EF2 Tornado — Mcnairy, Tennessee

2010-05-02 · near Falcon, Mcnairy, Tennessee

Event narrative

A tornado touched down near the intersection of Sulphur Springs Road and Steadman Road, southwest of Selmer, and tracked northeast. This tornado was spawned from the same cell that produced a tornado from near Ashland, Mississippi to near Pocahontas, Tennessee and just west of Ramer, Tennessee in McNairy County. Tree and minor roof damage was noted at the beginning of the track. The tornado tracked further to the northeast and hit northern parts of Selmer. A carport failed due to fallen trees at the Christmas Tree Farm. A large home was moved off the foundation as well as a double wide mobile home. A single wide trailer was destroyed and wrapped around a tree. Total collapse of a few buildings occurred as well. Large trees were knocked down and minor roof damage was noted. The tornado then tracked further to the northeast and hit Bethesda and Purdy. Two churches were destroyed. A brick home sustained major roof damage while a horse barn was completely destroyed. The tornado tracked further to the northeast and hit the town of Good Hope. Two homes were destroyed. The tornado continued to the northeast crossing into Hardin County just to the southwest Milledgeville. At least ten injuries occurred in McNairy County from the tornado. In total, 22 homes were completely destroyed with 59 homes sustaining major damage. At least minor damage occurred to 219 homes. Fifteen mobile homes were destroyed and eleven sustained major damage. Twenty mobile homes received minor damage. Several other buildings and outbuildings were damaged or destroyed as well.

Wider weather episode

An upper level disturbance slowly approached the Mid-South during the evening of April 30th, 2010 as a cold front became stationary to the west. This pattern remained in place through the evening hours of May 2nd, 2010. South to southwest winds pumped warm moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and created a very unstable atmosphere. Showers and thunderstorms developed in association with the front during the early evening hours and moved east into Eastern Arkansas shortly before midnight. Additional thunderstorms occurred in association with the upper level disturbance. Due to the unstable atmosphere, thunderstorms quickly became severe producing large hail, damaging winds, and flash flooding. The severe weather evolved into an outbreak by May 1st and 2nd. Historic rainfall and flash flooding in addition to large hail and damaging winds occurred during the early morning hours of May 1st with several tornadoes occurring during the afternoon hours of May 1st to early morning hours of May 2nd.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.1184, -88.6892)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 237796. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.