Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Warnings in 1995
Tornado Warning 15, NWS Morristown, TN
NWS Morristown, TN issued this tornado warning at May 18, 1995, 10:33 PM EDT for Monroe County, Tennessee. It was in force for 42 min.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 18, 1995, 10:33 PM EDT (02:33 UTC)
- Expired
- May 18, 1995, 11:15 PM EDT
- In force
- 42 min
- Issued by
- NWS Morristown, TN
- Area
- Whole counties
County Monroe County, TN
The radar
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 111 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:37 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
The nearest sounding before it
Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 2.6 hours before the alert went out and 225 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1185 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -47 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 942 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 52 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 371 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 460 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 3.0
- Supercell composite
- 17.4
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KTYS 190233 TORTYS TNC123-190315- BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KNOXVILLE TN 1033 PM EDT THU MAY 18 1995 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN KNOXVILLE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1115 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION... IN EAST CENTRAL TENNESSEE ...MONROE COUNTY AT 1031 PM EDT A TORNADO WAS OVER MONROE COUNTY MOVING EAST-NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH HEADING FOR SWEETWATER. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION. ACT QUICKLY. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF AVAILABLE. OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR POSSIBLE. AVOID WINDOWS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES FOR ^A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT. NNNN
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this tornado 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 18, 5:17 PM EDT, 5 hours 16 minutes before
VAZ001-002-005-006-008-182115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TRI-CITIES TN ISSUED BY MORRISTOWN TN 516 PM EDT THU MAY 18 1995 ...A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM IS OCCURRING OVER SOUTHERN LESLIE COUNTY KY... AT 510 PM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR IN MORRISTOWN DETECTED A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTHERN LESLIE COUNTY. THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM AND WILL MOST LIKELY AFFECT NORTHERN SECTIONS OF WISE COUNTY VIRGINIA BY 600 PM EDT. PERSONS IN WISE COUNTY SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AS THIS STORM APPROACHES. BE PREPARED TO SEEK TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY IF A TORNADO IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED. ALSO THERE IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA UNTIL 1000 PM EDT. THIS WATCH INCLUDES LEE...WISE...RUSSELL...SCOTT AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES. REMEMBER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES. MPH. THESE STORMS WILL BEGIN AFFzECTING SOUTHWEST VIRIGINIA WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR. PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD KEEP ALERT TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADIO FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
Special weather statement, May 18, 5:50 PM EDT, 4 hours 43 minutes before
TNZ011-012-013-014-034-035-036-037-038-039-040-041-066-067-068- 069-070-071-072-073-074-086-087-182245- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KNOXVILLE TN 550 PM EDT (450 PM CDT) THU MAY 18 1995 ...TORNADO WATCH FOR EAST TENNESSEE UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT... AT 540 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE RADAR SHOWED A FEW SHOWERS OVER THE NORTH PART OF THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU...HOWEVER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND SEVERAL TORNADOES HAVE OCCURRED OVER MIDDLE AND WEST TENNESSEE DURING THE DAY. THE SHOWERS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A PLAN OF ACTION TO TAKE IN THE EVENT OF TORNADOES OR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HERE ARE A FEW SUGGESTIONS...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS..SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.. GET UNDER A BED OR TABLE IF POSSIBLE..ABANDON MOBILE HOMES...AND TRY TO REMAIN CALM FOR CLEARER THINKING. WATCH THE SKY FOR THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE WEATHER ON NOAA WEATHER RADIO..OR YOUR FAVORITE RADIO OR TV STATION. LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS. WS NNNN
Special weather statement, May 18, 7:20 PM EDT, 3 hours 13 minutes before
TNZ015>018-042>047-VAZ001-002-005-006-008-190000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TRI-CITIES TN ISSUED BY MORRISTOWN TN 720 PM EDT THU MAY 18 1995 ...TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS ARE APPROACHING THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU... A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST TN AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA UNTIL MIDNIGHT. THE WATCH DOES INCLUDE THE TRI-CITIES AREA. AT 715 PM EDT THE MORRISTOWN DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM APPROACHING CUMBERLAND COUNTY. SEVERAL OTHER TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS WERE NOTED FURTHER NORTH IN CENTRAL KY AND FURTHER SOUTHWEST OVER MIDDLE TN AND NORTHERN ALABAMA. THEREFORE RESIDENTS LIVING ACROSS NORTHEAST TN AND SOUTHWEST VA WL NEED TO~ MONITOR THIS VERY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION. CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS OVER THE REGION BUT THIS MAY CHANGE LATER AS SEVERE AND POSSIBLY TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH THE AREA FROM THE WEST.
Special weather statement, May 18, 8:20 PM EDT, 2 hours 13 minutes before
TNZ015>018-042>047-VAZ001-002-005-006-008-190115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TRI-CITIES TN ISSUED BY MORRISTOWN TN 820 PM EDT THU MAY 18 1995 ...DANGEROUS TORNADIC SITUATION CONTINUES TO DEVELOP OVER EAST TN... AT 813 PM EDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SEVERAL TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS EAST TN. THE CLOSEST TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 5 MILES TO THE WEST OF OAK RIDGE. OTHER TORNADIC THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER VAN BUREN AND HAMILTON COUNTIES. ALL OF THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST-NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. RESIDENTS ARE REMINDED THAT A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST TN AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA UNTIL MIDNIGHT. PERSONS LIVING IN THESE AREAS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THIS VERY DANGEROUS WEATHER SITUATION AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY IF A TORNADO IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED.
Special weather statement, May 18, 8:51 PM EDT, 1 hour 42 minutes before
TNZ015>018-042>047-VAZ001-002-005-006-008-190145- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TRI-CITIES TN ISSUED BY MORRISTOWN TN 851 PM EDT THU MAY 18 1995 ...VERY LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES WILL BE POSSIBLE BY 10 PM OVER NORTHWESTERN GREENE COUNTY... AT 850 PM EDT A TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WITH HAIL THE SIZE OF BASEBALLS WILL BE MOST LIKELY AFFECTING NORTHWESTERN GREENE COUNTY BY 1000 PM EDT. PERSONS LIVING IN GREENE COUNTY SHOUL&D BE PREPARED FOR THIS VERY DANGEROUS STORM. IF A TORNADO IS OBSERVED OR A WARNING IS ISSUED YOU SHOULD TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY! THE TORNADO WATCH FOR ALL OF NORTHEAST TN AND SOUTHWEST VA IS STILL IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT.
The office that day
Everything else NWS Morristown, TN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 18, 8:03 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | MRX | Anderson, Roane | 42 min |
| May 18, 8:29 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | MRX | Knox | 46 min |
| May 18, 8:52 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | MRX | Grainger, Union | 53 min |
| May 18, 9:02 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Loudon, Monroe | 28 min |
| May 18, 9:07 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | MRX | Hamblen, Jefferson | 53 min |
| May 18, 9:25 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | MRX | Hawkins | 63 min |
| May 18, 9:33 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Anderson, Knox | 42 min |
| May 18, 9:33 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | MRX | Greene | 57 min |
| May 18, 9:52 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | MRX | Knox | 68 min |
| May 18, 10:02 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Monroe | 43 min |
| May 18, 10:09 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Sullivan, Washington | 66 min |
| May 18, 10:10 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | MRX | Grainger, Jefferson | 50 min |
| May 18, 10:26 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Cumberland, Roane | 64 min |
| May 18, 10:31 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | MRX | Hamblen | 44 min |
| May 18, 10:35 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Loudon | 55 min |
| May 18, 10:45 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Hawkins | 60 min |
| May 18, 10:47 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Blount | 58 min |
| May 18, 10:52 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | MRX | Loudon | 53 min |
| May 18, 10:58 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | MRX | Knox | 62 min |
| May 18, 11:07 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | MRX | Blount | 68 min |
| May 18, 11:20 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Jefferson, Sevier | 55 min |
| May 18, 11:36 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Cocke, Hamblen | 69 min |
| May 18, 11:43 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Greene, Hawkins | 62 min |
| May 18, 11:53 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Monroe | 67 min |
| May 19, 12:23 AM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Unicoi | 60 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in Tennessee, 1995Every tornado warning in 1995Tornadoes in 1995
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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.