Nashville Tornadoes
The storm first crossed into Nashville at around 3:30 p.m. (CDT), moving from west to east across the city. Of the three tornadoes that hit Nashville, one was rated F3 on the Fujita scale, and the other two were rated F2.
The F3 tornado touched down near the intersection of Charlotte Pike and Forty-sixth Avenue and traveled directly through downtown. After crossing the Cumberland River, it passed through East Nashville, Donelson, and Hermitage before finally lifting near Hartsville in Trousdale County. At least 100 people were injured by the storm. Vanderbilt University student Kevin Longinotti was trapped under a fallen tree in Centennial Park and later died from his injuries. 300 homes were destroyed and 600 businesses were damaged or destroyed. The Tennessee State Capitol and Union Station were both damaged. More than 6,000 trees were felled by the storm, including nearly 1,200 at The Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson. Several cranes at the construction site of the Tennessee Titans' new stadium (now known as LP Field) were damaged. Total property damage within Nashville was estimated at over $100 million.
The second tornado touched down less than an hour later between downtown Nashville and the Nashville International Airport. It damaged several homes and toppled numerous trees in both Davidson and Wilson Counties. Outbuildings and cars were also damaged or destroyed and 20 hogs were killed in the storm. There were no human casualties and damage was estimated at $3 million in Wilson County alone. The tornado was rated an F2. The third Nashville tornado struck 45 minutes after the second tornado and caused damage mainly to windows, trees, and power lines over a short path.
Read more about this topic: 1998 Nashville Tornado Outbreak