Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 24, NWS Morristown, TN

March 2, 20124 counties in Tennessee

NWS Morristown, TN issued this tornado warning at Mar 2, 2012, 1:23 PM EST for 4 counties in Tennessee. It was in force for 37 min. 7 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
Mar 2, 2012, 1:23 PM EST (18:23 UTC)
Expired
Mar 2, 2012, 2:00 PM EST
In force
37 min
Issued by
NWS Morristown, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Bradley County, TN, McMinn County, TN, Monroe County, TN, Polk County, TN

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 128 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:23 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Mar 2, 1:30 PM ESTTORNADO4 Sw Etowah, TNPRELIMINARY SURVEY FOUND AN EF-2 WITH MAX WINDS OF 130 MPH.
Mar 2, 1:30 PM ESTTORNADO7 Wsw Etowah, TNPOSSIBLE TORNADO. TORNADO SPOTTED NEAR DELANO.
Mar 2, 1:33 PM ESTHAIL 1Etowah, TN
Mar 2, 1:40 PM ESTTORNADO4 Sw Etowah, TNSEVERE DAMAGE TO A HOME INCLUDING WINDOWS BROKEN AND COLLAPSED GARAGE. SEVERAL LARGE TREES AND POWER LINES REPORTED DOWN.
Mar 2, 1:45 PM ESTTORNADOTellico Plains, TNPOSSIBLE TORNADO. TORNADO SPOTTED IN TELLICO PLAINS. NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.
Mar 2, 1:50 PM ESTTSTM WND DMGEtowah, TNBETWEEN DENTVILLE AND LINSDALE ON CR 968, TREES DOWN ON A HOME.
Mar 2, 1:54 PM ESTTORNADOTellico Plains, TNNUMEROUS TREES DOWN...MAJOR DAMAGE TO MOBILE HOMES...NUMEROUS HOUSES DAMAGED.

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

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Mar 2, 10:25 AM ESTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 6.4 hours before the alert went out and 217 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 2012-03-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1667 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 2012-03-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 175 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
1667 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-25 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
523 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
68 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
175 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
169 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
6.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

936 
WFUS54 KMRX 021823
TORMRX
TNC011-107-123-139-021900-
/O.NEW.KMRX.TO.W.0024.120302T1823Z-120302T1900Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
123 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MORRISTOWN HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHERN BRADLEY COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE...
  MCMINN COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE...
  MONROE COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE...
  POLK COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE...

* UNTIL 200 PM EST

* AT 119 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR
  CHARLESTON...OR 7 MILES NORTH OF BENTON. DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THIS
  TORNADO MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
  ETOWAH...DENTVILLE...BULLET CREEK...ENGLEWOOD...MOUNT VERNON...
  COKER CREEK AND TELLICO PLAINS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER IN A NEARBY REINFORCED
BUILDING. AS A LAST RESORT...SEEK SHELTER IN A CULVERT...DITCH OR LOW
SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. 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 400 PM EST FRIDAY AFTERNOON
FOR SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3554 8431 3528 8414 3527 8424 3521 8434
      3521 8463 3534 8480
TIME...MOT...LOC 1823Z 250DEG 40KT 3529 8464

$$
3 follow-up statements
010 
WWUS54 KMRX 021832
SVSMRX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
132 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

TNC011-107-123-139-021900-
/O.CON.KMRX.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-120302T1900Z/
BRADLEY TN-MCMINN TN-MONROE TN-POLK TN-
132 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 PM EST FOR POLK...
MONROE...MCMINN AND NORTHERN BRADLEY COUNTIES...

AT 126 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR DENTVILLE...OR 9
MILES NORTH OF BENTON...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

A SPOTTER REPORT JUST INDICATED A TORNADO ON THE GROUND MOVING 
TOWARD ETOWAH.

ADDITIONALLY...ANOTHER CIRCULATION APPEARS TO BE DEVELOPING 
SOUTHWEST OF THE MAIN MESOCYCLONE...NEAR THE BRADLEY AND MCMINN 
COUNTY LINE. THIS AREA SHOULD BE WATCHED FOR SOUTHERN MCMINN AND 
NORTHERN POLK COUNTY LINE. 

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
  ETOWAH...BULLET CREEK...ENGLEWOOD...MOUNT VERNON...COKER CREEK AND
  TELLICO PLAINS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DO NOT USE YOUR CAR TO TRY TO OUTRUN A TORNADO. CARS ARE EASILY
TOSSED AROUND BY TORNADO WINDS. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT IN THE PATH OF A
TORNADO...LEAVE THE CAR AND GO TO A STRONG BUILDING. IF NO SAFE
STRUCTURE IS NEARBY...SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT AND COVER
YOUR HEAD.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. 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 400 PM EST FRIDAY AFTERNOON
FOR SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3554 8431 3528 8414 3527 8424 3521 8434
      3521 8463 3534 8480
TIME...MOT...LOC 1830Z 250DEG 40KT 3531 8455

$$
593 
WWUS54 KMRX 021844
SVSMRX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
144 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

TNC011-107-123-139-021900-
/O.CON.KMRX.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-120302T1900Z/
BRADLEY TN-MCMINN TN-MONROE TN-POLK TN-
144 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 200 PM EST FOR POLK...
MONROE...MCMINN AND NORTHERN BRADLEY COUNTIES...

AT 137 PM EST...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO WITH 
THIS STORM.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR ETOWAH...OR 11 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF ATHENS...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

A TRAILING MESOCYCLONE CONTINUES TO MOVE ALONG THE SAME PATH AS THE 
MAIN STORM AND WILL MOVE NEAR ETOWAH FOLLOWING THE INITIAL 
MESOCYCLONE.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
  MOUNT VERNON...COKER CREEK AND TELLICO PLAINS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. 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 400 PM EST FRIDAY AFTERNOON
FOR SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3554 8431 3528 8414 3527 8424 3521 8434
      3521 8463 3534 8480
TIME...MOT...LOC 1843Z 250DEG 40KT 3536 8438

$$
652 
WWUS54 KMRX 021901
SVSMRX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
201 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

TNC011-107-123-139-021910-
/O.EXP.KMRX.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-120302T1900Z/
BRADLEY TN-MCMINN TN-MONROE TN-POLK TN-
201 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR POLK...MONROE...MCMINN AND NORTHERN
BRADLEY COUNTIES HAS EXPIRED...

THE STORMS THAT PROMPTED THE WARNING HAVE WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE
LEVELS. THEREFORE...THE WARNING HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

HOWEVER...ANOTHER...WEAKER MESOCYCLONE WAS DEVELOPING ACROSS 
NORTHEASTERN BRADLEY COUNTY AND THIS STORM MAY STRENGTHEN DURING THE 
NEXT 30 MINUTES. THE STORM IS MOVING INTO SOUTHWESTERN MCMINN COUNTY.

THE TORNADO WARNING FOR THE REMAINDER OF MONROE COUNTY CONTINUES 
THROUGH 230 PM EST.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 400 PM EST FRIDAY AFTERNOON
FOR SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA.

LAT...LON 3554 8431 3528 8414 3527 8424 3521 8434
      3521 8463 3534 8480
TIME...MOT...LOC 1900Z 250DEG 40KT 3542 8416

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 2, 3:00 AM ESTWind AdvisoryMRXBlount, Carter, Cocke, Greene, Johnson, Sevier and 1 more21 hr
Mar 2, 10:58 AM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXHawkins, Sullivan32 min
Mar 2, 10:59 AM ESTFlood WatchMRXAnderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Carter and 27 more14 hr
Mar 2, 11:25 AM ESTTornado WarningMRXBledsoe, Sequatchie35 min
Mar 2, 11:31 AM ESTTornado WarningMRXMarion44 min
Mar 2, 11:39 AM ESTTornado WarningMRXMorgan22 min
Mar 2, 11:49 AM ESTTornado WarningMRXHamilton, Marion41 min
Mar 2, 11:55 AM ESTTornado WarningMRXCampbell, Morgan, Scott35 min
Mar 2, 11:57 AM ESTTornado WarningMRXBledsoe, Rhea33 min
Mar 2, 12:16 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXHamilton, Marion, Sequatchie44 min
Mar 2, 12:25 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXClaiborne, Hancock35 min
Mar 2, 12:29 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXCampbell, Claiborne31 min
Mar 2, 12:30 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXLoudon, Meigs, Rhea, Roane30 min
Mar 2, 12:44 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXHamilton, Meigs, Rhea31 min
Mar 2, 12:50 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXBradley, Hamilton, McMinn, Polk25 min
Mar 2, 1:04 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXBlount, Knox41 min
Mar 2, 1:19 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXKnox, Sevier26 min
Mar 2, 1:39 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXCocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Sevier36 min
Mar 2, 1:49 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXBlount, Monroe41 min
Mar 2, 2:13 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXBlount, Monroe47 min
Mar 2, 3:34 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXBledsoe, Marion, Sequatchie41 min
Mar 2, 3:59 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXLoudon, McMinn, Monroe, Roane46 min
Mar 2, 4:14 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXBledsoe, Meigs, Rhea46 min
Mar 2, 4:24 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXMarion, Sequatchie51 min
Mar 2, 4:55 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXLoudon, Roane50 min
Mar 2, 5:24 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXScott36 min
Mar 2, 5:29 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXMarion46 min
Mar 2, 5:29 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXAnderson, Knox31 min
Mar 2, 5:33 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXBledsoe, Hamilton, Meigs, Rhea27 min
Mar 2, 5:38 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXScott37 min
Mar 2, 5:57 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXMcMinn, Meigs, Rhea18 min
Mar 2, 5:57 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXCampbell, Claiborne, Scott33 min
Mar 2, 6:03 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXHamilton, Marion42 min
Mar 2, 6:15 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXLoudon, McMinn, Monroe45 min
Mar 2, 6:28 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXBradley, Hamilton47 min
Mar 2, 6:30 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXBlount, Loudon, McMinn, Monroe45 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Tennessee, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes in 2012

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.