Man returns home for the holidays after EF4 tornado
By
Lauren Fox, AccuWeather staff writer
Updated Jan 5, 2021 5:43 PM EST
One man is back home for the holidays in a new house, following a tornado outbreak that leveled his neighborhood in Middle Tennessee back in March.
2020 was an unforgettable year for many amid the pandemic, including for Gary Bean, who was able to end the year back in his own home to celebrate the holiday season after a weather disaster had left him with nothing but rubble where his house used to stand.
In March, a tornado outbreak in the middle of Tennessee stirred up a dangerous EF4 tornado that destroyed many homes, including Bean's home near Cookville in Putnam County.
An EF4 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale is classified by wind speeds of 166 up to 200 mph, and can cause large objects including cars to be whipped around, according to FEMA. The Enhanced Fujita Scale goes up to 5, where winds exceed 200 mph.
"Tornadoes of this strength can lead to significant damage and can demolish homes," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio said.
"While any tornado can be very dangerous, EF3 to EF5 tornadoes are extremely dangerous and can lead to a great deal of damage," Rossio said. "This was the case for the Nashville tornado that occurred earlier this year."
Tornadoes this extreme are particularly uncommon, according to Rossio. On average, the United States experiences 37.5 EF3-EF5 tornadoes each year, according to data from 1991-2010, he said.
Considering there are on average 1,224 tornadoes a year, only about 3% of tornadoes in the U.S. each year become strong enough to be considered EF3-EF5. "Simply put, tornadoes this strong do not occur very often," Rossio explained.
Gary Bean's home was destroyed after an EF4 tornado swept through central Tennessee in March of 2020. (AccuWeather / Bill Wadell)
The wind speeds from the tornado that took Bean's home reached 175 mph, killed 25 people and caused over $1 billion in damage.
Bean, who is a retired police officer, and his son were forced to ride out the deadly tornado while they hunkered down in their basement, which he said was a life-saving decision as the tornado ripped their home to pieces.
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"I couldn't live in another house without a basement. It saved our lives. There's no doubt about that," he told AccuWeather's National Reporter Bill Wadell.
Luckily for Bean, he will not have to worry about his next home having a basement. Contractors were able to build his new home on the same foundation as the home that turned to rubble in the tornado, allowing him to keep the exact basement he hunkered down in during those life-saving moments. He was able to move back in right before Thanksgiving.
Many people in Putnam County, Tennessee, were left to rebuild after an EF4 tornado caused over $1 billion in damages in March of 2020. (AccuWeather / Bill Wadell)
"It still feels kind of strange because there's still a lot of building going on in the neighborhood," he said.
Residents in the area experienced a second hit of tragedy just two days after the tornado when the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the state. The pandemic took an even further toll on families in Putnam County as they began the rebuilding process.
Many families are still waiting to rebuild due to pandemic-related delays, according to Bean. "They're waiting on their contractor to get to them," he said.
Bean told Wadell that he considered leaving the area after the tornado ripped through; however, he is now proud to say he stayed and helped others rebuild.
"I'm glad now I did because this is a good neighborhood," he said. "Seems like most everybody is building back."
Reporting by Bill Wadell.
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News / Severe Weather
Man returns home for the holidays after EF4 tornado
By Lauren Fox, AccuWeather staff writer
Updated Jan 5, 2021 5:43 PM EST
One man is back home for the holidays in a new house, following a tornado outbreak that leveled his neighborhood in Middle Tennessee back in March.
2020 was an unforgettable year for many amid the pandemic, including for Gary Bean, who was able to end the year back in his own home to celebrate the holiday season after a weather disaster had left him with nothing but rubble where his house used to stand.
In March, a tornado outbreak in the middle of Tennessee stirred up a dangerous EF4 tornado that destroyed many homes, including Bean's home near Cookville in Putnam County.
An EF4 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Scale is classified by wind speeds of 166 up to 200 mph, and can cause large objects including cars to be whipped around, according to FEMA. The Enhanced Fujita Scale goes up to 5, where winds exceed 200 mph.
"Tornadoes of this strength can lead to significant damage and can demolish homes," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio said.
"While any tornado can be very dangerous, EF3 to EF5 tornadoes are extremely dangerous and can lead to a great deal of damage," Rossio said. "This was the case for the Nashville tornado that occurred earlier this year."
Tornadoes this extreme are particularly uncommon, according to Rossio. On average, the United States experiences 37.5 EF3-EF5 tornadoes each year, according to data from 1991-2010, he said.
Considering there are on average 1,224 tornadoes a year, only about 3% of tornadoes in the U.S. each year become strong enough to be considered EF3-EF5. "Simply put, tornadoes this strong do not occur very often," Rossio explained.
Gary Bean's home was destroyed after an EF4 tornado swept through central Tennessee in March of 2020. (AccuWeather / Bill Wadell)
The wind speeds from the tornado that took Bean's home reached 175 mph, killed 25 people and caused over $1 billion in damage.
Bean, who is a retired police officer, and his son were forced to ride out the deadly tornado while they hunkered down in their basement, which he said was a life-saving decision as the tornado ripped their home to pieces.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"I couldn't live in another house without a basement. It saved our lives. There's no doubt about that," he told AccuWeather's National Reporter Bill Wadell.
Luckily for Bean, he will not have to worry about his next home having a basement. Contractors were able to build his new home on the same foundation as the home that turned to rubble in the tornado, allowing him to keep the exact basement he hunkered down in during those life-saving moments. He was able to move back in right before Thanksgiving.
Many people in Putnam County, Tennessee, were left to rebuild after an EF4 tornado caused over $1 billion in damages in March of 2020. (AccuWeather / Bill Wadell)
"It still feels kind of strange because there's still a lot of building going on in the neighborhood," he said.
Residents in the area experienced a second hit of tragedy just two days after the tornado when the first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the state. The pandemic took an even further toll on families in Putnam County as they began the rebuilding process.
Many families are still waiting to rebuild due to pandemic-related delays, according to Bean. "They're waiting on their contractor to get to them," he said.
Related:
Bean told Wadell that he considered leaving the area after the tornado ripped through; however, he is now proud to say he stayed and helped others rebuild.
"I'm glad now I did because this is a good neighborhood," he said. "Seems like most everybody is building back."
Reporting by Bill Wadell.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo