CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – As the sound of rushing wind and flying debris swept across north Clarksville with the tornado on Saturday, some residents claim the next sound they heard was a bit ironic: a Tornado Warning siren.
There have been multiple reports of people saying they didn’t hear the sirens until the damage was done. However, Montgomery County officials said that while the timing of the sirens is under review, those sirens are only a “backup, outdoor alert system” and are not intended to serve as the countywide weather notification system.
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“Tornado sirens are intended to warn people who are outdoors – and in the vicinity of a tornado – to find a safe place and take shelter,” county spokespeson Michelle Newell said in a statement to Clarksville Now.
Instead of sirens, the primary notification system for weather alerts consists of local radio stations, local media websites and apps, TV stations, weather alert apps, the MoCo Info app and NOAA weather radios.
Timeline of alerts and tornado
A Clarksville Now timeline from Saturday shows that weather alerts were issued several hours before the tornado hit, with a Tornado Watch reported two hours earlier, and a Severe Thunderstorm Warning reported 30 minutes before touchdown.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning means a major storm has been seen or indicated on radar, and residents in its path should take shelter immediately. A Tornado Watch means conditions are ripe for a tornado to form. A Tornado Warning means a tornado has been seen or indicated on radar; and by the time that happens, the tornado is already on the ground causing damage.
- 11:40 a.m.: Clarksville Now reports an NWS Tornado Watch, issued at 11:39 a.m., is in effect through 7 p.m., noting that “if a tornado is spotted or indicated on radar, a Tornado Warning will be issued” and that the storm is exected to hit Clarksville between 1 and 6 p.m.
- 1:15 p.m.: CNow: A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued for western Montgomery County, indicated at 1:11 p.m.
- 1:25 p.m.: CNow: A Tornado Warning is issued for northwest Montgomery County, indicated at 1:22 p.m. This is for the tornado that hit the Indian Mound area in Stewart County.
- 1:26 p.m.: Tornado indicated by NWS near Big Rock in Stewart County.
- 1:33 p.m.: Tornado indicated by NWS near Big Rock.
- 1:41 p.m.: A new tornado touches down on Fort Campbell just north of the Sabre Airfield and begins its path across north Clarksville, according to the NWS damage survey.
- 1:45 p.m.: CNow: A new Tornado Warning is issued for northwest Montgomery County, indicated at 1:43. At some point after this NWS warning is issued, tornado sirens go off.
- 1:56 p.m.: The tornado crosses the state line past the Tylertown Road area, according to the NWS damage survey.
Officials checking on timeline
“The safety and security of our community in the event of tornadoes and severe weather is always a primary concern to the City of Clarksville and Montgomery County Government,” Newell said. “With that in mind, we are confident that the community’s tornado sirens are working properly. They are tested every Sunday.”
Newell said the county can confirm that the sirens sounded that afternoon, but there are conflicting reports on when residents heard them. Local officials and the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency are researching the timeline of events.
“We would like to thank our news media partners in Clarksville and throughout middle Tennessee, who began reporting the potential for Saturday’s severe weather event, including the possibility for tornadic activity, via television, radio and online, several days prior to the event,” Newell said.
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