National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

An EF1 tornado with maximum wind speeds around 90 mph touched down about 1 mile northwest of Smithville along Highway 83 in De Kalb County, then tracked east-northeast across Center Hill Lake before ending in western White County about 7 miles northwest of Sparta. 

Scattered trees and some minor damage to buildings occurred along the beginning of the path in Smithville, with one small warehouse-type building significantly damaged on Highway 83.  The tornado increased in intensity as it approached the west side of Center Hill Lake, where a home on stilts on Holiday Haven Road was blown down a hill and destroyed.  Numerous trees were uprooted or snapped in this area.

After crossing Center Hill Lake, the tornado continued to blow down hundreds of trees along Trimble Lane, Back Bone Lane, and Falling Water Road, with some trees falling on homes in the area.  Passing just north of the Johnson Chapel Recreation Area, the tornado then entered western White County.  A mobile home was damaged and a church steeple was blown off along Browntown Road near Wildcat Road, and two outbuildings suffered roof damage.  Another barn and a home suffered roof damage further east on Browntown Road before the tornado lifted along Austin Road.

ABOVE: DeKalb County, TN - EF1 Tornado	ABOVE: DeKalb County, TN - EF1 Tornado

Below is a chart that explains what type of damage is associated with each ranking on the EF scale, including example photographs.