Weather service confirms EF1 tornado caused damage Monday in Vanleer area

The National Weather Service has confirmed a tornado touched down Monday morning in northwestern Dickson County, leaving a five-mile path of destruction that included two mobile homes in the Vanleer area. Dickson County Emergency Management interim Director Donny Bear said the tornado, classified as an EF1 with winds of 86-105 miles an hour, moved east into Dickson County for about five miles. The weather service reports the tornado first touched down at 7:40 am about five miles north of McEwen in Humphreys County, passed through a corner of Houston County, then ended at 7:51 am southwest of Vanleer. The tornado’s total path was 10.6 miles long and about 150 yards wide, according to the service. Most of the damage was reported in the areas of Halliburton and Hill roads outside Vanleer. Bear said two mobile homes were destroyed: a double wide that had its roof and a wall peeled back and a single wide that was lifted up, turned around and smashed. Bear said neither mobile home was occupied at the time. Damage was reported to several barns, including one that was leveled, at least one car and a boat. Trees were twisted off and split along the tornado path and more roof damage was reported in the New Dry Hollow Road area off Highway 49. No injuries were reported as a result of the storms that moved quickly through the area Monday morning, however several accidents were reported on Interstate 40 due to cars hydroplaning in standing water. Bear said there also was some flash flooding in the Slayden area. Dickson County Road Engineer Jerry Burgess said crews worked on clearing downed trees in several areas in the north end of the county while Dickson Electric System crews dealt with scattered power outages mostly caused by limbs and trees in power lines. With schools out for spring break, there were no buses out on the roads when the storm hit and Director Dr. Danny Weeks said the only storm-related problem he knows about was a malfunctioning fire alarm panel at Creek Wood High School.