| Tornado Statistics | ||||||||
| # | Counties | Rating | Time (CST) | Length (miles) | Width (yards) | Fatalities | Injuries | |
| 1 | Rutherford/Wilson | F2 | 1637 | 29.70 | 440 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2 | Marshall/Bedford | F2 | 1648 | 6.90 | 60 | 0 | 3 | |
| 3 | Rutherford | F4 | 1655 | 6.50 | 300 | 0 | 18 | |
| 4 | Sumner | F0 | 1705 | 0.30 | 10 | 0 | 0 | |
| 5 | Smith/Putnam | F2 | 1723 | 22.30 | 440 | 0 | 6 | |
| 6 | Cannon/DeKalb | F2 | 1731 | 18.30 | 440 | 0 | 2 | |
| 7 | Jackson | F2 | 1804 | 3.80 | 100 | 0 | 0 | |
| Reports & Outlooks | |||
| SPC Storm Reports | January 24, 1997 NWS Nashville Staffing & Products | ||
| F2 Rutherford/Wilson County Tornado | |
| Counties: | Rutherford/Wilson |
| Time: | 4:37 PM CST |
| EF Scale: | F2 |
| Damage Path Length: | 29.70 miles |
| Damage Path Width: | 440 yards |
| Fatalities: | 0 |
| Injuries | 1 |
| Damage: STORM DATA (Rutherford County): The tornado downed trees, ripped off roofs from homes located at Waller Estates and Young Subdivision. Smyrna Middle School sustained roof damage. 4 apartments, 2 mobile homes and 3 homes were damaged in the Smyrna area. One person hid in a bathtub when the tornado struck. Another person left his mobile home and went into a ditch. The tornado width and length are approximations. STORM DATA (Wilson County): A tornado in Wilson county started near Vine at Fall Creek Rd. and Hwy 231. The tornado moved northeast and affected the area of Norene especially on Sherrilltown Rd. and Phillips Rd. Storm damage for Wilson county was 2 million dollars. The tornado went from Norene to 2 miles west of Watertown. 100 hogs were killed near Norene on Blue Well Rd. when a barn collapsed on the hogs. 7 homes and 7 mobile homes were destroyed. 40 other homes sustained damage. A dozen barns were destroyed. STORM DATA (DeKalb County): One woman was injured by flying glass when the tornado turned her car around on US RT 70 at Alexandria and the windows popped out. Tornado path width and length are approximations. SHAMBURGER (2015): No NWS storm survey was conducted for this tornado. NCDC incorrectly lists the time, path length, and location of this tornado, which were all adjusted using radar data and aerial imagery from Google Earth. In addition, radar data clearly indicates the tornadoes listed separately in Rutherford County and Wilson County are the same tornado, and the two segments were combined in this entry. Finally, NCDC and Storm Data incorrectly list the Wilson County portion of this tornado and woman injured on Highway 70 as occurring in DeKalb County, when radar data clearly shows it occurring west of Alexandria in Wilson County. |
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| F2 Marshall/Bedford County Tornado | ||
| Counties: | Marshall/Bedford | |
| Time: | 4:48 PM CST | |
| EF Scale: | F2 | |
| Damage Path Length: | 6.90 miles | |
| Damage Path Width: | 60 yards | |
| Fatalities: | 0 | |
| Injuries: | 3 | |
| Damage: STORM DATA (Marshall County): Mobile homes were damaged by the tornado in the Belfast area and a home and a barn were damaged in the Endsley-Rankin Road region. Rated F1. STORM DATA (Bedford County): Most of the damage from the tornado occurred in Wheel and just to the east of Wheel. 1 home was destroyed and 3 homes were damaged. Also a general store was damaged along with one mobile home. 2 mobile homes were destroyed. There were 3 minor injuries. Rated F2. Tornado path width and length are approximations. SHAMBURGER (2015): No NWS storm survey was conducted for this tornado. NCDC incorrectly lists the time, path length, and location of this tornado, which were all adjusted using radar data and the narratives in Storm Data. In addition, NCDC incorrectly lists the Bedford County portion of this tornado as a separate tornado, when radar data clearly shows they were the same tornado, and the two segments were combined in this entry. |
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| F4 Rutherford County Tornado | |
| Counties: | Rutherford |
| Time: | 4:55 PM CST |
| EF Scale: | F4 |
| Damage Path Length: | 6.50 miles |
| Damage Path Width: | 300 yards |
| Fatalities: | 0 |
| Injuries | 18 |
| Damage: STORM DATA: The tornado first touched down on Yeargan Road, about 6 miles southwest of Murfreesboro, with an intensity of F1 and path width of 100 yards. At this location, a sheet metal roof was peeled back off a barn and a couple of trees were broken off. Also close by, a trailer was lifted off its foundation and overturned. Several trees were uprooted in the area. The tornado proceeded northeast and increased to F2 intensity with a width of 300 yards. As it struck the community of Barfield, an entire roof was lifted off a house, several homes were partially destroyed, and a barn was totally destroyed. The tornado crossed the West Fork of the Stones River and struck the Southridge Subdivision. At this time the tornado increased to a maximum intensity of F4 with its width remaining at 300 yards. About half a dozen homes were totally destroyed. The tornado then struck a large apartment complex just west of U.S. Hwy 231 on the south side of Murfreesboro. The tornado produced some structural damage and extensive roof damage as it weakened to F1 intensity and its width decreased to 150 yards. The tornado then crossed U.S. Hwy 231 and the Indian Wells Golf Course. Large trees were uprooted and structural damage occurred to several businesses as it approached I-24. The tornado continued moving to the northeast across I-24 snapping and uprooting trees as it narrowed to 50 yards wide. On the southeast side of Murfreesboro near the intersection of Elam Road and U.S. Hwy 41, and near Brandyville Road and East Rutherford Boulevard, the tornado uprooted numerous trees and damaged the roofs of several homes. It was at this point the track of the tornado ended as it lifted back into the clouds. In total, the tornado caused 18 injuries and 4.7 million dollars in property damages. One person had to be hospitalized overnight. 44 homes were destroyed and 47 other homes were damaged in the Barfield area. There was also damage to a Middle School, Food Lion Supermarket and to the Chalet Apartments. The last time an F4 tornado struck Middle Tennessee was on May 18, 1995. SHAMBURGER (2015): NCDC incorrectly lists the time and location of this tornado, which were corrected based on radar data. |
|
| F0 Sumner County Tornado | |
| Counties: | Sumner |
| Time: | 5:05 AM CST |
| EF Scale: | F0 |
| Damage Path Length: | 0.30 miles |
| Damage Path Width: | 10 yards |
| Fatalities: | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Damage: STORM DATA: SKYWARN Spotter observed the tornado. It did no damage. Path length and width are approximations. SHAMBURGER (2015): NCDC incorrectly lists the time of this tornado, which was corrected based on radar data. |
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| F2 Smith/Putnam County Tornado | |
| Counties: | Smith/Putnam |
| Time: | 5:23 PM CST |
| EF Scale: | F2 |
| Damage Path Length: | 22.30 miles |
| Damage Path Width: | 440 yards |
| Fatalities: | 0 |
| Injuries | 6 |
| Damage: STORM DATA (Smith County): 6 people were injured, none seriously, in the tornado that struck Smith county. 11 vehicles were destroyed and 7 vehicles damaged, 5 livestock killed, 22 outbuildings destroyed and one cattle trailer was destroyed. 7 houses and 7 mobile homes were destroyed and 43 buildings received some damage from the tornado. Most of the damage occurred in the Brush Creek area. Numerous trees and power lines were down in southern Smith county. Rated F2. Tornado path length and width are approximations. STORM DATA (Putnam County): 8 structures received damage from the tornado. The tornado travelled from the Buffalo Valley area to Gentry and Gentry to Bloomington Springs. Rated F1. Tornado path width and length are approximations. SHAMBURGER (2015): No NWS storm survey was conducted for this tornado. NCDC and Storm Data list the Smith County and Putnam County damage as occurring from separate tornadoes, when radar data and aerial imagery from Google Earth both clearly indicate they were the same tornado, and the two segments have been combined in this entry. The time, path, and location of this tornado, which were all corrected using radar data, the narratives in Storm Data, and aerial imagery from Google Earth. |
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| F2 Cannon/DeKalb County Tornado | |
| Counties: | Cannon/DeKalb |
| Time: | 5:31 PM CST |
| EF Scale: | F2 |
| Damage Path Length: | 18.30 miles |
| Damage Path Width: | 440 yards |
| Fatalities: | 0 |
| Injuries | 2 |
| Damage: STORM DATA (Cannon County): The tornado destroyed 1 home and damaged 10 others. 2 mobile homes were damaged. 2 people were injured, but they were treated and released. Many barns and outbuildings were damaged. Numerous trees were down on State Rt 53 causing portions of the road to be blocked. Tornado path width and length are approximations. STORM DATA (DeKalb County): The tornado caused structural damage to 12 homes. 3 barns were also damaged along with many sheds and outbuildings. Most of the damage to homes were on Allens Ferry Rd., Cordell Love Rd. and Big Hurricane Rd. Tornado path width and length are approximations. SHAMBURGER (2015): No NWS storm survey was conducted for this tornado. NCDC incorrectly lists the time, path length, and location of this tornado, which were all adjusted using radar data and aerial imagery from Google Earth. In addition, NCDC and Storm Data incorrectly list the De Kalb County portion of this tornado as a separate tornado, and the two segments were combined in this entry based on radar data and aerial imagery from Google Earth. |
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| F2 Jackson County Tornado | |
| Counties: | Jackson |
| Time: | 6:04 PM CST |
| EF Scale: | F2 |
| Damage Path Length: | 3.80 miles |
| Damage Path Width: | 100 yards |
| Fatalities: | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Damage: STORM DATA: The tornado destroyed 4 homes and damaged 6 others. It also destroyed 6 mobile homes and damaged 2 others. Numerous barns and outbuildings were destroyed. Most of the damage occurred on Mayberry School Road and Dodson Branch Road. The tornado path length and width are approximations. SHAMBURGER (2015): No NWS storm survey was conducted for this tornado. NCDC incorrectly lists the path and location of this tornado, which has been adjusted based on radar data and aerial imagery from Google Earth. |
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