Alert archive / Tennessee / Areal Flood Advisories in 2021

Areal Flood Advisory 113, NWS Morristown, TN

August 14, 20214 counties in Tennessee

NWS Morristown, TN issued this areal flood advisory at Aug 14, 2021, 11:24 PM EDT for 4 counties in Tennessee. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 14, 2021, 11:24 PM EDT (03:24 UTC)
Expired
Aug 15, 2021, 2:30 AM EDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Morristown, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Anderson County, TN, Campbell County, TN, Claiborne County, TN, Union County, TN

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 53 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:25 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 00:00Z, 3.4 hours before the alert went out and 238 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 00:00Z on 2021-08-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1476 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Nashville Metro, TN at 00:00Z on 2021-08-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -19 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1476 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
941 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
18 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-19 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-3 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this areal flood advisory 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 areal flood advisory went out at Aug 14, 7:21 PM EDT, 4 hours 3 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 14, 7:21 PM EDT, 4 hours 3 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Morristown TN
721 PM EDT Sat Aug 14 2021

.UPDATE...
FOR 00Z AVIATION.

&&

.SHORT TERM...

Key Messages:

1. Diurnally driven showers and thunderstorms this
afternoon/evening, and again on Sunday.

2. Low, but non-zero, chance for damaging winds or localized
flooding concerns.

Discussion:

Remainder of this afternoon:

Convection has been pretty sparse thus far. SPC mesoanalysis page
has sfc based and MLCAPE values maximized in middle TN up into
the northern plateau which is where the strongest storms are right
now. Further east in the TN valley and across the mountains, CAPE
is less, but DCAPE values were in the 1,000 - 1,2000 J/kg range
at 2pm. Any storms that develop in these areas will need to be
monitored for the potential of some damaging winds as cores
collapse. This should be an isolated threat however as storms
shouldn't be widespread nor terribly strong to begin with. Storm
motions aren't much at all so any storms that linger over an area
for an extended amount of time will present a localized threat of
flash flooding as well. This would most likely be in the northern
plateau areas where greater instability will support stronger and
more prolonged updrafts.

Tonight into Sunday:

Longwave, low-amplitude upper troughing was in place across the
Great Lakes region this afternoon, with embedded shortwave energy
lifting northeast towards Maine through late tonight. Surface high
pressure over Iowa and southern Wisconsin this afternoon, will
follow in the footsteps of this shortwave, sliding east across
Michigan and western New York through the overnight hours. The
implications of this are that a weak front, still located to our
north this afternoon, is not likely to make significant headway
south since surface high pressure isn't really building in behind
but rather just shifting east. As such, do not have much of any
relief in dewpoints or temperatures in the forecast for tonight or
Sunday. Believe that tomorrow will be similar to today with
respect to afternoon highs and probably just as muggy.

Having said that, there is one notable difference for tomorrow I
believe. The departing Maine shortwave knocks the heights down a bit
on the Bermuda high off the coast of the Carolinas while a western
ridge over Nevada retrogrades towards the western seaboard a bit.
This allows a weak trough/height falls to develop over the mid and
lower Mississippi river valley on Sunday, extending east into middle
and eastern TN as well. Meanwhile moist southwest low level flow
continues into the region. All indications are that this will be
enough to allow for more widespread convection to develop across the
forecast area on Sunday. Wouldn't say confidence is extremely
high as guidance told a similar story for Friday and then again
for today, neither of which (at least so far today) have been home
runs. Still think typical summertime diurnal trends will win out
initially, which showers and thunderstorms developing over the
mountains and plateau areas by midday or early afternoon at the
latest, but with height falls aloft coverage in the lower
elevations should be higher.

Stuck close to NBM guidance for temps tomorrow, which was roughly
the middle of temp guidance. GFS and HiRESFV3 are both a touch
warmer, with many places in the low 90s, which could be accurate if
convective trends don't pan out as forecast.

CD

.LONG TERM...(Sunday night through Saturday)...

Key Messages:

1. High rain chances in a very moist environment Monday through at
least Tuesday and possibly Wednesday, with some potential for heavy
rain and flooding as the remnants of Fred approach and then move
through the eastern Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians.

2. A more typical summer pattern of afternoon showers and
thunderstorms with near normal temperatures Thursday through
Saturday.

Sunday night and Monday the forecast area becomes more influenced by
upper trough to the west with upper ridging along southeast coast
retreating some. Also a surface inverted trough to the west remains
mainly west of the area. This should keep the main precip axis along
the western part of the area or plateau and points west in middle
TN. Heavy rainfall could affect this area as Precipitable water
values are high...up to 2 inches. Fred's track continues to
change slowly with it moving into AL early Tuesday. The GFS model
wants to quickly dissipate it over the southeast states Tuesday
after it moves inland. The ECMWF keeps a compact system over AL
Tuesday and shifts the heavy precipitation northeast into the
eastern Tennessee Valley and especially eastern mountains Tuesday
and Wednesday, then lingering over the mountains Wednesday night
early Thursday. Canadian Model is faster with system bringing the
significant moisture and rainfall northeast from southern AL late
Monday night into early Wednesday toward Georgia and Carolinas but
affecting mostly the eastern part of the forecast area. Think
this might be the best solution with moderate to heavy rainfall
across much of the southeast and eastern sections, especially SW
NC and the eastern Tennessee mountains. Rain chances will be high
over the entire area Tuesday and Tuesday night.

From about Wednesday night through Saturday some models rebuild the
ridge over the Southeast states once again with moisture levels
still high. Other model guidance keeps area in the upper trough.
Will keep scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms with highs
close to normal values.

TD

&&

.AVIATION...
00Z TAF DISCUSSION.

Scattered thunderstorms continue this evening but should decrease
in coverage after 03-04z. Fog will be possible at any sites that
receive measurable rainfall this evening, but with all sites
remaining dry as of this forecast issuance, will hold off on
adding any fog to the forecast. Additional widespread scattered
thunderstorms are forecast late in the period on Sunday afternoon
and evening.

JB

&&

.PREV DISCUSSION...
/ISSUED 317 PM EDT Sat Aug 14 2021/
SHORT TERM...

Key Messages:

1. Diurnally driven showers and thunderstorms this
afternoon/evening, and again on Sunday.

2. Low, but non-zero, chance for damaging winds or localized
flooding concerns.

Discussion:

Remainder of this afternoon:

Convection has been pretty sparse thus far. SPC mesoanalysis page
has sfc based and MLCAPE values maximized in middle TN up into
the northern plateau which is where the strongest storms are right
now. Further east in the TN valley and across the mountains, CAPE
is less, but DCAPE values were in the 1,000 - 1,2000 J/kg range
at 2pm. Any storms that develop in these areas will need to be
monitored for the potential of some damaging winds as cores
collapse. This should be an isolated threat however as storms
shouldn't be widespread nor terribly strong to begin with. Storm
motions aren't much at all so any storms that linger over an area
for an extended amount of time will present a localized threat of
flash flooding as well. This would most likely be in the northern
plateau areas where greater instability will support stronger and
more prolonged updrafts.

Tonight into Sunday:

Longwave, low-amplitude upper troughing was in place across the
Great Lakes region this afternoon, with embedded shortwave energy
lifting northeast towards Maine through late tonight. Surface high
pressure over Iowa and southern Wisconsin this afternoon, will
follow in the footsteps of this shortwave, sliding east across
Michigan and western New York through the overnight hours. The
implications of this are that a weak front, still located to our
north this afternoon, is not likely to make significant headway
south since surface high pressure isn't really building in behind
but rather just shifting east. As such, do not have much of any
relief in dewpoints or temperatures in the forecast for tonight or
Sunday. Believe that tomorrow will be similar to today with
respect to afternoon highs and probably just as muggy.

Having said that, there is one notable difference for tomorrow I
believe. The departing Maine shortwave knocks the heights down a bit
on the Bermuda high off the coast of the Carolinas while a western
ridge over Nevada retrogrades towards the western seaboard a bit.
This allows a weak trough/height falls to develop over the mid and
lower Mississippi river valley on Sunday, extending east into middle
and eastern TN as well. Meanwhile moist southwest low level flow
continues into the region. All indications are that this will be
enough to allow for more widespread convection to develop across the
forecast area on Sunday. Wouldn't say confidence is extremely
high as guidance told a similar story for Friday and then again
for today, neither of which (at least so far today) have been home
runs. Still think typical summertime diurnal trends will win out
initially, which showers and thunderstorms developing over the
mountains and plateau areas by midday or early afternoon at the
latest, but with height falls aloft coverage in the lower
elevations should be higher.

Stuck close to NBM guidance for temps tomorrow, which was roughly
the middle of temp guidance. GFS and HiRESFV3 are both a touch
warmer, with many places in the low 90s, which could be accurate if
convective trends don't pan out as forecast.

CD

LONG TERM...(Sunday night through Saturday)...

Key Messages:

1. High rain chances in a very moist environment Monday through at
least Tuesday and possibly Wednesday, with some potential for heavy
rain and flooding as the remnants of Fred approach and then move
through the eastern Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians.

2. A more typical summer pattern of afternoon showers and
thunderstorms with near normal temperatures Thursday through
Saturday.

Sunday night and Monday the forecast area becomes more influenced by
upper trough to the west with upper ridging along southeast coast
retreating some. Also a surface inverted trough to the west remains
mainly west of the area. This should keep the main precip axis along
the western part of the area or plateau and points west in middle
TN. Heavy rainfall could affect this area as Precipitable water
values are high...up to 2 inches. Fred's track continues to
change slowly with it moving into AL early Tuesday. The GFS model
wants to quickly dissipate it over the southeast states Tuesday
after it moves inland. The ECMWF keeps a compact system over AL
Tuesday and shifts the heavy precipitation northeast into the
eastern Tennessee Valley and especially eastern mountains Tuesday
and Wednesday, then lingering over the mountains Wednesday night
early Thursday. Canadian Model is faster with system bringing the
significant moisture and rainfall northeast from southern AL late
Monday night into early Wednesday toward Georgia and Carolinas but
affecting mostly the eastern part of the forecast area. Think
this might be the best solution with moderate to heavy rainfall
across much of the southeast and eastern sections, especially SW
NC and the eastern Tennessee mountains. Rain chances will be high
over the entire area Tuesday and Tuesday night.

From about Wednesday night through Saturday some models rebuild the
ridge over the Southeast states once again with moisture levels
still high. Other model guidance keeps area in the upper trough.
Will keep scattered afternoon showers and thunderstorms with highs
close to normal values.

TD

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Chattanooga Airport, TN             72  88  72  85  71 /  50  70  70  70  50
Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport, TN  71  89  70  85  69 /  50  70  50  70  40
Oak Ridge, TN                       70  88  71  84  69 /  50  70  50  70  40
Tri Cities Airport, TN              68  86  68  83  67 /  40  60  40  70  40

&&

.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...NONE.
TN...NONE.
VA...NONE.
&&
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 14, 3:20 PM EDT, 8 hours 4 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Morristown TN
320 PM EDT Sat Aug 14 2021

NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002-
005-006-008-151930-
Cherokee-Clay-Scott-Campbell-Claiborne-Hancock-Hawkins-Sullivan-
Johnson-Morgan-Anderson-Union-Grainger-Hamblen-Northwest Cocke-
Cocke Smoky Mountains-Northwest Greene-Southeast Greene-
Washington-Unicoi-Northwest Carter-Southeast Carter-Roane-Loudon-
Knox-Jefferson-Northwest 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-Russell-
320 PM EDT Sat Aug 14 2021 /220 PM CDT Sat Aug 14 2021/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southwest North
Carolina...east Tennessee and southwest Virginia.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue
this afternoon and evening. Chances for severe weather are low
overall, but there is a chance a couple of storms could produce
some damaging winds or localized heavy rains.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday

Showers and thunderstorms are likely through Thursday. The main
impact of these storms is expected to be heavy rainfall and the
potential for flooding. Some storms may also produce strong wind
gusts.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not needed at this time.

CD/TD

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 14, 8:52 PM EDT, 2 hours 32 minutes before
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Local storm report, Aug 14, 9:15 PM EDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
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Local storm report, Aug 14, 9:19 PM EDT, 2 hours 5 minutes before
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Local storm report, Aug 14, 9:36 PM EDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before
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Local storm report, Aug 14, 10:13 PM EDT, 1 hour 11 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 14, 8:13 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXKnox32 min
Aug 14, 8:25 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementMRXJefferson50 min
Aug 14, 8:33 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementMRXBlount42 min
Aug 14, 8:35 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXKnox3 hr
Aug 14, 8:36 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXMonroe3 hr
Aug 14, 8:42 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXKnox33 min
Aug 14, 8:49 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXMcMinn, Monroe, Polk3 hr
Aug 14, 8:49 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXBlount41 min
Aug 14, 8:59 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXBlount3 hr
Aug 14, 9:12 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementMRXKnox48 min
Aug 15, 3:34 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementMRXKnox26 min
Aug 15, 4:09 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementMRXKnox36 min
Aug 15, 4:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXAnderson, Knox, Union33 min
Aug 15, 4:35 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementMRXMeigs, Rhea25 min
Aug 14, 8:21 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementMRXScott39 min
Aug 14, 8:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXScott46 min
Aug 14, 9:31 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMRXLee, Wise44 min

Nearby

Areal Flood Advisories in Tennessee, 2021Every areal flood advisory in 2021

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.