Alert archive / Tennessee / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 51, NWS Morristown, TN

March 2, 2012Lee County, Scott County, Virginia; Hancock County, Hawkins County, Sullivan County, Tennessee

NWS Morristown, TN issued this tornado warning at Mar 2, 2012, 8:56 PM EST for Lee County, Scott County, Virginia; Hancock County, Hawkins County, Sullivan County, Tennessee. It was in force for 49 min. 1 report 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, 8:56 PM EST (01:56 UTC)
Expired
Mar 2, 2012, 9:45 PM EST
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Morristown, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Hancock County, TN, Hawkins County, TN, Sullivan County, TN, Lee County, VA, Scott County, VA

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 83 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:56 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, 9:10 PM ESTTORNADO3 Se Jonesville, VASURVEY FOUND AN EF-1 WITH MAX WINDS OF 95 MPH. PATH WIDTH OF 100 YARDS. PATH LENGTH OF 1 MILE.

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, 3:19 PM ESTTornado WatchSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC (KGSO), launched 00:00Z, 1.9 hours before the alert went out and 265 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 2012-03-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, Greensboro/Hi Pt, NC at 00:00Z on 2012-03-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 442 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
518 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
65 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
442 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
585 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

015 
WFUS54 KMRX 030156
TORMRX
TNC067-073-163-VAC105-169-030245-
/O.NEW.KMRX.TO.W.0051.120303T0156Z-120303T0245Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MORRISTOWN HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  HANCOCK COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE...
  HAWKINS COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE...
  SULLIVAN COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE...
  LEE COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...
  SCOTT COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...

* UNTIL 945 PM EST

* AT 851 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 6 MILES
  NORTHWEST OF SNEEDVILLE. DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THIS TORNADO MOVING
  EAST AT 55 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
  JONESVILLE...GATE CITY...PENNINGTON GAP...WEBER CITY...KYLES
  FORD...PATTONSVILLE...JASPER...OKOLONA...DUFFIELD...CLINCHPORT...
  MOUNT CARMEL...FORT BLACKMORE...BLOOMINGDALE...HILTONS...DUNGANNON
  AND NICKELSVILLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO THE TORNADO...THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS.

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 1100 PM EST FRIDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND CENTRAL TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3678 8235 3654 8230 3651 8331 3672 8332
      3672 8329 3685 8239
TIME...MOT...LOC 0156Z 260DEG 47KT 3662 8319

$$

DH
1 follow-up statement
217 
WWUS54 KMRX 030230
SVSMRX

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

TNC067-073-163-VAC105-169-030245-
/O.CON.KMRX.TO.W.0051.000000T0000Z-120303T0245Z/
SULLIVAN TN-HANCOCK TN-HAWKINS TN-SCOTT VA-LEE VA-
930 PM EST FRI MAR 2 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 945 PM EST FOR LEE...
SCOTT...HAWKINS...HANCOCK AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES...

AT 928 PM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUED TO
INDICATE A TORNADO.  THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR OKOLONA...OR 14
MILES WEST OF GATE CITY...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
  GATE CITY...WEBER CITY...DUFFIELD...OKOLONA...CLINCHPORT...MOUNT
  CARMEL...BLOOMINGDALE...HILTONS...FORT BLACKMORE...NICKELSVILLE AND
  DUNGANNON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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 1100 PM EST FRIDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA AND EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA.

&&

LAT...LON 3680 8236 3679 8237 3677 8235 3654 8230
      3651 8331 3672 8332 3685 8242
TIME...MOT...LOC 0229Z 266DEG 30KT 3660 8282

$$

DH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 2, 7:14 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXLee, Scott, Wise, City of Norton46 min
Mar 2, 8:21 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXLee39 min
Mar 2, 9:45 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXRussell, Scott, Washington, City of Bristol60 min
Mar 2, 9:59 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXScott46 min
Mar 2, 10:44 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXRussell, Scott, Washington, City of Bristol46 min
Mar 2, 7:02 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXBlount, Cocke, Jefferson, Sevier43 min
Mar 2, 7:06 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXPolk39 min
Mar 2, 7:10 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXBradley, Hamilton50 min
Mar 2, 7:10 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXCampbell, Scott50 min
Mar 2, 7:40 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXCocke, Sevier35 min
Mar 2, 7:48 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXCampbell, Claiborne, Scott42 min
Mar 2, 7:49 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXBradley, Hamilton, Polk26 min
Mar 2, 8:07 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXBledsoe, Rhea38 min
Mar 2, 8:10 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXPolk35 min
Mar 2, 8:29 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXAnderson, Campbell, Morgan, Scott46 min
Mar 2, 8:35 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXPolk40 min
Mar 2, 8:38 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXLoudon, Morgan, Rhea, Roane37 min
Mar 2, 9:05 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXAnderson, Knox, Morgan, Roane40 min
Mar 2, 9:14 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXAnderson, Campbell, Claiborne, Grainger, Scott, Union46 min
Mar 2, 9:41 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXAnderson, Grainger, Jefferson, Knox, Sevier, Union34 min
Mar 2, 9:59 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXBlount, Knox, Sevier22 min
Mar 2, 10:05 PM ESTTornado WarningMRXCocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hawkins, Jefferson and 1 more25 min
Mar 2, 10:27 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXCocke, Greene, Hamblen, Sevier, Unicoi48 min
Mar 2, 10:57 PM ESTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXUnicoi33 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Tennessee, 2012Tornado Warnings in Virginia, 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.