Date: May 5, 2003
Time: 2:00 A.M.
Place: My House
Camera: Sony Handycam
Warnings: Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado Warning
Rating: S4

What started as a high-risk severe weather outbreak in Kansas and Missouri evolved into one of the most intense squall lines to move into Middle Tennessee in a long time. Unfortuantely, it had to move in when I should have been in bed. But it was worth it. I was treated to one of the most concentrated lightning shows I have seen. There were many horizon-to-horizon, spider streaks. These came as the storms were still two counties to the west. Then, as the storms made their final approach, the lightning became essentially nonstop. It was crazy. We were under a severe thunderstorm warning as the storm moved in, but it was upgraded to a tornado warning soon after. The radar did indeed show signs of a hook echo embedded in the squall line just a few miles to our north. There was never any official touchdown though.

Earlier in the evening, a tornado hit Jackson, Tennessee. It was the strongest of the tornados to hit Tennessee. 11 people were killed there. All in all, 9 tornados touchdown in Middle Tennessee.