3/28/09 Reports: KY, IN, OH, IL, AL, TN, MS, GA, SC, NC

[Dave Gallaher]

Interesting setup for this time of year in Dixie Alley, with a dryline coming through. I waited for initiation in my area, left home around 5:30pm and drove west to intercept the approaching convective line in mixed sunshine and clouds. Everything looked high-based as I passed under it, though some towers were beginning to look firm. I turned north and drove for about ten minutes in the confluence of SSE and W winds at the dryline (which really knocked my van around), then headed back east and watched the line in clear sunshine--something we rarely get to do here in spring. Storms appeared to be settling into low-topped mode (checking GRL3 back home reveals max heights of about 27.5 kft at that time) and what passed for anvils was cumuliform.

I began to suspect that the line's muscle would flex after it got past Huntsville, and a t-storm warning went up for Madison County at 7pm. The structure of the towers became harder, with some displaying knuckles. Not having mobile radar, I was unaware of rotation, but nothing visual indicated it at that time, though there was more than ample shear.

At 7:10pm law enforcement in Huntland, TN filed a tornado report; after that several more were issued, including a persistent rotation that crossed Sand Mountain, and the Hytop radar site had a warning just five miles south of their position. At this moment, the Sand Mountain cell is still warned and has crossed into Georgia.

I knew before leaving the house that 50+mph movements and unchaseable terrain east of HSV would limit my opportunities, but it was still nice to see such sturdy convection in a compact line.

 

[Brett Adair]

We saw the rotation on the Huntland storm as it began to really wrap up in northern Madison County east of 231. The storm had developed what we thought was a funnel, but we couldn't verify that for sure so we didn't call it in. I guess we should have after seeing the report of damage just to the northeast in Huntland.

We encountered penny sized hail as well along 231 once the frontal boundary started to fire convection in the higher CAPE east of I-65. It was a pretty decent day considering that we didn't expect much. I must say that SPC nailed the 10% tornado for Central/North TN with the update. Kudos!

 

[Kevin Askew]

Henderson Co. KY

Chased the real nice supercell from near Marion/Fredonia KY area and lost it When trying to get east to Tildon KY. We lost our data & decided to stop. But we got a gew shots of the wall cloud when it was a growing storm near Marion KY. The damage report today was EF-3 140mph winds at 400 yards max width. The roadwork didnt help us get to the SE side of this meso either.

 

[Wes Carter]

We positioned ourselves in Columbia, TN and chased a thunderstorm that was forming out ahead of the line. We tried to stay out of town but got caught up in traffic outside Franklin, TN and gave up chase. This cell tracked almost due North and caused damage near Ashland City.

We intercepted another cell South of Franklin and saw a wall cloud with some rotation but due to the terrain and trees we could not get to a good place to photograph.

As it got dark we headed home to Warren and Coffee Counties. We drove through a pretty rough storm in Murfreesboro that did a lot of damage including taking a roof off of a shopping center. I did not have my laptop hooked up but was listening to NOAA weather radio and did not think that this storm was going to be much. I guess I had better learn a lesson from that one.