Alert archive / Tennessee / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 13, NWS Morristown, TN

May 30, 2026Morgan County, Tennessee

NWS Morristown, TN issued this flash flood warning at May 30, 2026, 8:49 AM EDT for Morgan County, Tennessee. It was in force for 4 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 30, 2026, 8:49 AM EDT (12:49 UTC)
Expired
May 30, 2026, 12:45 PM EDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Morristown, TN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

County Morgan County, TN

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 97 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 12:52 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this flash flood warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

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 nearest sounding before it

Nashville Metro, TN (KBNA), launched 12:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 191 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 2026-05-30Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 570 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 12:00Z on 2026-05-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 29 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
570 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-16 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
632 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
13 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
29 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
33 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

679 
WGUS54 KMRX 301249
FFWMRX
TNC129-301645-
/O.NEW.KMRX.FF.W.0013.260530T1249Z-260530T1645Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Morristown TN
849 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026

The National Weather Service in Morristown has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  East Central Morgan County in east Tennessee...

* Until 1245 PM EDT.

* At 849 AM EDT, Moderate to heavy rainfall is occurring. Local law 
  enforcement reported Highway 62 in Wartburg has been closed. 
  Between 1 and 1.5 inches of rain have fallen. Additional rainfall 
  amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible in the warned area. Flash 
  flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Law enforcement reported.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban
           areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as
           other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  Wartburg, Frozen Head State Park, Petros and Coalfield.

This includes the following streams and drainages...
  Stockstill Creek, Little Creek, Taylor Branch, Flat Fork, Crooked 
  Fork, Scutcheon Creek, Laurel Fork, Campground Creek, Obed River, 
  Greasy Creek, Geise Creek, Middle Creek, Knight Branch, Little 
  Emory River, Emory River, New River, Sang Branch, Stillhouse 
  Branch, Beech Fork, Judge Branch and Rock Creek.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood 
deaths occur in vehicles.

In hilly terrain there are hundreds of low water crossings which are 
potentially dangerous in heavy rain. Do not attempt to cross flooded 
roads. Find an alternate route.

&&

LAT...LON 3605 8438 3608 8466 3613 8465 3617 8455
      3612 8442 3611 8442 3611 8441 3607 8442

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED

$$

SR
1 follow-up statement
899 
WGUS74 KMRX 301644
FFSMRX

Flash Flood Statement
National Weather Service Morristown TN
1244 PM EDT Sat May 30 2026

TNC129-301654-
/O.EXP.KMRX.FF.W.0013.000000T0000Z-260530T1645Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Morgan TN-
1244 PM EDT Sat May 30 2026

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 1245 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON FOR 
EAST CENTRAL MORGAN COUNTY...

The heavy rain has ended. Flooding is no longer expected to pose a 
threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures.

A Flood Watch remains in effect until 200 PM EDT for portions of 
southwest North Carolina and east Tennessee.

&&

LAT...LON 3605 8438 3608 8466 3613 8465 3617 8455
      3612 8442 3611 8442 3611 8441 3607 8442

$$

SR

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at May 30, 6:46 AM EDT, 2 hours 3 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Updated at 641 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026
  • Periods of showers/storms continue through Saturday morning, some of which may produce heavy rainfall and flooding.
  • A drier weather pattern develops next week.
Area forecast discussion, May 30, 6:46 AM EDT, 2 hours 3 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Morristown TN
646 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 641 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026

- Periods of showers/storms continue through Saturday morning,
  some of which may produce heavy rainfall and flooding.

- A drier weather pattern develops next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 124 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026

Water vapor imagery shows a mid/upper low spinning over Middle/West
TN, with a negatively-tilted trough extending SE across AL/GA.
This is producing upper divergence over East TN, which will
maintain convective activity through the night in a moist air mass
of PW values near 2 inches. The HRRR shows showers and storms
increasing in coverage and intensity later tonight, around 09Z in
the northern and central TN Valley, between TYS and TRI. Rain
rates of 1-3 inches per hour will be possible where storms move
slowly or train over the same locations. Flash flooding will
continue to be a concern, especially for areas that had heavy rain
this afternoon, such as Blount/Sevier counties and
Morgan/Scott/Campbell counties. The Flood Watch will continue.

Through Saturday morning, precip will shift southward as the large
closed low over New England moves south and establishes a NW flow
across the region. This will bring drier air into the area that will
keep dry conditions into Sunday. Chance PoPs return late Sunday with
a weak shortwave trough in the NW flow. Another disturbance in the
NW flow and a southward-moving cold front brings better rain chances
on Monday.

Drier air and high pressure will move in behind the front, setting
up a drier period for Tuesday through at least Thursday, along with
temperatures near seasonal normals.  Rain chances may tick back up
by Friday as moisture begins to increase again.

&&

.AVIATION...
(12Z TAFS)
Issued at 641 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026

Widespread SHRA/TSRA continue across East Tennessee this morning
along a stationary front that will shift south through the morning
and early afternoon hours. KTRI may already be on the northern
edge of the activity expected the rest of the day so have them out
of the rain by 15z. It will be a few hours later before rain
shifts south of KTYS, and between 20z and 00z before SHRA move
back to KCHA and points south. Categories will be a mixed back
in/around rainfall, then VFR after SHRA wrap up. Not expecting fog
or low clouds tonight due to dry northerly surface flow.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Chattanooga Airport, TN             84  66  80  64 /  70  10  40  50
Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport, TN  81  61  82  63 /  80  10  50  60
Oak Ridge, TN                       81  60  81  63 /  70   0  50  60
Tri Cities Airport, TN              83  56  82  60 /  40   0  10  70

&&

.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...Flood Watch until 2 PM EDT this afternoon for Cherokee-Clay.

TN...Flood Watch until 2 PM EDT /1 PM CDT/ this afternoon for
     Anderson-Bledsoe-Blount Smoky Mountains-Bradley-Campbell-
     Claiborne-Cocke Smoky Mountains-East Polk-Grainger-Hamblen-
     Hamilton-Hancock-Hawkins-Jefferson-Knox-Loudon-Marion-
     McMinn-Meigs-Morgan-North Sevier-Northwest Blount-Northwest
     Cocke-Northwest Greene-Northwest Monroe-Rhea-Roane-Scott TN-
     Sequatchie-Sevier Smoky Mountains-Southeast Greene-
     Southeast Monroe-Unicoi-Union-Washington TN-West Polk.

VA...NONE.
&&

DISCUSSION...CD
AVIATION...CD
Hazardous weather outlook, May 30, 4:14 AM EDT, 4 hours 35 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Morristown TN
414 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026

NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002-
005-006-008-310815-
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-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-Scott VA-Russell-Washington VA-
414 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026 /314 AM CDT Sat May 30 2026/

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

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

The threat of very heavy rainfall rates and isolated flash
flooding will continue through this afternoon, then diminish later
today.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not needed at this time. However any reports
of flooding would be appreciated.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 30, 3:51 AM EDT, 4 hours 58 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Morristown TN
351 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0340 AM     Flash Flood      3 SW Liberty            36.11N 82.66W
05/30/2026                   Greene             TN   Emergency Mngr

            Emergency management reported flash flooding
            was ongoing in the Horse Creek Recreation
            area and that people were being evacuated.

&&

CED
Local storm report, May 30, 6:50 AM EDT, 1 hour 59 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Morristown TN
650 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0619 AM     Flash Flood      1 W Athens              35.45N 84.62W
05/30/2026                   McMinn             TN   Public

            Water over Highway 11 just north of Decatur
            Pike in Athens TN. Report from social media.

&&

CED
Local storm report, May 30, 7:39 AM EDT, 1 hour 10 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Morristown TN
739 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0530 AM     Flash Flood      3 SW Heiskell           36.05N 84.08W
05/30/2026                   Anderson           TN   911 Call Center

            Tillery Rd Closed.

&&
Local storm report, May 30, 7:41 AM EDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Morristown TN
741 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0712 AM     Flash Flood      2 E Oliver Springs      36.03N 84.30W
05/30/2026                   Anderson           TN   911 Call Center

            Airport Road Closed.

&&
Local storm report, May 30, 7:44 AM EDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Morristown TN
744 AM EDT Sat May 30 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0530 AM     Flash Flood      2 NNE Rosedale          36.19N 84.33W
05/30/2026                   Anderson           TN   911 Call Center

            77 Block New River Highway Closed.

&&

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 29, 8:59 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXBlount4 hr
May 30, 2:06 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXGreene, Unicoi, Washington3 hr
May 30, 3:46 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXGreene6 hr
May 30, 4:09 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXAnderson, Morgan3 hr
May 30, 4:25 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXAnderson, Morgan6 hr
May 30, 5:08 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXAnderson, Campbell, Morgan, Scott7 hr
May 30, 5:49 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXMcMinn4 hr
May 30, 6:04 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXKnox6 hr
May 30, 6:49 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXCampbell, Morgan, Scott5 hr
May 30, 6:51 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXCocke, Jefferson, Sevier6 hr
May 30, 6:56 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXBlount, Loudon3 hr
May 30, 7:58 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXBlount6 hr
May 30, 8:25 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXAnderson, Blount, Knox, Loudon, Roane3 hr
May 30, 9:28 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningMRXBlount, Loudon3 hr
May 30, 10:03 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXBlount, Loudon, Monroe3 hr
May 30, 10:06 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXAnderson, Morgan3 hr
May 30, 10:10 AM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXMcMinn3 hr
May 30, 12:14 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMRXBlount, Loudon76 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Tennessee, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

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.