Alert archive / Tennessee / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 69, NWS Atlanta, GA

May 15, 1994Polk County, Tennessee

NWS Atlanta, GA issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 15, 1994, 5:03 PM EDT for Polk County, Tennessee. It was in force for 42 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 15, 1994, 5:03 PM EDT (21:03 UTC)
Expired
May 15, 1994, 5:45 PM EDT
In force
42 min
Issued by
NWS Atlanta, GA
Area
Whole counties

County Polk County, TN

The nearest sounding before it

Athens Municipal, GA (KAHN), launched 12:00Z, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 172 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Athens Municipal, GA at 12:00Z on 1994-05-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 365 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Athens Municipal, GA at 12:00Z on 1994-05-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 97 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
365 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-40 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
579 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
97 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
130 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KCHA 152103 RRA
SVRCHA
TNC139-152145-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE CHATTANOOGA TN
503 PM EDT SUN MAY 15 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN CHATTANOOGA HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  545 PM EDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE
 
   ...POLK COUNTY
 
AT 500 PM EDT...THE CHATTANOOGA WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM IN WESTERN POLK COUNTY...JUST SOUTHWEST OF BENTON.
 
THE STORM IS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MILES PER HOUR AND MAY PRODUCE
STRONG WINDS...HAIL...DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND VERY
HEAVY RAINFALL.
 
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO
DON'T DRIVE INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 15, 3:43 PM EDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
GAZ008>010-014>018-023>029-035>038-047>051-152040-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ATHENS GA
340 PM EDT SUN MAY 15 1994

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTHEAST
   GEORGIA UNTIL 800 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

AT 330 PM EDT THERE WERE NO THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHEAST GEORGIA HOWEVER
SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER MUCH OF NORTHWEST GEORGIA AND
WILL BE MOVING INTO THE WESTERN SECTIONS OF NORTHEAST GEORGIA IN AN
HOUR OR TWO. IF YOU AREA IN DAWSON...LUMPKIN...AND HALL COUNTIES BE
PREPARED AS THESE THUNDERSTORMS MOVE INTO YOUR AREA. THE STRONGEST
THUNDERSTORMS IN NORTHWEST GEORGIA WERE LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF CANTON
...10 MILES WEST OF JASPER...AND JUST SOUTHWEST OF CARTERSVILLE.
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY
WINDS...POSSIBLE HAIL...AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. MOVEMENT WAS
TO THE EAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

ELSEWHERE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS EAST TENNESSEE...

NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL ALABAMA AND SOUTHERN SOUTH CAROLINA
AND SOUTHEAST GEORGIA. THE STRONGEST OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE
LOCATED 10 MILES EAST OF WAYNESBORO AND 10 MILES NORTHWEST
OF SYLVANIA GEORGIA.
Special weather statement, May 15, 3:48 PM EDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
GAZAL048-152050-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS,    GEORGIA
342 PM EDT SUN MAY 15 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL
ALABAMA AND WEST CENTRAL GEORGIA UNTIL 8 PM EDT...

AT 245 PM EDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A FEW SCATTERED AREA'S
OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED NEAR MIDWAY AND HURTSBORO
ALABAMA.  OTHERS WERE LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF DOTHAN ALABAMA.
MOVEMENT OF THESE STORMS WAS NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN SMALL HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...DEADLY
LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF RAIN.

IF YOU PLAN TO BE OUTDOORS THIS EVENING...CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION AND KEEP A WEATHER EYE ON THE SKY.
Special weather statement, May 15, 4:21 PM EDT, 42 minutes before
GAZ120>122-142-152225-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS,    GEORGIA
421 PM EDT SUN MAY 15 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR CLAY...EARLY...QUITMAN AND
RANDOLPH COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST GEORGIA UNTIL 8 PM EDT...

AT 415 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST GEORGIA AND NORTHERN
FLORIDA.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN GADSDEN AND JACKSON
COUNTIES OF NORTHERN FLORIDA.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20
MPH AND WILL AFFECT ONLY THE SOUTHERNMOST COUNTIES OF GEORGIA OVER THE
NEXT TWO HOURS.  HOWEVER...CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP THROUGH THIS EVENING.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA.  PERSONS SHOULD WATCH FOR
THREATENING WEATHER AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO... COMMERCIAL
RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

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Special weather statement, May 15, 4:23 PM EDT, 40 minutes before
GAZ120>122-142-152225-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS,    GEORGIA
421 PM EDT SUN MAY 15 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR CLAY...EARLY...QUITMAN AND
RANDOLPH COUNTIES OF SOUTHWEST GEORGIA UNTIL 8 PM EDT...

AT 415 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED SHOWERS AND A FEW
THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEAST ALABAMA...SOUTHWEST GEORGIA AND NORTHERN
FLORIDA.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN GADSDEN AND JACKSON
COUNTIES OF NORTHERN FLORIDA.  THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20
MPH AND WILL AFFECT ONLY THE SOUTHERNMOST COUNTIES OF GEORGIA OVER THE
NEXT TWO HOURS.  HOWEVER...CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS TO DEVELOP THROUGH THIS EVENING.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE
POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA.  PERSONS SHOULD WATCH FOR
THREATENING WEATHER AND LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO... COMMERCIAL
RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR FURTHER INFORMATIONx.
Special weather statement, May 15, 4:50 PM EDT, 13 minutes before
GAZ127-129-146-152155-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS,    GEORGIA
450 PM EDT SUN MAY 15 1994

AT 446 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN COLUMBUS INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS BETWEEN OMEGA AND DOERUN IN
COLQUITT COUNTY.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 15
MPH AND WILL BE MOVING INTO TIFT AND SOUTHERN WORTH COUNTIES OVER THE
NEXT HOUR.  AS THESE STORMS PASS...EXPECT VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF
RAIN...STRONG WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.
Special weather statement, May 15, 4:52 PM EDT, 11 minutes before
GAZ127-129-146-152155-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBUS,    GEORGIA
450 PM EDT SUN MAY 15 1994

AT 446 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN COLUMBUS INDICATED A
CLUSTER OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS BETWEEN OMEGA AND DOERUN IN
COLQUITT COUNTY.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TOWARD THE NORTHEAST AT 15
MPH AND WILL BE MOVING INTO TIFT AND SOUTHERN WORTH COUNTIES OVER THE
NEXT HOUR.  AS THESE STORMS PASS...EXPECT VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS OF
RAIN...STRONG WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND SMALL HAIL.

WHEN THUNDERSTORMS ARE OCCURRING...PEOPLE SHOULD MOVE INSIDE A
STRONG BUILDING.  DO NOT STAND BY WINDOWS.  DO NOT USE TELEPHONES OR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES UNLESS IN AN EMERGENCY UNTIL THE STORM HAS
PASSED.  MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT DRIVE INTO LOW WATER CROSSINGS.

The office that day

Everything else NWS Atlanta, GA issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 3:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCMarion63 min
May 15, 4:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCHamilton62 min
May 15, 4:48 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFFCBradley42 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Tennessee, 1994Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1994

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.