Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Morristown, TN

April 10, 2009Bledsoe County, Sequatchie County, Tennessee

NWS Morristown, TN issued this tornado warning at Apr 10, 2009, 2:43 PM CDT for Bledsoe County, Sequatchie County, Tennessee. It was in force for 47 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued: Apr 10, 2009, 2:43 PM CDT (19:43 UTC)
Expired: Apr 10, 2009, 3:30 PM CDT
In force: 47 min
Issued by: NWS Morristown, TN
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Bledsoe County, TN, Sequatchie County, TN

The radar

The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 83 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:43 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.

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Apr 10, 3:05 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Dunlap, TN	15 REPORTS OF TREES ON HOMES.
Apr 10, 3:05 PM CDT	TORNADO	6 Sw Dunlap, TN

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched one storm report to this tornado warning; the first came 22 minutes after it went out.

Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 10, 11:23 AM CDT	Tornado Watch PDS	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 7.7 hours before the alert went out and 125 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 1414 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 71 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: -50 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: -4 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.

000 
WFUS54 KMRX 101943
TORMRX
TNC007-153-102030-
/O.NEW.KMRX.TO.W.0006.090410T1943Z-090410T2030Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
243 PM CDT FRI APR 10 2009

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MORRISTOWN HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN BLEDSOE COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE...
  SEQUATCHIE COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE...
  THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF DUNLAP...

* UNTIL 330 PM CDT

* AT 241 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 16 MILES WEST OF
  DUNLAP...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  DUNLAP BY 305 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT OR STORM
SHELTER. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF
NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE
BUILDING IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE
BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM
WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR 
SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE.

&&

LAT...LON 3556 8555 3556 8545 3562 8539 3564 8533
      3559 8510 3522 8535 3532 8556 3534 8556
      3539 8550 3542 8550 3544 8555 3550 8555
      3554 8561
TIME...MOT...LOC 1943Z 260DEG 37KT 3541 8564

$$

DMG

2 follow-up statements

000 
WWUS54 KMRX 102001
SVSMRX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
301 PM CDT FRI APR 10 2009

TNC007-153-102030-
/O.CON.KMRX.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-090410T2030Z/
BLEDSOE TN-SEQUATCHIE TN-
301 PM CDT FRI APR 10 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM CDT FOR
SEQUATCHIE AND BLEDSOE COUNTIES...

AT 259 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR CAGLE...OR NEAR
DUNLAP...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  PALIO AND 7 MILES SOUTH OF OLD CUMBERLAND BY 310 PM CDT...
  BRAYTON AND 8 MILES SOUTH OF PIKEVILLE BY 325 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL
OF 3/4 INCH OR LARGER...AND DESTRUCTIVE OUTFLOW WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50
MPH.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT OR A STORM
SHELTER. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF
NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE
STRUCTURE IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY...ROOM OR CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR
PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR
SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

&&

LAT...LON 3556 8555 3556 8545 3562 8539 3564 8533
      3559 8510 3522 8535 3532 8556 3534 8556
      3539 8550 3542 8550 3544 8555 3550 8555
      3554 8561
TIME...MOT...LOC 2001Z 252DEG 30KT 3544 8541

$$

TD

000 
WWUS54 KMRX 102016
SVSMRX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
316 PM CDT FRI APR 10 2009

TNC007-153-102030-
/O.CON.KMRX.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-090410T2030Z/
BLEDSOE TN-SEQUATCHIE TN-
316 PM CDT FRI APR 10 2009

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 330 PM CDT FOR
SEQUATCHIE AND BLEDSOE COUNTIES...

AT 315 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR PALIO...OR 10
MILES NORTHEAST OF DUNLAP...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  BRAYTON AND 7 MILES SOUTH OF PIKEVILLE BY 325 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL
OF 3/4 INCH OR LARGER...AND DESTRUCTIVE OUTFLOW WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50
MPH.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT OR A STORM
SHELTER. GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF
NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE
STRUCTURE IN AN INTERIOR HALLWAY...ROOM OR CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR
PILLOWS TO COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR
SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE.

&&

LAT...LON 3556 8555 3556 8545 3562 8539 3564 8533
      3559 8510 3522 8535 3532 8556 3534 8556
      3539 8550 3542 8550 3544 8555 3550 8555
      3554 8561
TIME...MOT...LOC 2016Z 252DEG 30KT 3548 8526

$$

TD

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 10, 1:25 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 10, 1:25 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
225 PM EDT FRI APR 10 2009

.SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT)...BROKEN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS
APPROACHING...AND WITH SIGNIFICANT CAPE AND LOW LEVEL WIND
SHEAR...STILL EXPECTING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF
TORNADOES THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING.  ONCE THE COLD FRONT
PASSES...SHOULD HAVE SOME SHOWERS LINGERING...ESPECIALLY NORTH...AND
LOW CLOUDS MOVING IN.  WILL NOT STRAY FROM MAV TEMPS FOR TONIGHT.

.LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)...RATHER UNSETTLED WEATHER
REGIME IN THE OFFING FOR THE LONG TERM AFTER A MAINLY DRY WEEKEND.
NEXT IN A SERIES OF SYSTEMS APPROACHES BY EARLY MONDAY. THIS DOES
NOT APPEAR TO BE A SEVERE WEATHER THREAT AT THIS TIME AS INSTABILITY
IS DECIDEDLY LACKING PER MODEL FORECAST SOUNDINGS. HOWEVER...UPPER
CLOSED LOW ASSOCIATED WITH THIS EVENT WILL ONLY SLOWLY DRIFT
EASTWARD RESULTING IN THE PERSISTENCE OF SCATTERED PRECIP INTO
WEDNESDAY. BRIEF DRY PERIOD EXPECTED WEDNESDAY NIGHT BEFORE THE NEXT
SYSTEM APPROACHES ON THURSDAY. FOR TEMPS..GENERALLY ONLY TWEAKED
PRECEDING GRIDS/FORECAST AS THEY APPEARED REASONABLE.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN             51  65  43  72  53 /  50  10   0   0  60
KNOXVILLE MCGHEE TYSON AIRPORT, TN  50  62  40  69  47 /  80  10   0   0  30
OAK RIDGE, TN                       51  62  39  69  48 /  70  10   0   0  30
TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN              49  59  36  67  42 /  90  20   0   0  20

&&

.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...NONE.
TN...NONE.
VA...NONE.
&&

LDW/LCM

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 10, 2:20 AM CDT, 12 hours 23 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
320 AM EDT FRI APR 10 2009

NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002-
005-006-008-110730-
CHEROKEE-CLAY-SCOTT TN-CAMPBELL-CLAIBORNE-HANCOCK-HAWKINS-
SULLIVAN-JOHNSON-MORGAN-ANDERSON-UNION-GRAINGER-HAMBLEN-
NORTHWEST COCKE-COCKE SMOKY MOUNTAINS-NORTHWEST GREENE-
SOUTHEAST GREENE-WASHINGTON TN-UNICOI-NORTHWEST CARTER-
SOUTHEAST CARTER-ROANE-LOUDON-KNOX-JEFFERSON-NW BLOUNT-
BLOUNT SMOKY MOUNTAINS-NORTH SEVIER-SEVIER SMOKY MOUNTAINS-
SEQUATCHIE-BLEDSOE-RHEA-MEIGS-MCMINN-NORTHWEST MONROE-
SOUTHEAST MONROE-MARION-HAMILTON-BRADLEY-WEST POLK-EAST POLK-LEE-
WISE-SCOTT-RUSSELL-WASHINGTON-
320 AM EDT FRI APR 10 2009 /220 AM CDT FRI APR 10 2009/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NORTH
CAROLINA...EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS
MIDDLE TENNESSEE..CENTRAL KENTUCKY...AND NORTHERN ALABAMA EARLY
THIS AFTERNOON...THEN MOVE EAST ACROSS THE REGION. THE GREATEST
THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL BE BETWEEN 4 AND 10 PM TODAY WITH
THE MAIN CONCERN BEING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...BUT ISOLATED
TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Apr 10, 9:37 AM CDT, 5 hours 6 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
1037 AM EDT FRI APR 10 2009

NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002-
005-006-008-102000-
CHEROKEE-CLAY-SCOTT TN-CAMPBELL-CLAIBORNE-HANCOCK-HAWKINS-
SULLIVAN-JOHNSON-MORGAN-ANDERSON-UNION-GRAINGER-HAMBLEN-
NORTHWEST COCKE-COCKE SMOKY MOUNTAINS-NORTHWEST GREENE-
SOUTHEAST GREENE-WASHINGTON TN-UNICOI-NORTHWEST CARTER-
SOUTHEAST CARTER-ROANE-LOUDON-KNOX-JEFFERSON-NW BLOUNT-
BLOUNT SMOKY MOUNTAINS-NORTH SEVIER-SEVIER SMOKY MOUNTAINS-
SEQUATCHIE-BLEDSOE-RHEA-MEIGS-MCMINN-NORTHWEST MONROE-
SOUTHEAST MONROE-MARION-HAMILTON-BRADLEY-WEST POLK-EAST POLK-LEE-
WISE-SCOTT-RUSSELL-WASHINGTON-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MURPHY...HAYESVILLE...ONEIDA...
LA FOLLETTE...TAZEWELL...SNEEDVILLE...ROGERSVILLE...KINGSPORT...
BRISTOL...MOUNTAIN CITY...WARTBURG...CLINTON...OAK RIDGE...
MAYNARDVILLE...RUTLEDGE...MORRISTOWN...NEWPORT...COSBY...
GREENEVILLE...CEDAR CREEK...JOHNSON CITY...ERWIN...ELIZABETHTON...
ROAN MOUNTAIN...KINGSTON...LENOIR CITY...KNOXVILLE...DANDRIDGE...
MARYVILLE...CADES COVE...SEVIERVILLE...GATLINBURG...DUNLAP...
PIKEVILLE...DAYTON...DECATUR...ATHENS...MADISONVILLE...
COKER CREEK...JASPER...CHATTANOOGA...CLEVELAND...BENTON...
DUCKTOWN...JONESVILLE...WISE...NORTON...GATE CITY...LEBANON...
ABINGDON
1037 AM EDT FRI APR 10 2009 /937 AM CDT FRI APR 10 2009/

...A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING...

A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE LOWER OHIO AND
TENNESSEE VALLEYS TODAY. GUSTY SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF
THIS SYSTEM WILL HELP TO BRING WARM AND MOIST AIR INTO THE REGION
TODAY.

AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS ALREADY MOVED THROUGH THE
AREA THIS MORNING. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN STILL BE
EXPECTED THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON...THEN MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE IN BY LATE AFTERNOON AHEAD OF AN
APPROACHING COLD FRONT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE
REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL CAN BE
EXPECTED WITH THESE SEVERE STORMS...AND TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE
POSSIBLE.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE
TELEVISION OR RADIO STATIONS...FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS
ON THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK.

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 10, 5:03 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Bledsoe, Bradley, Hamilton, McMinn, Marion, Meigs and 3 more	42 min
Apr 10, 2:28 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MRX	Marion	47 min
Apr 10, 2:54 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Marion	51 min
Apr 10, 3:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Hamilton	42 min
Apr 10, 3:12 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MRX	Bledsoe, Bradley, Hamilton, McMinn, Marion, Meigs and 2 more	48 min
Apr 10, 3:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Campbell, Claiborne, Union	36 min
Apr 10, 3:27 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Claiborne, Hancock	48 min
Apr 10, 3:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Anderson, Blount, Knox, Loudon, McMinn, Meigs and 3 more	53 min
Apr 10, 3:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MRX	Bradley, Hamilton, McMinn, Monroe, Polk	62 min
Apr 10, 3:45 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MRX	Anderson, Knox, Loudon, Roane	60 min
Apr 10, 3:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Bradley, Hamilton	34 min
Apr 10, 4:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MRX	Hancock	42 min
Apr 10, 4:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Blount, Sevier	64 min
Apr 10, 4:32 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Union	28 min
Apr 10, 5:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Jefferson and 1 more	34 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Tennessee, 2009 Every tornado warning in 2009 Tornadoes in 2009

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.