These changes have been adopted, making the April 16, 1998 Lawrence County tornado the only documented F5 in the history of Tennessee.

The last F5 tornado to strike Tennessee occurred on April 16, 1998, during a major outbreak that also severely impacted Nashville. This "Forgotten F5" touched down in Wayne County and moved into Lawrence County in the southwest middle portion of the state. Because it struck a relatively remote, sparsely populated rural area, it was overshadowed in the media by the three tornadoes that hit downtown Nashville on the same day. The Lawrence County F5 remains the most recent F5/EF5 in Tennessee history and is widely considered by meteorologists to be the only "bona fide" F5 to ever hit the state since official records began in 1950 (some earlier ratings were later downgraded). Despite its incredible power—capable of sweeping well-built homes completely off their foundations—there were no fatalities associated with this specific tornado, a miracle attributed to early warnings and the low population density along its 19-mile path.

Excellent question. The last F5 tornado to strike Tennessee occurred on April 16, 1998, in Lawrence County.

Here are the key details:

• Date: April 16, 1998
• Location: It touched down near the Alabama border in Lawrence County, Tennessee, and tracked northeast.
• Event: This was part of a larger, deadly outbreak known as the 1998 Nashville tornado outbreak.
• Path: The tornado’s path was about 2 miles wide at its peak and traveled for 18 miles, causing catastrophic damage.
• Fatalities: It resulted in one fatality and numerous injuries.

Important Technical Note: The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale replaced the original Fujita (F) Scale in 2007. Therefore, tornadoes since 2007 are rated EF0 to EF5. Under the new scale, Tennessee has not yet recorded an EF5 tornado.

The strongest tornadoes in Tennessee since 2007 have been EF4 events, most notably: April 27, 2011: Multiple EF4s, including a devastating one that hit the towns of New Hope and Apison. March 3, 2020: The Cookeville tornado was a high-end EF4 that caused significant destruction and fatalities.

In summary: Last F5: April 16, 1998 (Lawrence County). Last EF5: None since the scale was introduced in 2007. The strongest since then have been EF4.