The February 5, 2008 tornado

EF3Sumner, Trousdale, Macon, Monroe and Cumberland counties, Kentucky and Tennessee

An EF3 tornado on a 50.3-mile path that killed 22 and injured 63. It was one of 62 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. that day, 7 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Watch how it happened Part of the outbreak of February 5, 2008: 62 tornadoes in 9 states

EF3 tornado · February 5, 2008

How it happened

Follow the tornado’s path, minute by minute.

About this replay

Local time (CST)—Historical replay — logged times

Distance—of 50.3 miles

Now in—

RatingEF3

Path milestones

Damage pathWidened for visibility; recorded maximum width 880 yards

TownsSized by population today; those within 3 miles flash as it passes

Counties on the pathLit as the tornado enters them

Source: Storm Prediction Center path, drawn through NOAA Storm Events county segments. Times as logged by the National Weather Service. Towns are today’s Census places.

The tornado

Rating: EF3; Enhanced Fujita scale
Path length: 50.3 mi; Width up to 880 yards
Killed: 22; Along the whole path
Injured: 63; Along the whole path
Date and time: Tuesday, February 5, 2008; 10:02 PM CST
That day: 62; tornadoes in the U.S.; every one, with a replay of the day

The National Weather Service account

Written by the local Weather Service office after its damage survey.

The Castalian Springs Post Office was completely destroyed. There were 85 homes destroyed in Sumner County. ||Also in Castalian Springs, a 180 year-old structure called Wynnewood, lost the top of its structure due to the tornado. The historic log structure served as a stagecoach stop. The structure had 3 chimneys and was 142 feet long, making it the longest log structure in Tennessee.||Officials say it would take 2 years and $6 million to restore Wynnewood. It is Sumner County's sole historic landmark.||Also, 102 trees were lost in the area by the tornado.||The 11-month-old son of Kerri Stowell survived the storm and was found miraculously unharmed in a field across the street from their home in Castalian Springs. Unfortunately, Kerri Stowell was killed in the tornado. ||The tornado directly killed 7 people in Sumner County, and there was one indirect fatality when Mr. Lampkin, age 63, died of a heart attack while seeking shelter in his home. There were 14 people injured in Sumner County. ||This tornado continued into Trousdale and Macon Counties, and also into Kentucky.

The storm system that day

The Super Severe Weather Outbreak on Feb. 5, 2008 produced supercelluar thunderstorms, well in advance of a multicell line of thunderstorms. The whole episode lasted about 6 hours. This occurred ironically while many states, including Tennessee, were participating in the Super Tuesday Primary Election. Fortunately, polls had already closed in the mid state when these tornadoes struck.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Counties on its path

Other notable tornadoes that day

Storm Prediction Center severe weather database. Path drawn as a straight line from the recorded start to end point.