This outbreak began with the first wave of severe thunderstorms that moved across middle Tennessee and northern Alabama in the early morning hours of April 27, 2011. These storms continued into east Tennessee before weakening in central east Tennessee.
NOTE: these radar loops have missing frames and will skip in places.

Radar loop from the Hytop radar (in northeast Alabama) from 6 AM EDT (5 AM CDT) until 11 AM EDT (10 AM CDT) of the initial severe thunderstorm line on the morning of April 27, 2011.

Radar loop from the Morristown radar (in northeast Tennessee) from 7 AM EDT (6 AM CDT) until 11 AM EDT (10 AM CDT) of the initial severe thunderstorm line across east Tennessee on the morning of April 27, 2011.

After this initial line of severe thunderstorms weakened, additional supercells (i.e. rotating thunderstorms) redeveloped over middle Tennessee and Alabama in the afternoon.
NOTE: these radar loops have missing frames and will skip in places.

Radar loop from the Hytop radar (in northeast Alabama) from 1 PM EDT (12 PM CDT) until 6 PM EDT (5 PM CDT) of the supercells (i.e. rotating thunderstorms) across middle Tennessee and northern Alabama on the afternoon of April 27, 2011.

Radar loop from the Morristown radar (in northeast Tennessee) from 2 PM EDT until 8 PM EDT of the supercells (i.e. rotating thunderstorms) in east Tennessee on the afternoon of April 27, 2011.

The incredibly strong wind field kept additional supercells (i.e. rotating thunderstorms) redeveloping over east Tennessee and southwest Virginia late into the evening.
NOTE: these radar loops have missing frames and will skip in places.

Radar loop from the Morristown radar (in northeast Tennessee) from 8 PM EDT until 2 AM EDT of the supercells (i.e. rotating thunderstorms) in east Tennessee and southwest Virginia on the evening of April 27, 2011.