A strong storm system moving across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys caused scattered strong to severe thunderstorms to develop across eastern portions of Middle Tennessee during the afternoon hours. Two supercell thunderstorms spawned four tornadoes resulting in a total of 3 fatalities and 7 injuries. Numerous other reports of wind damage and large hail were received.

Tornado in DEKALB, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:46:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:58:00 (CST-6)
Location: SMITHVILLE
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 500.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF1 tornado with maximum wind speeds around 95 mph touched down about 1 mile northwest of Smithville along Highway 83, then tracked rapidly east-northeast across Center Hill Lake before ending in western White County about 7 miles northwest of Sparta. A barn was damaged near the beginning of the path, with sheet metal blown across fields and into power lines. Scattered trees were snapped or uprooted and some minor damage to homes occurred on the north side of Smithville as the tornado traveled generally along and just south of Highway 83 and Smithville Highway. A small warehouse-type building was destroyed at Smithville Highway and Pine Grove Road with debris thrown northward into fields. The roof of a barn was blown off and a few homes suffered minor roof damage at Holiday Haven Road and Scott Acres Road. The tornado increased in intensity as it moved along Alpine Drive, with hundreds of trees snapped or uprooted. One home on stilts was knocked down a hillside and destroyed, resulting in one fatality.
The tornado then crossed Center Hill Lake, blowing down hundreds of more trees along the south shore of the lake on Allen Ferry Road, Timber Lane, Back Bone Lane, and Falling Water Road. Several trees fell on homes in this area, resulting in minor to moderate roof damage. Passing just north of the Johnson Chapel Recreation Area, the tornado then continued eastward into White County.

Tornado in CUMBERLAND, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 16:30:00 to 29-FEB-12 16:43:00 (CST-6)
Location: PLATEAU
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 1.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An EF2 tornado with maximum wind speeds around 125 mph touched down along Castro-Pugh Road just north of Plateau Road in northern Cumberland County.  Intermittent damage continued to the east-northeast for approximately 1 mile before the damage became continuous along Clear Creek Road. Hundreds of trees were uprooted and snapped and a home suffered roof damage in this area.
The tornado continued east-northeast and reached EF2 intensity in the Rinnie community along Highway 127. A brick home slid off its foundation and was completely destroyed, killing one woman, and another nearby home lost its entire roof.  A double wide mobile home along Hollow Road was also completely destroyed, killing another woman, with debris tossed hundreds of yards.  At least a thousand trees were uprooted or snapped around this location.  New aerial imagery from Google Earth released in Spring 2013 indicated the tornado continued eastward and widened to 1/2 mile, blowing down thousands of more trees as it moved across inaccessible forested areas of northern Cumberland County.  Damage was apparent eastward to past Roy Taylor Road.

Thunderstorm Wind in SMITH, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 14:50:00 to 29-FEB-12 14:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: CARTHAGE
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Windows were blown out of buildings in downtown Carthage. Several trees were blown down in the city with one crushing a vehicle.

Thunderstorm Wind in PUTNAM, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:19:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:19:00 (CST-6)
Location: COOKEVILLE ARPT
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter reported 60 to 70 mph winds with pea size hail.

Thunderstorm Wind in OVERTON, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:24:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:24:00 (CST-6)
Location: RICKMAN
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A barn suffered roof damage southwest of Livingston.

Hail in OVERTON, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:20:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: RICKMAN
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Quarter size hail was reported in Rickman.

Hail in OVERTON, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:25:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: LIVINGSTON
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Quarter size hail was reported near Highway 84 at Industrial Park Drive.

Hail in PUTNAM, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:20:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: COOKEVILLE ARPT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Quarter size hail was reported.

Hail in OVERTON, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:24:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:24:00 (CST-6)
Location: RICKMAN
Magnitude: 1.25 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Half dollar size hail was reported.

Hail in FENTRESS, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:46:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:46:00 (CST-6)
Location: GRIMSLEY
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in DEKALB, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:49:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:49:00 (CST-6)
Location: SMITHVILLE MUNI ARPT
Magnitude: 58.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Tornado in WHITE, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 16:02:00 to 29-FEB-12 16:04:00 (CST-6)
Location: MACEDONIA
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

An EF0 tornado with maximum wind speeds around 85 mph touched down near the Macedonia community northwest of Sparta, then moved rapidly eastward across Highway 111 before ending east of Walnut Grove Road. A home and barn suffered roof damage on Linville Road, and several trees were snapped or uprooted along the path.

Tornado in WHITE, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:58:00 to 29-FEB-12 16:01:00 (CST-6)
Location: CASSVILLE
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 200.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

The EF1 tornado with maximum wind speeds around 95 mph moved out of DeKalb County into White County near Twilight Lane.  A mobile home was damaged and a church steeple was blown off along Browntown Road near Wildcat Road, and two nearby outbuildings suffered roof damage.  The roof of a barn was blown off southwest of the Browntown Road and Austin Road intersection, with debris blown for nearly one quarter mile across fields. A nearby home suffered minor roof damage. The tornado lifted just prior to reaching Austin Road.

Thunderstorm Wind in DEKALB, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:43:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:56:00 (CST-6)
Location: SMITHVILLE
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 15.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An NWS Storm Survey found a half mile wide by 11 mile long swath of wind damage associated with the rear flank downdraft south of the EF1 Smithville Tornado. Roof and siding damage occurred to the DeKalb Middle School, and windows were blown out of the adjacent DeKalb Vocational School. The nearby sports field scoreboards were damaged or blown down. Several trees were blown down along the rest of the path across the north side of Smithville and along the south side of Center Hill Lake.

Thunderstorm Wind in FENTRESS, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:50:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:53:00 (CST-6)
Location: BANNER SPGS
Magnitude: 74.00 EG
Property damage: 20.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

An NWS Storm Survey found a strong microburst with maximum wind speeds up to 85 mph struck areas east of Grimsley. Dozens of trees were snapped or uprooted and several power poles and lines were blown down along a 2 mile path from south of the Banner Springs Road and Press Beaty Road intersection eastward to Pierce Road. One tree fell on a house on Georgee Road causing major damage to the roof and garage. Another tree toppled onto and damaged a vehicle on Press Beaty Road, and a tree also fell onto and destroyed an outbuilding on Pierce Road.

Thunderstorm Wind in FENTRESS, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:56:00 to 29-FEB-12 16:01:00 (CST-6)
Location: BANNER SPGS
Magnitude: 74.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 100.00K
Reported by: Other Federal Agency

Aerial satellite imagery from Google Earth indicated a strong downburst struck areas in far eastern Fentress County along the Morgan County border.  Hundreds of trees were blown down along a 4 mile long by 1/4 mile wide path beginning near Pierce Road, crossing Gatewood Ford Road, and ending about 3 miles west of Burrville.  Winds were estimated up to 85 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind in PUTNAM, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:20:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: COOKEVILLE ARPT
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind in DEKALB, TENNESSEE
From 29-FEB-12 15:51:00 to 29-FEB-12 15:51:00 (CST-6)
Location: BUCKNERS
Magnitude: 61.00 EG
Property damage: 30.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

Inflow into the north side of the EF1 Smithville tornado caused damage along portions of Ponder Road and Ponder Lane. A few homes suffered minor roof damage, and one home lost a porch awning. Numerous trees were snapped or uprooted, with one tree falling onto and destroying a garage.