Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 33, NWS Morristown, TN

April 16, 1998Grainger County, Tennessee

NWS Morristown, TN issued this tornado warning at Apr 16, 1998, 7:53 PM EDT for Grainger County, Tennessee. It was in force for 47 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 16, 1998, 7:53 PM EDT (23:53 UTC)
Expired
Apr 16, 1998, 8:40 PM EDT
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Morristown, TN
Area
Whole counties

County Grainger County, TN

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 15 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:53 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 16, 2:00 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr
Apr 16, 5:00 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 11.9 hours before the alert went out and 278 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, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 1998-04-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 76 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Nashville Metro, TN at 12:00Z on 1998-04-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 13 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
76 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-20 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
585 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
13 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
180 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

338 
WFUS01 KMRX 162354 RRA
TORMRX
TNC057-170040-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KNOXVILLE/TRI-CITIES TN
753 PM EDT THU APR 16 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN KNOXVILLE/TRI-CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  GRAINGER COUNTY IN EASTERN TENNESSEE

* UNTIL 840 PM EDT

* AT 755 PM EDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  TORNADO 10 MILES NORTHEAST MAYNARDVILLE... MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45
  MPH.

* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
  RUTLEDGE BY 805 PM
  THORNHILL BY 810 PM

GO TO THE BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR

PDK/TH

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.

NWS Morristown, TN wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Apr 16, 3:30 PM EDT, 4 hours 23 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 16, 3:30 PM EDT, 4 hours 23 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KNOXVILLE/TRI-CITIES TN
330 PM EDT THU APR 16 1998

ONCE AGAIN...VERY BUSY LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.  BIGGEST PROB O THE DAY
IS TORNADO WATCH...BUT AS EVENING COMES THIS WILL DIMINISH AND FLASH
FLOODING WILL BECOME THE THREAT OVERNIGHT.  RECOMMEND FFA FOR ENTIRE
CWA...THIS INCLUDES VA AND NC COUNTIES.  REASONING INCLUDES EXTREME
PW VALUES (1.5)...UNIDIRECTIONAL WIND PROFILE...AND THICKNESS DIFLUENCE
WHICH ALLOW FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF CELLS AND TRAINING OF ECHOES.

BELV POPS COULD BE RAISED TO REFLECT HEAVY RAIN OVER NIGHT.  ALL AREAS
ARE GOING TO RECEIVE MEASURABLE RAIN TONIGHT AND TOMORROW.

BB

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 16, 7:35 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KNOXVILLE/TRI-CITIES TN
735 PM EDT THU APR 16 1998

TIME(EDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

425 PM     NEAR HARROGATE            TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   CLAIBORNE                      TREES DOWN AND POWER LINES
                                          DOWN NEAR HARROGATE

                                          1 NURSING HOME ALSO DAMAGED
                                          NEAR HARROGATE

435 PM     NEAR JONESVILLE           VA   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   LEE

540 PM     NEAR JONESVILLE           VA   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   LEE                            5 FOOT TREE UPROOTED 3 MILES
                                          WEST OF HIGHWAY 58

445 PM                               TN   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   HAMILTON                       DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          COUNTY-WIDE

525 PM     CLEVELAND                 TN   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   BRADLEY                        QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN DOWNTOWN CLEVELAND

545 PM                               TN   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   MCMINN                         DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED IN
                                          NORTHEAST MCMINN COUNTY

548 PM                               TN   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   MEIGS                          DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED NEAR
                                          DECATUR IN MEIGS COUNTY

540 PM     WOLF CREEK AREA           TN   TORNADO
04/16/98   RHEA                           POSSIBLE TORNADO TOUCHDOWN
                                          REPORTED IN THE WOLF CREEK
                                          AREA

540 PM                               TN   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   RHEA                           QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR THE RHEA COUNTY AIRPORT

540 PM                               TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   RHEA                           NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
                                          COUNTY-WIDE

530 PM                               TN   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   MEIGS                          DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          COUNTY-WIDE

530 PM     NEAR KINGSPORT            TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   SULLIVAN                       TREES DOWN IN THE KINGSPORT
                                          AREA

545 PM     NEAR KINGSTON             TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   ROANE                          TREES DOWN NEAR KINGSTON

608 PM                               TN   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   KNOX                           DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED ON
                                          WATTS ROAD IN WESTERN KNOX
                                          COUNTY

610 PM                               TN   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   KNOX                           ONE-INCH DIAMETER HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN WESTERN KNOX
                                          COUNTY

620 PM     TELLICO MOUNTAIN          TN   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   MONROE                         QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR TELLICO MOUNTAIN

615 PM                               TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   MONROE                         TREES DOWN IN THE SOUTHERN
                                          PART OF MONROE COUNTY

630 PM     NEAR HIGHWAY 70           TN   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   CUMBERLAND                     QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          ON HIGHWAY 70

650 PM                               TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   CUMBERLAND                     ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF A HOME
                                          NUMEROUS TREES UPROOTED IN
                                          THE SOUTHERN PART OF
                                          CUMBERLAND COUNTY

700 PM                               TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   MORGAN                         TREES DOWN AND ROOF DAMAGE
                                          IN THE NORTHERN PART OF
                                          MORGAN COUNTY

The office that day

Everything else NWS Morristown, TN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 16, 10:02 AM EDTTornado WarningMRXCumberland, Fentress, Morgan63 min
Apr 16, 10:30 AM EDTTornado WarningMRXAnderson, Scott65 min
Apr 16, 10:33 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXClaiborne, Grainger, Hancock4 hr
Apr 16, 10:33 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXCumberland, Fentress, Morgan, Scott4 hr
Apr 16, 10:33 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXAnderson, Campbell, Union4 hr
Apr 16, 12:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXRhea33 min
Apr 16, 1:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXMonroe46 min
Apr 16, 4:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXClaiborne47 min
Apr 16, 4:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXHancock46 min
Apr 16, 4:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXHamilton61 min
Apr 16, 5:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXBradley, McMinn, Meigs63 min
Apr 16, 5:17 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXRhea63 min
Apr 16, 5:22 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXMeigs, Rhea33 min
Apr 16, 5:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXSullivan46 min
Apr 16, 5:36 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXLoudon, Roane64 min
Apr 16, 5:39 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXMcMinn, Polk61 min
Apr 16, 5:47 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXPolk63 min
Apr 16, 6:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXAnderson, Knox65 min
Apr 16, 6:00 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXMonroe45 min
Apr 16, 6:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXCumberland1 min
Apr 16, 6:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXCumberland57 min
Apr 16, 6:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXGrainger, Union58 min
Apr 16, 6:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXFentress, Morgan63 min
Apr 16, 6:38 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXCumberland62 min
Apr 16, 6:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXMonroe31 min
Apr 16, 6:49 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXMorgan66 min
Apr 16, 6:53 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXClaiborne67 min
Apr 16, 7:07 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXHancock48 min
Apr 16, 7:12 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXCampbell33 min
Apr 16, 7:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXBradley, Hamilton62 min
Apr 16, 7:13 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXUnion37 min
Apr 16, 7:15 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXAnderson35 min
Apr 16, 7:21 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXGrainger34 min
Apr 16, 7:23 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXScott32 min
Apr 16, 7:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXCampbell65 min
Apr 16, 7:48 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXAnderson, Union47 min
Apr 16, 7:58 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXClaiborne47 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Tennessee, 1998Every tornado warning in 1998Tornadoes in 1998

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.