Heat and Fire Weather Concerns in the West; Excessive Rainfall Possible in the South-Central U.S.

Heat will build over the Intermountain West and the Southwest the next couple of days. Lightning from dry thunderstorms can create new fire starts and combined with gusty winds may cause a fire to rapidly grow in Oregon and northern California. Flash flooding will be possible in New Mexico and west Texas today, as well as parts of the southern and central Plains due to slow moving thunderstorms. Read More >

Franklin County, TN

A storm survey was completed by NWS Huntsville WCM Tim Troutman after the March 5th severe weather event. It was determined from this survey that an F-0 tornado with winds estimated at 60 mph occurred near Sewanee, Tennessee. The F-0 tornado touched down briefly with a quarter of a mile damage path and a 100 yard wide damage width during its brief path. The damage occurred specifically along the top of Sewanee mountain in Franklin County, Tennessee near highway 41-A along highway 64 at the Garnertown loop road on the south side of Sherwood, Tennessee. The F-0 tornado knocked down and twisted several trees in differing directions, implying that this was tornado damage.


Tree damage near Sewanee (Sherwood area).	Tree damage near Sewanee (Sherwood area).

Limestone/Madison Counties, AL

Based on a post-event storm survey completed by NWS Huntsville Science Operations Officer (SOO), Tom Bradshaw, a weak F0 tornado touched down in Limestone county in association with a supercell. The tornado first touched down approximately 6.5 miles east-southeast of Athens, near the intersection of Highway 72 and Mooresville Rd. The approximate time of touchdown was 928 pm CST. The tornado tracked east-northeast for approximately two miles. The tornado lifted at this point (just southeast of East Limestone School).

A second tornado touched down a short time later (at approximately 9:35 pm CST), on the southeast corner of the Limestone Correctional Institute. This tornado tracked northeast into extreme western Madison county, and lifted just east of the intersection of Orville Road and Old Railroad Bed Road. Estimated path width was 75 yards. Damage was principally confined to the roof and one wall of a wooden outbuilding at the Limestone Correctional Institute, a few isolated downed pine trees, and damage to some shingles and eave facings. The two brief F-0 tornadoes had winds estimated at 60 mph through their life span.


0.5 degree Reflectivity from KHTX (Hytop) at 9:25 pm, just before the time of tornado touch down in East Limestone County.	0.5 degree Storm Relative Motion from KHTX at 9:25 pm.

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Heat and Fire Weather Concerns in the West; Excessive Rainfall Possible in the South-Central U.S.

March 5th, 2004 Severe Weather Event