A localized, but destructive and deadly tornado outbreak impacted Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia on Leap Day in 1952. Thanks in part to unseasonably strong jet stream winds and a strong cold front, eight tornadoes left trails of damage and casualties. The tornado to cause the most casualties was an F1 tornado in Belfast, Tennessee, which killed three people and injured 166. A violent F4 tornado moved through Fayetteville, Tennessee, destroying most of the town and killing two and injuring 150 others. On the north side of Fort Payne, Alabama, an F3 tornado caused major damage and injured 12 people. In all, the outbreak killed five, injured 336, and caused $3.1 million (1952 USD) in damage. Four more fatalities and 14 more injuries occurred from other non-tornadic events as well. Meteorological synopsis On February 29, 1952, a strong cold front extending down from a low-pressure area spanned from Southern Indiana and Central Ohio southwestward through Central Arkansas into North Texas. A strong upper-level jet stream at the 200 mbar level was observed moving northeast out of Texas into the Tennessee Valley region with winds ranging from or more. A strong upper-level trough at the 500 mbar level was also noted. The trough extended southeastward through the Central and Southern Plains states, where a second and third surface low had just combined behind the surface cold front. The combination of the strong cold front, strong low, and the unusually strong jet stream winds, led to the development of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes across portions of the Tennessee Valley in southern Middle Tennessee and Northeast Alabama. Confirmed tornadoes February 29 event Fayetteville, Tennessee This large, violent, and deadly F4 tornado touched down on the west side of downtown Fayetteville just northwest of the Old Lincoln County Hospital and moved east-northeast directly through it before dissipating near the Lincoln County Livestock Market along US 64. It traveled and was wide. Of the 1,828 buildings in Fayetteville, 932 were damaged or destroyed. In all, 139 homes were destroyed, 152 had major damage, and another 164 sustained minor damage. An additional 23 farm buildings were destroyed, 15 others had major damage, and 11 more had minor damage. 105 businesses were destroyed, while 58 others had major damage; 37 more sustained minor damage, and nine additional ones had superficial damage. Damage to six churches alone in downtown Fayetteville were estimated at $300,000. Several business houses were destroyed,