Henry County Tornado

Monday, November 26, 2001 

The National Weather Service has completed a damage survey regarding a tornado that moved through parts of eastern Henry county in west Tennessee  during the late evening of Monday, November 26th. 

A severe thunderstorm spawned a tornado that first touched down just southeast of Van Dyke road, about 5 miles southeast of Paris around 11:25 PM. The tornado skipped northeast causing mainly tree damage and passing through open fields. After the tornado crossed Highway 641 it began to increase in intensity as it moved northeast.  The tornado reached F3 intensity with peak winds estimated near 160 mph near the intersection of Clifty Road Extension and Alternate Highway 69. This is where the most significant damage occurred. The tornado then continued northeastward for about 2 more additional miles, producing mainly tree damage. The total path length of the tornado was around 5 miles with a damage width of around 200 yards. One fatality was reported along with thirteen people being injured. Twelve homes and buildings were completely destroyed and at least 20 others sustained damage.

A Tornado warning was issued for Henry County at 11:09 PM, providing the affected areas with 15 to 20 minutes of advanced warning before the tornado struck.

Click on the following thumbnails to see larger pictures of some of the tornado damage.