F1 Tornado — Bedford, Tennessee

2000-04-20 · near Wartrace, Bedford, Tennessee

Event narrative

The tornado first touched down about 2.5 mles west of Wartrace at the intersection of Railroad Avenue and Horse Mountain Road...having an intensity of F1 and a width of about 200 feet. The total path length is about 2 miles.The greatest amount of damage and the fatality occurred near the beginning of its track where the tornado had its greatest intensity. The damage included some large trees that were uprooted and snapped...roof damage to one house...moving both a house and mobile home on their foundations..and overturning a nearby mobile home.Regarding the fatality...local law enforcement mentioned that as the storm approached...a man got back in a small pickup truck to escape the impending rain and hail. The tornado then struck and moved or rolled the truck across a field and through a barn...causing or aiding the barn being destroyed. The truck ended up in a creekbed over 350 feet away. The man was throw from the truck and was found underneath the vehicle in the creekbed. Only sporadic damage occurred after the tornado weakened...with roof damage to several barns and out buildings...some twisting...snapping...and uprooting of some trees...and a few power poles snapped.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.5333, -86.4000)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5139372. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.