Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Watches in 2004
Tornado Watch 349
The Storm Prediction Center issued this tornado watch at May 31, 2004, 12:40 AM CDT for 6 states. It was in force for 5 hr.
The area
The outline as issued.
The facts
- Issued
- May 31, 2004, 12:40 AM CDT (05:40 UTC)
- Expired
- May 31, 2004, 6:00 AM CDT
- In force
- 5 hr
- Issued by
- the Storm Prediction Center
All 74 counties
Cherokee County, AL, Banks County, GA, Bartow County, GA, Catoosa County, GA, Chattooga County, GA, Cherokee County, GA, Dawson County, GA, Fannin County, GA, Floyd County, GA, Forsyth County, GA, Franklin County, GA, Gilmer County, GA, Gordon County, GA, Habersham County, GA, Hall County, GA, Hart County, GA, Jackson County, GA, Lumpkin County, GA, Madison County, GA, Murray County, GA, Pickens County, GA, Rabun County, GA, Stephens County, GA, Towns County, GA, Union County, GA, Walker County, GA, White County, GA, Whitfield County, GA, Avery County, NC, Buncombe County, NC, Cherokee County, NC, Clay County, NC, Graham County, NC, Haywood County, NC, Henderson County, NC, Jackson County, NC, Macon County, NC, Madison County, NC, Mitchell County, NC, Swain County, NC, Transylvania County, NC, Yancey County, NC, Oconee County, SC, Pickens County, SC, Anderson County, TN, Blount County, TN, Bradley County, TN, Campbell County, TN, Carter County, TN, Claiborne County, TN, Cocke County, TN, Grainger County, TN, Greene County, TN, Hamblen County, TN, Hancock County, TN, Hawkins County, TN, Jefferson County, TN, Johnson County, TN, Knox County, TN, Loudon County, TN, McMinn County, TN, Meigs County, TN, Monroe County, TN, Morgan County, TN, Polk County, TN, Rhea County, TN, Roane County, TN, Scott County, TN, Sevier County, TN, Sullivan County, TN, Unicoi County, TN, Union County, TN, Washington County, TN, City of Bristol, VA
The radar
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 133 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:40 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.
Warnings issued inside it
39 tornado, severe thunderstorm and flash flood warnings for its counties while it was in force.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 31, 12:55 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Campbell | 65 min |
| May 31, 12:59 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Claiborne, Hancock | 61 min |
| May 31, 1:43 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Hancock | 47 min |
| May 31, 1:47 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Anderson, Morgan, Union | 43 min |
| May 31, 1:55 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Haywood | 50 min |
| May 31, 2:02 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Dade, Walker | 28 min |
| May 31, 2:03 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Claiborne, Grainger | 42 min |
| May 31, 2:11 AM CDT | Tornado Warning | GSP | Haywood | 34 min |
| May 31, 2:13 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Dade, Walker | 32 min |
| May 31, 2:13 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Knox, Loudon, Meigs, Rhea, Roane | 62 min |
| May 31, 2:17 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Catoosa, Whitfield | 43 min |
| May 31, 2:19 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Bradley | 56 min |
| May 31, 2:20 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Swain | 40 min |
| May 31, 2:22 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Hawkins | 38 min |
| May 31, 2:31 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Anderson | 29 min |
| May 31, 2:36 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Hancock | 24 min |
| May 31, 2:37 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | McMinn | 53 min |
| May 31, 2:39 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Fannin, Murray | 51 min |
| May 31, 2:41 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Polk | 64 min |
| May 31, 2:44 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson | 46 min |
| May 31, 2:44 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Blount | 61 min |
| May 31, 2:45 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Haywood | 45 min |
| May 31, 2:46 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Sullivan | 59 min |
| May 31, 2:51 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Monroe | 54 min |
| May 31, 3:00 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Gilmer, Murray, Whitfield | 45 min |
| May 31, 3:04 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Hawkins | 26 min |
| May 31, 3:08 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Sevier | 67 min |
| May 31, 3:09 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Cherokee | 66 min |
| May 31, 3:16 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Cocke, Greene, Washington | 59 min |
| May 31, 3:31 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Fannin, Union | 44 min |
| May 31, 3:34 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Clay | 56 min |
| May 31, 3:37 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Graham | 38 min |
| May 31, 3:46 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Swain | 59 min |
| May 31, 3:55 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Unicoi | 35 min |
| May 31, 4:00 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Rabun | 45 min |
| May 31, 4:07 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MRX | Carter, Johnson | 38 min |
| May 31, 4:08 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Mitchell, Yancey | 52 min |
| May 31, 4:20 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FFC | Towns | 25 min |
| May 31, 4:26 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | GSP | Buncombe | 49 min |
Discussions around it
SPC mesoscale discussions over the same counties from four hours before the watch to its end.
The nearest sounding before it
Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 00:00Z, 5.7 hours before the alert went out and 198 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
- 1721 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -10 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1316 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 32 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 45 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 102 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.5
- Supercell composite
- 3.7
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000
WWUS20 KWNS 310541
SEL9
SPC WW 310540
GAZ000-NCZ000-SCZ000-TNZ000-311100-
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TORNADO WATCH NUMBER 349
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
140 AM EDT MON MAY 31 2004
THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN GEORGIA
WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA
WESTERN SOUTH CAROLINA
EASTERN TENNESSEE
EFFECTIVE THIS MONDAY MORNING FROM 140 AM UNTIL 700 AM EDT.
TORNADOES...HAIL TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER...THUNDERSTORM WIND GUSTS
TO 80 MPH...AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS.
THE TORNADO WATCH AREA IS ALONG AND 80 STATUTE MILES EAST AND WEST
OF A LINE FROM 35 MILES WEST NORTHWEST OF BRISTOL TENNESSEE TO 50
MILES EAST SOUTHEAST OF ROME GEORGIA.
REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH AREA.
PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 344...WW 345...WW 346...WW
347...WW 348...
DISCUSSION...INTENSE SQUALL LINE MOVING EWD AT 50-55 KT WILL
CONTINUE TO PRODUCE WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS ALONG WITH THREAT OF
ISOLATED TORNADOES...PARTICULARLY ASSOCIATED WITH BOW HEAD AND LOOPS
ON LINE.
AVIATION...TORNADOES AND A FEW SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH HAIL
SURFACE AND ALOFT TO 1 INCH. EXTREME TURBULENCE AND SURFACE WIND
GUSTS TO 70 KNOTS. A FEW CUMULONIMBI WITH MAXIMUM TOPS TO 500.
MEAN STORM MOTION VECTOR 26040.
...HALES
363,0813 340,0825 340,0854 363,0842SPC that day
Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 30, 8:54 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Colbert, Franklin, Lamar, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone and 2 more | 66 min |
| May 30, 9:15 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Blount, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette and 13 more | 7 hr |
| May 30, 11:05 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Colbert, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone and 4 more | 55 min |
| May 31, 1:06 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Blount, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Fayette, Franklin and 11 more | 84 min |
| May 31, 3:40 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Cherokee | 95 min |
| May 31, 3:45 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Autauga, Bibb, Calhoun, Chambers, Chilton, Clay and 17 more | 5 hr |
| May 31, 5:31 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Autauga, Bibb, Calhoun, Chambers, Chilton, Clay and 17 more | 119 min |
| May 31, 9:21 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Baldwin, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale and 8 more | 54 min |
| May 31, 10:00 AM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Baldwin, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Dale, Escambia and 5 more | 6 hr |
| May 31, 1:06 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Baldwin, Coffee, Conecuh, Covington, Dale, Escambia and 5 more | 54 min |
| May 31, 3:30 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston | 4 hr |
| May 31, 8:10 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Burke, Columbia, Elbert, Glascock, Greene, Hancock and 12 more | 5 hr |
| May 31, 10:18 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Brantley, Bryan, Bulloch and 27 more | 27 min |
| May 31, 10:40 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Appling, Atkinson, Bacon, Brantley, Bryan, Bulloch and 25 more | 6 hr |
| May 31, 1:27 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Atkinson, Brantley, Chatham, Clinch, Echols, Lanier and 6 more | 63 min |
| May 31, 2:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Camden, Charlton | 5 hr |
| May 31, 5:28 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Camden, Charlton | 92 min |
| May 31, 5:59 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Ben Hill, Berrien, Brooks, Colquitt, Cook, Irwin and 5 more | 61 min |
| May 31, 6:30 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Charlton, Echols | 4 hr |
| May 31, 4:50 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | Alamance, Alexander, Anson, Cabarrus, Caswell, Catawba and 21 more | 5 hr |
| May 31, 6:56 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Alamance, Anson, Cabarrus, Caswell, Davidson, Davie and 13 more | 2 hr |
| May 31, 11:46 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Robeson, Sampson | 29 min |
| May 31, 2:50 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Camden, Currituck, Pasquotank | 6 hr |
| May 30, 10:55 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Chester, Hardeman, Henderson, McNairy | 5 hr |
| May 30, 11:40 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson and 12 more | 5 hr |
| May 31, 1:40 AM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Bland, Buchanan, Dickenson, Giles, Grayson, Lee and 11 more | 2 hr |
| May 31, 1:53 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Accomack, Amelia, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Culpeper and 51 more | 37 min |
| May 31, 6:17 PM CDT | Mesoscale Discussion | SPC | Accomack, Albemarle, Arlington, Caroline, Culpeper, Essex and 31 more | 118 min |
Nearby
Tornado Watches in Tennessee, 2004Tornado Watches in Georgia, 2004Tornado Watches in North Carolina, 2004Every tornado watch in 2004
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.