The April 27, 2011 tornado

EF4Monroe and Blount counties, Tennessee

An EF4 tornado on a 14.4-mile path. It was one of 210 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. that day, 35 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.

Watch how it happened Part of the outbreak of April 27, 2011: 210 tornadoes in 16 states

EF4 tornado · April 27, 2011

How it happened

Follow the tornado’s path, minute by minute.

About this replay

Local time (EST)—Historical replay — logged times

Distance—of 14.4 miles

Now in—

RatingEF4

The tornado

Rating: EF4; Enhanced Fujita scale
Path length: 14.4 mi; Width up to 1,320 yards
Killed: 0; Along the whole path
Injured: 0; Along the whole path
Date and time: Wednesday, April 27, 2011; 6:31 PM EST
That day: 210; 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.

A massive EF-4 tornado quickly spun up just west of Chilhowee Lake in northern Monroe County that scoured the forest in the Cherokee National Forest. The tornado entered the Lake (at the Blount County line) and smashed a large steel transmission tower. The tornado then entered the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the other side of the lake and again began to rip through heavy forest.

The storm system that day

Favorable atmospheric conditions resulted in a deadly tornado outbreak across east Tennessee on the 27th. The thunderstorms produced more than 50 tornadoes across the east Tennessee area with 32 deaths and more than 200 injured. The tornadoes produced from light to heavy damage to hundreds of homes and businesses. Hail as large as baseballs was also reported.

NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.

Counties on its path

Monroe CountyTN
Blount CountyTN

Other notable tornadoes that day

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