Many middle Tennessee residents woke up to destruction Tuesday morning, where tornadoes had already claimed at least two dozen lives of both children and adults in the state capitol and its surrounding area.
The storms approached middle Tennessee around 1 a.m. this past Tuesday, when many residents had already fallen asleep. Some residents received warning of the incoming danger, while others stood in shock at the severe damage after sunrise.
"It came in the middle of the night," said Mark Rose, a National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist in Nashville. "A big thing we've come across is people saying they didn't get a warning."
According to Rose, the NWS issued a warning of how substantial the storms would be. While this was beneficial to some people, many others rely on EAS (Emergency Alert System) alerts to know when danger is close. EAS alerts are the sudden, universal notifications sent to smartphones most often pertaining to weather and Amber Alerts. The convenience of the system is not without flaw, as it depends on infrastructure that could be on the brink of failure.
"When a cell tower goes down, the alert won't work, so we tell people to have more than one way to get a warning, like a weather radio," Rose said.
The NWS defines EF-2 as a storm with 111-135 mph wind speeds, and "entire houses shifted off foundations, mobile homes demolished, trains overturned and cars lifted off-ground and thrown." EF-3 storms have wind speeds between 136-165 mph, forcing almost all walls to collapse. Some areas experienced high EF-3 damage, nearly EF-4, according to Rose.
EF-2 damage has been assessed for the north Nashville, Germantown and airport areas. The devastating storm made the biggest impact with EF-3 damage in east Nashville, Donelson and Mount Juliet.
More than 36 buildings were destroyed in or near the downtown area. While the photo-friendly metropolis had many beloved landmarks reduced to rubble, the storm impacted smaller cities as well.
"The storm hit Mount Juliet pretty hard, then weakened near Lebanon," said Rose. "Then, the tornado touched backed down in Cookeville. The damage might be the worst in Cookeville."
John C. Tune airport saw cars, airplanes and hangars destroyed by the storms. Cleanup and repair costs are estimated in the millions by airport officials.
"Houses are nearly destroyed, multiple businesses and schools were hit," Rose said. "Donelson Elementary School is gone."
Damage is still being surveyed and recorded throughout the region. Rose said the NWS would know more by Thursday night as teams travel throughout the area to assess the devastation.
The Super Tuesday tornadoes received attention from the president, who spoke with Governor Bill Lee after posting his condolences on Twitter.
"I will be going there (Nashville) Friday," President Trump said in a video post. "Our hearts are full of sorrow for the lives lost. We're working with their great Governor Bill Lee, FEMA is already on the ground."
President Trump ended the video post with the trending hashtag #PrayForNashville. Celebrities, citizens and companies alike are offering help to those affected, practicing the same compassion and togetherness seen in previous American tragedies.
Airbnb, an online home-rental company, is offering people displaced by the storm free shelter during the rebuilding process. Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has collected more than $350,000 and 5,000 volunteers as part of "Hands-On Nashville."
"Our hearts are with the families across Tennessee facing devastation and heartbreak after deadly tornadoes struck our communities," tweeted Governor Bill Lee. "In memory of the many lives lost, flags over the Capitol will fly at half-staff until Friday."
Nashville, Mount Juliet and Cookeville are all welcoming donations and volunteers. Donations can be made by texting "RELIEF2020" to 41444, or online in the verified hub on GoFundMe.
Opportunities to help with the recovery process can be found by searching #PrayForNashville and #NashvilleStrong on Twitter.
"Today was a brutal day for Nashville," professional golfer and Nashville native Brandt Snedeker said in a tweet. "Nashville is special because of the people who live there, not the buildings we lost. We will do everything to get our city back."
