Jeff Steele, Writer/Photographer

This artical which I originally posted back in March 2020 is being reposted again today as a reminder to prepare.

From mid-February through mid-May is the peak period for Tornados to spawn in our region.  The peak in your area my vary and it is wise to check.

To prepare in advance can make a huge difference if disaster should strike.  While this list isn’t all inclusive or extensive.  Here are a few suggestions.

First, listen to the local weather warnings. Know the difference between watch and warnings.

Second, know where to go in case of an event.  Where will you seek shelter or what is the best practice to protect yourself and lived ones?  Make sure everyonw in your immediate family knows what to do when there is a threat.

Third, check with your insurance agent to inquure if your policies are adequate to cover wind, hail, flooding and other storm damages.  Also remember that each policy is different. Homeowners, Renters, Automobile and out buildings all may need reviewed or updated.

Forth, supplies.  If an event occurs power, water, sewage, and other daily life essentials may be interupted.  Storing some water, food, flash lights, and other essentials can be extremely welcomed after a disaster has passed.  Don’t forget to secure important documents in a fireproof safe as well.

We maynot be capable of fully protecti g ourselves from storm damage, however, doing some preparations before it happens can go along way if it does happen.

March 3, 2020

Tornado Season in Middle Tennessee Opens Like a Thief in the Night.

© 2020 Jeff Steele, Freelancer Writer/Photographer at JsteeleWrites.pub

Just moments after midnight, a sudden and unexpected storm developed and then rapidly gained strength. The weather advisories began their broadcasts, first signaling a Tornado Watch, then within a few minutes, the warnings were upgraded to a Tornado Warning.

The sound of sirens could be heard for miles through the early morning hours of March 3, 2020. As a dazzling array of lighting illuminated the sky in such brilliance that a few onlookers even caught images of a twisting terror unleashing its wrath while cloaked by darkness.

As the marauder began its deadly trek across the middle Tennessee region, it continued to strengthen to EF3 class with wind speeds of around 165 MPH. This killer vortex carved its path Eastward as if intentionally paralleling just to the North of Eastbound Route 40, leaving destruction from Nashville to Lebanon, Tennessee.

When dawn finally arrived, the light of day began to expose the devastation of the uninvited night invader.

With smoke still rising up into the air, a huge warehouse fire could be seen for miles in the distant East, as the Lebanon business district received massive damage and even fatalities. That smoke blended with a cloudy sky over the businesses at the intersection of Routes 40 and 109. It was a tell-tale sign of a long day ahead.

One of the most notable aspects of Walmart is that they are only closed one day a year, on Christmas; however, March 3, 2020, would see the Walmart in Mount Juliet be forced to close due to the destruction of the tornado. Power outages and other damages contributed to the reasons for closure.

Wilson County Middle School is home to the Wildcats, as noted in this photo. The force of the EF3 class tornado re-arranged the scenery outside the school and damaged it to the extent that would close the school for months to come.

Wilson County Middle School was not spared by the wildness of a Vortex. (Photograph by the Author © 2020 JSteeleWrites.pub)

Almost as if the storm was saying, enter if you dare; the school’s front entrance was a trap of debris.

As the storm marched further across Wilson County, it continued ravishing its way through Woodlands and Communities.

The damaged path of the March 3, 2020, Tornado up-rooted, snapped, twisted, and scattered trees in a path hundreds of yards wide and maintained contact with the ground for over 50 miles.

The Tornado’s path can easily be detected due to the damage done to homes in communities such as this brand new Lebanon area development.

The catastrophe was the fate of everything in front of this monster. Even with the warnings and sirens, sadly for some, there would be no second chance as at least twenty-five persons lost their lives to the twister’s deadly journey.

Seen here, a brand new home is demolished by the storm; fortunately, no one had moved into this home before the tornado struck.

In the wake of such a horrific event, many are left homeless or displaced, something any new homeowner would expect if you had only recently purchased a new home such as this one in a West Lebanon community.

Like many hundreds more homes, this is left uninhabitable after being struck by an EF3 class Vortex.

Scenes like this were commonly witnessed from Nashville to Lebanon, making March 3, 2020, an early wake-up call, letting us all know that the Tornado season has arrived.

There’s a special creed about Tennessee, and its residents take the Volunteers slogan seriously. By the time Noon on March 3^rd had arrived, communities and people everywhere were already helping one another to begin the recovery process.