Damaging winds whip through Greene County

GREENE COUNTY, Tenn. -

Damaging winds whipped through our region Thursday, with Greene County taking the brunt of its force.

The radar estimated wind speed was 75 miles an hour in parts of Southern Greene County, enough to do damage to a community all too familiar with Mother Nature’s wrath.

Winds howled through the night sky in the Camp Creek community in Greene County, but during Thursday's afternoon hours, they were ferocious.

"I mean, it's bad. This reminds me of hurricane winds, and like I said, I lived in Florida, and actually I think this is worse than hurricane winds," Marilyn Armindinger, a Greene County resident in the Camp Creek community, said as the wind whipped on her back deck.

It's power left trees bending and breaking under the weight of the wind. Some sheds were toppled, power lines fell, even a roof blew off a home.

For some, we learned it brings back memories of the April 2011 tornadoes that's left a scar on this community.

"[There are] still a lot of people that haven't even got back from their homes across the street. They're still in the works of building it back. [Some] haven't even moved in yet," said T.W. Harrison, another Greene County resident.

These winds weren't even a match for an 18 wheeler that blew over on its side from heavy wind gusts.

Driver Doug McKay told us it was his very first accident.

"I was easing up through there, and that's when I felt the wind. I [saw] it in my mirror; my trailer going. Next thing I know, over I went. [It was] a split second," McKay explained.

McKay said he just held on tight, and walked away with just one bump on his lip; but a growing appreciation for this force of nature.

"Can't control mother nature. When she blows, she blows," said McKay.

Emergency officials told us all roads are back open.

At the peak of these winds officials tell me there were a couple thousand people without power.