A powerful storm system roared across the Southeast United States on Wednesday, April 27, 2011. This storm system would be responsible for one of the largest and deadliest tornado outbreaks to ever impact much of the southeastern region.
The powerful storm system that affected the National Weather Service, Huntsville service area would actually occur in three separate waves of severe weather that day. The first occurred during the early morning hours of April 27, 2011 roughly between the hours of 2 AM and 8 AM CDT, while the second occurred during the late-morning to early afternoon period. The third and most devastating wave occurred during the afternoon hours on Wednesday, with some of the most violent and destructive tornadoes to affect the central Tennessee Valley area in recent decades.
While the majority of the analysis and survey work conducted by the National Weather Service, Huntsville and its partners have been completed, there will undoubtedly be countless research studies conducted by both academia and operational personnel in order to further evaluate and understand the complex processes associated with this near unprecedented severe weather outbreak.

Tornado in LINCOLN, TENNESSEE
From 27-APR-11 16:08:00 to 27-APR-11 16:11:00 (CST-6)
Location: ELORA
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A long track tornado continued it's path into southeast Lincoln County producing minor EF-0 damage.  Damage was confined to a few trees snapped along and south of Mountain Road.

Tornado in LINCOLN, TENNESSEE
From 27-APR-11 04:38:00 to 27-APR-11 05:02:00 (CST-6)
Location: TAFT
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The tornado started near Bates Lane in the Carmargo community of Lincoln county.   Trees were uprooted and snapped with some falling on a mobile home. The tornado continued to track east northeast with many trees twisted and snapped. Minor structural damage was noted to many houses with shingles blown off and damage to car ports. Along Old Carmargo road, an anchored mobile home was lifted up and rolled. The occupants were unharmed. Several vehicles were damaged in this area. Near the intersection with highway 231, several power poles were snapped at the base and a roof was blown off a trailer.

Hail in LINCOLN, TENNESSEE
From 27-APR-11 17:00:00 to 27-APR-11 17:03:00 (CST-6)
Location: ELORA
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Quarter sized hail was reported.

Tornado in MOORE, TENNESSEE
From 27-APR-11 05:02:00 to 27-APR-11 05:06:00 (CST-6)
Location: LOIS
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

As the storm tracked into Moore county there was a wide swath of snapped and uprooted trees north of Lynchburg. In this area, hundreds of trees were leveled. The roofs of some homes were partially lifted and a church was also damaged in this area.  Along the far northern reaches of the county (north of Motlow State Community College), a mobile home park sustained significant damage. Two mobile homes were thrown off their foundation with one being rolled. The tornado lifted before reaching the county border. The EF-2 rating is based on power poles being snapped near the ground close to the intersection of highway 110 and 231 and the nature of the widespread tree damage at the start of the track in Moore county.

Tornado in MOORE, TENNESSEE
From 27-APR-11 05:13:00 to 27-APR-11 05:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: CUMBERLAND SPGS
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

This tornado was part of the same storm complex that produced a longer track EF-2 across much of Lincoln and part of southwest Moore county earlier in the morning.
A tornado of EF-2 intensity produced peak winds speeds up to 115 mph.  The tornado touched down along Motlow College Road just southwest of U.S. Highway 41A.  The tornado destroyed at least one mobile home on Starbow Lane, rolled others off their foundations, and snapped and uprooted several trees.  The tornado also damaged a church on Carr Creek Road.  The tornado continued it's path into Bedford County.

Tornado in FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE
From 27-APR-11 16:11:00 to 27-APR-11 16:40:00 (CST-6)
Location: HUNTLAND
Tornado F-scale: EF3
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A long track tornado continued from southeast Lincoln County.  The tornado produced damage south of Huntland.  Isolated and minor EF-0 tree damage was noted at the intersection of John Hunter Highway (State Route 122) and Limestone Road near the Lincoln/Franklin County line.
More significant damage was noted, starting about 1.4 miles south southwest of Huntland.  A cinder block building suffered damage to its flat adobe roof, with some of blocks near the roof (around 20 feet off of the ground) pushed out, resulting in EF-2 damage.  Surveyors could not directly examine the roof given this building was on the highest ground in the vicinity.  Nearby, a single family home of cinder block construction had its roof totally removed, with another home about 1000 feet away having significant roof damage, with over one half of its roof removed, and some shifting off of its foundation.  Damage with the latter was consistent with high end EF-2 damage.  A chicken building with metal girding, nearby the second home, was completely flattened, consistent with EF-2 damage.  A farm complex south of Hickory Grove Road had damage to a number of structures there.  The home and the main car garage had part of their roofs removed.  A barn that was protecting bales of hay was destroyed, with a few bales blown approximately 100-200 feet from their original location.  The worst damage was noted with lower end EF-3 damage to a cinder block utility building about 200 feet south of the primary residence.  Most of its roof was removed, with over half of its downwind wall pushed outward.  An older barn nearby suffered lesser EF-0 damage to its roof, while the top half of a silo near that barn was missing.  Another barn structure was completely destroyed northwest of the primary home.  The width at this point was approximately 1/4 mile.  Other damage was noted near the intersection of Hickory Grove Road and Sugar Cove Road, with EF-1 damage to some heavy farm equipment and EF-0 roof damage to a nearby barn.  Scattered trees were downed to the northeast, with 8 inch fence posts, anchored 18 inches deep, pulled up near Hickory Grove and Buncombe Road.  There was evidence the tornado continued toward the mountains a few miles further east, with some trees damaged along the ridge.