26/10 DISC: IL/IN/OH/MI/KY/TN/AL/MS/GA/PN

[John Roberts]

I left Cedarville, Ohio and intercepted (not chased...much too fast to stay ahead of it) the squall line around noon today. Focused on the bow that started around Wilmington and spun NW towards Columbus. Drove with the squall line along I35 East towards Washington Court House until high wind, rain, and little visibility forced me to take shelter under an overpass along with many other motorists. The wind almost lifted my car off the ground. After the wind subsided I continued on for about a mile to see what if any damaged had occurred and came upon this semi truck almost swept off the overpass. Thankfully the driver was only shook-up and ok. Just to the South of the overpass about 100 yds away were 5 sheared off trees about halfway up their trunks. Sorry for the poor picture quality...the rain was still coming down pretty steady.

 

[Andrew Pritchard]

Went out and documented the damage from the EF1 tornado that struck NW of Elburn, IL in Kane County. A lot of destroyed outbuildings and barns, but the homes survived for the most part.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/prairiestormmedia/sets/72157625249607212/

 

[Drew.Gardonia]

Chattanooga Tornado?

I see no where on SPC's Storm Reports from yesterday that this was in fact a confirmed tornado just curious on other people's opinions.

here's the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGNcXNLIos0&feature=player_embedded

 

[Scott Weberpal]

I see no where on SPC's Storm Reports from yesterday that this was in fact a confirmed tornado just curious on other people's opinions.

SPC lists preliminary reports, after a certain amount of time they stop updating the "Storm Reports" list, so even if it is eventually confirmed, it may not end up on there.

Though the text indicates the tornado "drops" at about the 3:15 mark, the feature I was most interested in was between the two poles to the right of the Nissan sign around 2:41. At 3:15, whatever the feature may be is behind buildings and trees.

 

[Rob Gardner]

Haven't had a chance to post my report yet still on my way home but we were on that storm north and north east of Chattanooga after the video was taken. We watched a well structured wall cloud for a few minutes before it started to rain wrap then heading north east managed to see a fee well defined lowerings that I only hesitate to call funnels because I was looking at them from my mirrors.

According to the local news the nws is doing surveys out there and confirmed a tornado near the dam north west of Chattanooga. From what I saw the storm was definitely "capable"

Also per the rules I think this thread belongs in the target area section?

 

[rdale]

I see no where on SPC's Storm Reports from yesterday that this was in fact a confirmed tornado

SPC never "confirms" tornadoes. The preliminary list is just that -- a preliminary list of reports as generated by LSRs from the local office.

This is the one they do have:

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
655 PM EDT TUE OCT 26 2010

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

0650 PM TORNADO 4 SW HARRISON 35.09N 85.20W
10/26/2010 HAMILTON TN LAW ENFORCEMENT

PUBLIC REPORTED TORNADO ON THE GROUND NEAR HIGHWAY 58
ALONG SHELBORNE DRIVE.


...and...


PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
716 PM EDT TUE OCT 26 2010

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

0650 PM TORNADO 5 NNE CHATTANOOGA 35.13N 85.22W
10/26/2010 HAMILTON TN EMERGENCY MNGR

TORNADO HIT NEAR SOUTH CHICKAMAUGA DAM WITH DAMAGE TO
CEMENT PLANT, HOMES, MULTIPLE VEHICLES, TREES AND POWER
LINES DOWN. HIGHWAY 153 AND 58 AREA.

 

[Skip Talbot]

Another great example of spotting a "tornado" when the view of the ground is obstructed. There may very well be a tornado there though, but you just can't tell from this video. If we had a nice laminar condensation funnel, sure I think we could assume it was a tornado, but this could just as well be a shelf or wall cloud.

Rob Delp had a much better perspective on the storm. Here's one of his pics he posted on Facebook:

 

[Jim Cross]

WRCBTV is reporting that according to NWS investigators the Chickamauga Dam tornado was a EF2 with winds as high as 115mph.

 

[Jeff House]

Since I did not personally chase this, will post in Disc. A confirmed tornado touched down in northeast Chattanooga, Tenn. It touched down just west of Chickamauga Dam (Hwy 153) on Nickajack Lake at approximately 18:41 ET or 17:41 CT. It then crossed the dam and entered Chickamauga Lake. Auto accidents occurred on the Chickamauga Dam bridge; but, fortunately only minor injuries resulted. The NWS provided 20 minutes lead-time on the tornado warning, likely saving lives. Excellent!

A friend G Harbin took this picture about to cross the bridge before the tornado hit the bridge. Fortunately they made it across before meeting the tornado. I only saw it on a security camera from a distance. Though I could not chase I was happy to have the chance to see it on the movable camera.

Synoptic setup was interesting. Strongest dynamics were north over the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes. However speed shear was good, and a southern stream perturbation came out of the Lower Miss Valley. Directional shear was adequate and dews were unseasonabley high in the Tenn Valley. Finally some sun promoted heating in the free area ahead of the front. Had the front been more perpendicular to the flow, it would have been really ugly. As it was, the Tenn Valley experienced moderate drama.

 

[Michael Towers]

Though the text indicates the tornado "drops" at about the 3:15 mark, the feature I was most interested in was between the two poles to the right of the Nissan sign around 2:41. At 3:15, whatever the feature may be is behind buildings and trees.

Good observation, the most convincing feature I see that could be a tornado is the one at the time you referenced. Otherwise I don’t see any violent rotation associated with the feature starting at 3:15 suggesting it to be a tornado. It sure looks like a nice cone at 4:05 and could be but also likely scud in my opinion.