User:Runningonbrains/sandbox/April 6-8, 2006 Tornado Outbreak

The April 6–8, 2006 Tornado Outbreak was a major tornado outbreak in the Central and parts of the Southern United States that began on April 6, 2006 and continued until April 8 across at least 13 states, with most of the activity on April 7.

It was the third major outbreak of 2006, hot on the heels of a major outbreak on April 2.

The Storm Prediction Center issued a high risk for severe weather for both April 6 and 7 in the areas likely to be affected. Conditions were favorable for an extremely strong tornado outbreak on both days.

Activity was not as great as expected on April 6, with only 19 tornadoes reported, mostly in Kansas. Several were reported to have been damaging, but no fatalities and only a few injuries were reported.

Things changed the next day in the South. There were at least 60, likely more, reported tornadoes across seven states. Several of them caused significant damage, and even loss of life. The worst tornadoes hit Middle Tennessee, where 12 people were killed. In addition to the tornadoes, there have been many reports of hail as large as softballs and reports of powerful microbursts and straight-line winds, as well as local flooding. Extensive damage was also reported in the northern suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia.

Despite a lower risk of activity on April 8, the severe weather continued in Alabama, South Carolina and Georgia with several new tornadoes reported before the outbreak finally ended.

Ironically, the outbreak also cut short the first of a two-day emergency preparedness drill to be held on April 7 and 8 in four Middle Tennessee counties: Davidson, Williamson, Sumner, and Wilson. The second day was cancelled. It was to be the nation's largest local disaster drill since Hurricane Katrina struck in late August 2005. In fact, the drill had to be rescheduled from around that time because of Katrina.

It is considered to be the worst disaster event in Middle Tennessee since the 1998 Nashville tornado outbreak on April 16, 1998.

Over the three day period, over 60 tornadoes were reported. The high number of overall tornadoes is exaggerated, however, by the fact that most were weak F0 or F1 tornadoes.

North Nashville area supercell
The most destructive supercell of the outbreak developed just northwest of Nashville at about 1:30 p.m. CDT (1830 UTC) in Cheatham County, producing at least four tornadoes along the way in Cheatham, Davidson and Sumner Counties, killing nine people.

The first tornado touched down in Ashland City at 1:39 p.m. CDT (1839 UTC). Significant damage was reported in the community, including numerous houses and businesses damaged. Many trees and power lines were also knocked down. The worst impact was felt at Centennial Medical Center's Ashland City hospital site, which was damaged and lost its heating and air conditioning system, forcing several patients to be transferred to Nashville hospitals. No injuries were reported there. The initial rating on the Fujita scale for this tornado is F1.

The supercell then tracked into Davidson County and the northernmost part of the city of Nashville, where it touched down again in Whites Creek, a mostly rural area with light-scale development along US 431 near Old Hickory Boulevard, at about 2:00 p.m. CDT (1900 UTC). Damage was reported along a path stretching out to I-24 near Exit 40. The Tennessee Emergency Management Agency reported that 15 houses and 10 other buildings were destroyed in the area, about 5 miles (8 km) north of the urban part of Nashville.

The tornado then lifted and touched down again in Goodlettsville, striking the suburban area at around 2:15 p.m. CDT (1915 UTC) with considerable force. The path was short but in a developed area. It touched down in a residential subdivision in the center of town, with considerable damage reported at City Hall and also a local church and to numerous houses, some of which were demolished. The tornado then heavily damaged a busy commercial area along Long Hollow Pike, blowing the roofs off of several buildings and heavily damaging others. It also caused severe damage to the electricity network in the area, which was out for several days in some subdivisions in Goodlettsville. The tornado also caused a traffic nightmare as a direct result of tornado-related accidents on I-65 at Exit 97 just before rush hour. No deaths were reported in Goodlettsville, although some injuries were reported, and public shelters were set up at two locations.

The tornado continued into Sumner County just north of Hendersonville. It damaged numerous houses in the area, before its devastating approach into Gallatin at about 2:30 p.m. CDT (1930 UTC). The community was devastated as a result. Several entire subdivisions, primarily along the north shore of Old Hickory Lake, were destroyed or flattened, killing nine people and injuring 121. Three of the deaths were on the southwest end of Gallatin near Old Hickory Lake, and the other six were in the area of South Water Avenue. Over 700 houses were damaged or destroyed.

Volunteer State Community College suffered extensive damage to numerous buildings, briefly trapping many students before they were rescued with only a few minor injuries there. The front lawn of the college was littered with debris from the buildings after the tornado. A commercial area was also hit hard, along with three large car dealerships near Vol State, which saw hundreds of cars destroyed. The initial rating on the Fujita scale for this tornado is F3.

Station Camp High School, a local high school, also recieved notable damage from this storm, causing damage to its large athletic complex, tearing parts of the roof off, and flooding the gymnasium. Damage was also sustained to student and faculty vehicles.

The tornado finally lifted after that, although the supercell continued eastward, prompting tornado warnings east of Gallatin as well.

On April 11, The National Weather Service Office in Nashville released a storm survey for the Nashville area tornados detailing the magnitude and path of each. This survey was subsequently updated on April 12th. The path of the F3 Gallatin area tornado can clearly be seen in this survey, which is included in the image gallery below.