Virtual Library Presentation
March 21, 2001 - 12:00 Noon Eastern

The Forgotten F5
The Lawrence County Supercell during the Middle Tennessee Tornado Outbreak of April 16, 1998

Mark A. Rose
Meteorologist
National Weather Service
Old Hickory, Tennessee

SUMMARY

EIIP Virtual Library Presentation
March 21, 2001

The Forgotten F5: The 1998 Lawrence County Supercell

Mark Rose
Meteorologist
National Weather Service

Avagene Moore: Moderator
EIIP Coordinator

The EIIP Virtual Library featured a paper co-authored by four men from the Warning & Forecast Office in Nashville, Tennessee: John D. Gordon, Bobby Boyd, Mark A. Rose, and Jason B. Wright. The paper, "The Forgotten F5: The Lawrence County Supercell during the Middle Tennessee Tornado Outbreak of April 16, 1998," was presented by Mark Rose, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Office in Old Hickory, Tennessee.

As explained by Rose, a tornado outbreak struck middle Tennessee when over 20 supercells were identified by radar, and 12 tornadoes were confirmed -- the fifth largest tornado outbreak in middle Tennessee's history. The Warning & Forecast Office (WFO) in Old Hickory (OHX) issued a record 200 severe weather warnings on April 16, including 106 tornado warnings, in less than 18 hours. The Nashville metropolitan area was struck by three tornadoes --- one rated F3, and two rated F2. The F3 hit the downtown area. However, the most violent and dangerous tornado of the entire event, the Lawrence County F5, was nearly forgotten.

In addition to details and photos of the Lawrence County F5 tornado, the dialog include proposals to downgrade the three former F5 tornadoes with reasons why the authors feel the Lawrence County F5 tornado of 1998 is the only legitimate F5 in Tennessee history.

MARK A. ROSE
Meteorologist
National Weather Service
Old Hickory, Tennessee

Mark Rose is a meteorologist at the National Weather Service Office in Old Hickory, Tennessee. He previously served as a Navy weather observer (1988-1991) before attending Memphis State University. He graduated in 1994 with a B.S. degree in Geography. Mr. Rose joined the NWS at Montgomery, AL in May, 1994, and was transferred to Old Hickory in
June, 1995. Mr. Rose has authored or co-authored many technical papers, including publications in Weather and Forecasting, National Weather Digest, and the National Weather Association's Electronic Journal of Operational Meteorology.

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