2008 Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak - Jackson Area Tornadoes

Jackson Area Tornadoes

Farther northeast near Jackson, Tennessee, a tornado touchdown caused the issuance of another tornado emergency (the second of the outbreak) at 7:00 pm CST (0100 UTC). This tornado was spawned by the same supercell that had affected Memphis about an hour earlier. Several cars and at least 15 tractor trailers were overturned by the tornado along Interstate 40 between mile markers 68 and 79. In addition, the areas southwest of Jackson saw severe damage, including destroyed homes and major damage to a church and a rest area along I-40. Major damage was also reported in a commercial area near the U.S. Route 45 bypass and to the northeast of Jackson. Also, the Sharon Baptist Church (Savannah, TN) lost its $7 million facilities to the tornado, including a 550 seat sanctuary which was completely destroyed. The most severe damage was at the devastated Union University, where a total of 31 buildings on the campus received damage of varying degrees. Hurt, Watters, and McAfee dormitories were the hardest hit with approximately 80% of their accommodation rendered uninhabitable. Twelve students at the university were trapped in damaged buildings but all were eventually rescued. Due to the damage, the university was closed until February 18.

The National Weather Service rated the tornado as an EF4 and later determined that there were two distinct tracks, with an EF3 satellite tornado to the southwest of the main one. It was originally believed a third (an EF3) touched down but it was later found to be linked to the main one that hit Union University. This was the third violent tornado to hit Jackson in 10 years. Two others, both rated F4, had devastated the community on January 17, 1999 and May 4, 2003.

Over 60 people in the Jackson area were treated for injuries as a result of the severe weather, 50 of whom were released immediately. No fatalities were caused by the main Jackson tornado, however two fatalities occurred in the Huntersville community, located west of Jackson, from the initial EF3 tornado. Estimates indicate that the tornadoes caused about $47 million worth of damages in Madison County, with $40 million of that total occurring at Union University alone.