Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Warnings in 1998

Tornado Warning 41, NWS Morristown, TN

April 16, 1998Blount County, Loudon County, Tennessee

NWS Morristown, TN issued this tornado warning at Apr 16, 1998, 11:54 PM EDT for Blount County, Loudon County, Tennessee. It was in force for 46 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, 11:54 PM EDT (03:54 UTC)
Expired
Apr 17, 1998, 12:40 AM EDT
In force
46 min
Issued by
NWS Morristown, TN
Area
Whole counties

Counties Blount County, TN, Loudon County, TN

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 16, 11:00 PM EDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 3.9 hours before the alert went out and 263 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 00:00Z on 1998-04-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1217 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, Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA at 00:00Z on 1998-04-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 280 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
1217 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-7 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
573 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
69 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
280 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
368 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.0
Supercell composite
10.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

667 
WFUS01 KMRX 170355 RRA
TORMRX
TNC009-105-170440-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KNOXVILLE/TRI-CITIES TN
1154 PM EDT THU APR 16 1998

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

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  BLOUNT COUNTY IN EASTERN TENNESSEE
  SOUTHEASTERN LOUDON COUNTY IN EASTERN TENNESSEE

* UNTIL 1240 AM EDT

* AT 1150 PM EDT... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  A TORNADO OVER SOUTHEAST LOUDON COUNTY NEAR GREENBACK... MOVING
  NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE TORNADO IS EXPECTED TO BE NEAR...
  MARYVILLE AT 1220 AM EDT

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

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, 10:20 PM EDT, 1 hour 34 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 16, 10:20 PM EDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KNOXVILLE/TRI-CITIES TN
1020 PM EDT THU APR 16 1998

BUSY MORNING WITH SEVERE CONVECTION MOVING IN FROM MIDDLE TN AND NEW STUFF
FORMING OVER CWA.  MODIFIED BNA SOUNDING LOOKS LIKE MORE OF A TORNADO
SOUNDING AS CELLS MOVE DUE EAST INCREASING HELICITY LOCALLY.  PARTS
OF LINEAR CONVECTION WILL HAVE MORE STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE.  IN
ADDITION...NEARLY SATURATED SOUNDING WITH PW OF 1.42 AT BNA WILL
RESULT IN FLOODING OF VARIOUS DEGREES AS ECHOES TRAIN.  MOST WILL BE
URBAN/SMALL STREAM FLOODING WITH ISOLATED FFW EXPECTED LATER.  DO NOT
RECOMMEND FFA ATTM...AS FLORA HAS THICKENED CONSIDERABLY AND BLV FLOODING
WILL BE MORE SPOTTY THAN WIDESPREAD TODAY.  TONIGHT MAY BE ANOTHER STORY
AS SEVERE CONVECTION WEAKENS AND TEMP/DP SPREADS NARROW.

AGREE WITH TEMPS AND POPS IN ZONES...WE MAY BE A LITTLE COOLER THAN
FORCAST IN NORTHERN ZONES AS CLOUDS KEEP SUN OUT...BUT DONT BELV AN
UPDATE IS IN ORDER.

GOTTA RUN.

BB

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 16, 7:35 PM EDT, 4 hours 19 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
Local storm report, Apr 16, 11:50 PM EDT, 4 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE KNOXVILLE/TRI-CITIES TN
1150 PM EDT THU APR 16 1998

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

438 PM     JONESVILLE                VA   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   LEE                            TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN
                                          IN JONESVILLE

700 PM                               TN   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   MONROE                         QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN EASTERN MONROE COUNTY

715 PM     SHADY GROVE               TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   MORGAN                         3 ROOFS ON HOMES AND 1
                                          TRAILER DAMAGED BY WIND IN
                                          THE SHADY GROVE COMMUNITY

717 PM     EWING                     VA   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   LEE                            GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN EWING

730 PM                               TN   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   ANDERSON                       QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          COUNTY-WIDE
                                          **A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS SPOTTED
                                          NEAR CLINTON AT 745**

730 PM                               VA   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   LEE                            GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          COUNTY-WIDE BY A LOCAL TV
                                          METEOROLOGIST

800 PM                               TN   1.00 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   ANDERSON                       QUARTER SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          COUNTY-WIDE

800 PM                               TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   ANDERSON                       TREES DOWN ON HIGHWAY 61

800 PM                               TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   UNION                          TREES DOWN COUNTY-WIDE

800 PM                               TN   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   UNION                          GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          COUNTY-WIDE

815 PM     TAZEWELL                  TN   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/16/98   CLAIBORNE                      DIME SIZE HAIL COVERING THE
                                          GROUND IN TAZEWELL

815 PM     NEAR KINGSTON             TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/16/98   ROANE                          TREES DOWN IN THE KINGSTON
                                          AREA

815 PM     NEAR KINGSTON             TN   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/17/98   ROANE                          GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          NEAR KINGSTON

830 PM                               TN   1.25 INCH HAIL
04/17/98   LOUDON                         HALF-DOLLAR SIZE HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN NORTHERN LOUDON
                                          COUNTY

830 PM     ANTIOCH                   TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/17/98   LOUDON                         TREES DOWN IN THE ANTIOCH
                                          COMMUNITY

855 PM     STRAWBERRY PLAINS         TN   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/17/98   KNOX                           DIME TO NICKLE SIZE HAIL
                                          REPORTED IN STRWWBERRY
                                          PLAINS ON THE KNOX/JEFFERSON
                                          COUNTY LINE

855 PM     STRAWBERRY PLAINS         TN   WIND DAMAGE
04/17/98   KNOX                           LARGE TREES DOWN IN THE
                                          STRAWBERRY PLAINS AREA
                                          ...KNOX/JEFFERSON COUNTY
                                          LINE

900 PM     CRESTON                   TN   1.75 INCH HAIL
04/17/98   CUMBERLAND                     GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL REPORTED
                                          IN THE CRESTON COMMUNITY

855 PM                               TN   0.75 INCH HAIL
04/17/98   SEVIER                         LARGE TREES DOWN IN THE
                                          VICINITY OF THE
                                          SEVIER/JEFFERSON/KNOX COUNTY
                                          LINE

1030 PM                              TN   FLOODING
04/17/98   CLAIBORNE                      EAGAN BRIDGE UNDER WATER IN
                                          THE CLAIRFIELD AREA OF
                                          CLAIBORNE COUNTY

1030 PM    ANDERSONVILLE             TN   FLOODING
04/17/98   ANDERSON                       ROADS FLOODED IN THE
                                          ANDERSONVILLE, OLIVER
                                          SPRINGS, AND LAKE CITY
                                          COMMUNITIES

1030 PM                              TN   FLOODING
04/17/98   UNION                          ROADS FLOODED COUNTY-WIDE
                                          **THE TOWN OF SHARP'S CHAPEL
                                          BEING EVACUATED DUE TO
                                          FLOODING**

1030 PM    JACKSBORO AREA            TN   FLOODING
04/17/98   CAMPBELL                       ROADS FLOODED IN THE
                                          JACKSBORO AREA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 16, 8:02 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXHancock63 min
Apr 16, 8:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXLoudon, Roane59 min
Apr 16, 8:20 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXKnox65 min
Apr 16, 8:37 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXCumberland63 min
Apr 16, 8:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXJefferson, Sevier65 min
Apr 16, 9:01 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXHamblen, Jefferson64 min
Apr 16, 9:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXCocke, Greene63 min
Apr 16, 9:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXMorgan48 min
Apr 16, 9:38 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXMeigs, Rhea62 min
Apr 16, 9:53 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXAnderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Union6 hr
Apr 16, 9:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXCampbell50 min
Apr 16, 10:51 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXHamilton64 min
Apr 16, 11:20 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXAnderson, Roane5 hr
Apr 16, 11:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXMeigs, Rhea61 min
Apr 16, 11:24 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXBradley61 min
Apr 16, 11:36 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXBradley34 min
Apr 16, 11:41 PM EDTTornado WarningMRXMcMinn49 min
Apr 16, 11:54 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXLoudon, Monroe, Roane61 min
Apr 17, 12:10 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXLoudon3 hr
Apr 17, 12:17 AM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXPolk63 min
Apr 17, 12:35 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXKnox3 hr

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.