Alert archive / North Carolina / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Morristown, TN

July 28, 2026Cherokee County, Clay County, North Carolina

NWS Morristown, TN issued this tornado warning at Jul 28, 2026, 7:59 PM EDT for Cherokee County, Clay County, North Carolina. It was in force for 19 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: Jul 28, 2026, 7:59 PM EDT (23:59 UTC)
Expired: Jul 28, 2026, 8:18 PM EDT
In force: 19 min
Issued by: NWS Morristown, TN
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 1.0 in

Counties Cherokee County, NC, Clay County, NC

The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 115 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:01 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
Jul 28, 8:03 PM EDT	TSTM WND DMG	1 N Andrews, NC	6 inch trees down, power pole down, power line down on the north side of Andrews.

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

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this tornado 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 watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 28, 1:14 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Peachtre/Fal Fld, GA (KFFC), launched 12:00Z, 12.0 hours before the alert went out and 212 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: 1100 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -68 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1061 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 28 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 30 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

853 
WFUS54 KMRX 282359
TORMRX
NCC039-043-290045-
/O.NEW.KMRX.TO.W.0007.260728T2359Z-260729T0045Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Morristown TN
759 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

The National Weather Service in Morristown has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northeastern Cherokee County in southwestern North Carolina...
  North central Clay County in southwestern North Carolina...

* Until 845 PM EDT.

* At 759 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Andrews, moving southeast at 15 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur.  Tree 
           damage is likely.

* This dangerous storm will be near...
  Andrews around 805 PM EDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Tusquitee.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 3523 8392 3524 8390 3523 8389 3526 8383
      3525 8381 3517 8373 3516 8374 3515 8373
      3515 8372 3511 8368 3506 8383
TIME...MOT...LOC 2359Z 324DEG 13KT 3522 8385 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

DGS

1 follow-up statement

313 
WWUS54 KMRX 290018
SVSMRX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Morristown TN
818 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

NCC039-043-290026-
/O.CAN.KMRX.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-260729T0045Z/
Cherokee NC-Clay NC-
818 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN CHEROKEE AND NORTH CENTRAL
CLAY COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been
cancelled. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and a
Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EDT for
southwestern North Carolina.

Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for
Monroe, Cherokee, and Cly counties until 900 PM EDT.

Remember, a Tornado Warning still remains in effect for central Clay 
County until 845 PM EDT.

&&

LAT...LON 3523 8392 3524 8390 3523 8389 3526 8383
      3525 8381 3517 8373 3516 8374 3515 8373
      3515 8372 3511 8368 3506 8383
TIME...MOT...LOC 0015Z 324DEG 13KT 3517 8380 

$$

DGS

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 Jul 28, 7:55 PM EDT, 4 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

Updated at 742 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026
Potential for isolated to scattered strong to possibly severe showers and thunderstorms through this evening, primarily impacting northeast Tennessee into southwest Virginia. Damaging winds are the primary threat with isolated flash flooding. Low-end threat for severe hail or tornadic activity.
Heat Advisory continues for the southern TN Valley this afternoon with heat index values around 105.
Dry weather with more moderate temps/humidity from Wednesday through Friday.
A wet pattern returns for the weekend into next week.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 28, 7:55 PM EDT, 4 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Morristown TN
755 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

...New AVIATION...

.KEY MESSAGES...
Updated at 742 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

- Potential for isolated to scattered strong to possibly severe
showers and thunderstorms through this evening, primarily impacting
northeast Tennessee into southwest Virginia. Damaging winds are the
primary threat with isolated flash flooding. Low-end threat for
severe hail or tornadic activity.

- Heat Advisory continues for the southern TN Valley this afternoon
with heat index values around 105.

- Dry weather with more moderate temps/humidity from Wednesday
through Friday.

- A wet pattern returns for the weekend into next week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 117 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

A complex situation of various boundaries, stable layers, and upper
level forcing lead to low confidence in the details of how
convection will evolve through the rest of the afternoon and
evening. A linear boundary is evident in satellite, stretching from
near Nashville to our KY/VA border counties, with another boundary
located farther north across south central and eastern KY.
Convective towers are noted in the KY/VA border area with these
boundaries. Morning convection in NE TN has created a thermal
boundary between Knoxville and Morristown from storm outflow and
differential heating from cloud cover. Satellite shows clearing
northeast of this boundary, so the air mass in NE TN and SW VA
should recover most its instability. South and west of this
boundary, the air mass appears to be capped. Aloft, an upper jet
nose is over our NE sections, with 500 mb vorticity in that area as
well.

The bottom line of these features is that a second round of
showers/storms is expected in our NE sections where the upper
forcing and surface boundaries can interact. Bulk effective shear of
35-40 kt and MLCAPE of 2000-3000 J/kg this afternoon will mean a
threat of severe storms, with damaging winds as the primary threat,
and a lesser but non-zero threat of large hail and an isolated
tornado. Some of this activity could make it into the central TN
Valley, if mesoscale forcing from outflow boundaries can overcome
midlevel capping - the southern and western extent of convection is
a big question mark. Again, the main threat area is likely east of I-
75 and north of I-40. Flash flooding will be a concern where
training of storms occurs, especially in NE TN/SW VA where 1-hr
FFG is only 1.3-1.5 inches. Storm motion from NW to SE may align
with residual boundaries from the morning convection, leading to
training cells with high rainfall rates.

Wednesday through Friday will feature some very pleasant conditions
for the start of August. With a trough over the Atlantic coast and a
northerly flow across our area, temperatures will drop slightly
below normal. Humidity will also trend lower into Thursday before a
trend upward begins Friday - afternoon dewpoints will be in the 60s,
and some low temps in the 50s will be possible in northern sections.

A wet pattern may develop again over the weekend as a closed upper
low drops SW from the upper Plains into the Mid MS-OH Valley region
and stays parked to our west through the rest of the forecast
period. A deep southerly flow from the Gulf will provide rain
chances each day from Saturday through Tuesday.

&&

.AVIATION...
(00Z TAFS)
Issued at 742 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

Line of strong to severe thunderstorms lines up west to east
between TYS and CHA. Thinking TYS is out of the woods but
especially so at TRI. PROB30 added at CHA for the line moving
through, though the western flank is a bit broken up. A chance
activity misses the terminal. High pressure will begin to try
building in tonight, where winds will be very light or calm. Added
TEMPO at TRI for fog and lower CIG before sunrise. Not too
confident on extent of that and if the same will happen at TYS.
Will re-access for 06z issuance.

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
Chattanooga Airport, TN             74  90  67  87 /  20   0   0   0
Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport, TN  71  87  63  84 /  40   0   0   0
Oak Ridge, TN                       70  87  63  85 /  20   0   0   0
Tri Cities Airport, TN              66  82  58  81 /  40   0   0   0

&&

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

DISCUSSION...DGS
AVIATION...KS

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 28, 2:30 PM EDT, 5 hours 29 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED
National Weather Service Morristown TN
230 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002-
005-006-008-290630-
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-
230 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026 /130 PM CDT Tue Jul 28 2026/

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

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight

Through this evening, isolated severe thunderstorms are possible
in East Tennessee and southwest Virginia. Damaging winds are the
main threat, with lower risks for hail, a tornado, and flooding.
Storms should exit the area around 8 to 9 PM EDT.

Hot and humid conditions this afternoon with a heat index of 100
to 105 for the central and southern TN Valley.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed. Please relay any information
about severe weather to the NWS.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 28, 6:19 PM EDT, 1 hour 40 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Morristown TN
619 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

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

0605 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     4 E Cedar Creek         36.02N 82.84W
07/28/2026                   Greene             TN   Public

            Several trees down.

&&

dh

Local storm report, Jul 28, 6:22 PM EDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Morristown TN
622 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

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

0545 PM     Flash Flood      1 SSW Johnson City      36.32N 82.37W
07/28/2026                   Washington         TN   Law Enforcement

            Some flooding roadways across across Johnson
            City.

&&

dh

Local storm report, Jul 28, 6:25 PM EDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Morristown TN
625 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

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

0545 PM     Tstm Wnd Dmg     1 N Camp Creek          36.10N 82.76W
07/28/2026                   Greene             TN   Trained Spotter

            Powerlines down near Citgo at corner of Camp
            Creek Rd and Greystone Rd. Time estimated by
            radar.

&&

KS

Local storm report, Jul 28, 6:28 PM EDT, 1 hour 31 minutes before

Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Morristown TN
628 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

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

0612 PM     Flash Flood      2 NE Limestone          36.25N 82.60W
07/28/2026                   Washington         TN   Public

            Some flooded roadways between Jonesborough
            and Greeneville TN.

&&

dh

Special weather statement, Jul 28, 7:23 PM EDT, 36 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Morristown TN
723 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

TNZ085>087-290015-
Northwest Monroe TN-Southeast Monroe TN-McMinn TN-
723 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT EASTERN MCMINN AND SOUTHWESTERN
MONROE COUNTIES THROUGH 815 PM EDT...

At 723 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Athens, moving southeast at 35 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and pea size hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Athens, Madisonville, Etowah, Englewood, Tellico Plains, Niota, Mount
Vernon, Clear Water, and Bullet Creek.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

&&

LAT...LON 3523 8434 3521 8434 3523 8436 3524 8436
      3524 8437 3527 8444 3547 8473 3557 8461
      3542 8417 3523 8435
TIME...MOT...LOC 2323Z 301DEG 31KT 3548 8461

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

DGS

Special weather statement, Jul 28, 7:38 PM EDT, 21 minutes before

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Morristown TN
738 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

NCZ060-061-TNZ087-290030-
Clay NC-Cherokee NC-Southeast Monroe TN-
738 PM EDT Tue Jul 28 2026

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT CENTRAL CHEROKEE...CLAY AND
SOUTHEASTERN MONROE COUNTIES THROUGH 830 PM EDT...

At 738 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a cluster of strong
thunderstorms 9 miles west of Town Of Santeetlah, or 12 miles west of
Robbinsville, moving southeast at 30 mph.

HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and half inch hail.

SOURCE...Radar indicated.

IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
         unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
         possible.

Locations impacted include...
Andrews, Murphy, Hayesville, Nantahala Lake, Shooting Creek,
Tusquitee, Topton, Marble, and Brasstown.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 800 PM EDT for
southwestern North Carolina.

&&

LAT...LON 3534 8418 3539 8401 3531 8404 3524 8401
      3522 8397 3526 8384 3524 8374 3526 8371
      3523 8369 3520 8373 3519 8371 3515 8373
      3516 8365 3514 8366 3513 8362 3504 8356
      3502 8352 3501 8352 3500 8349 3499 8405
TIME...MOT...LOC 2338Z 331DEG 25KT 3535 8403

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH

DGS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 28, 3:52 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	MRX	Cherokee	38 min
Jul 28, 4:09 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Cherokee	51 min
Jul 28, 4:39 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	MRX	Cherokee	51 min
Jul 28, 7:38 PM EDT	Special Weather Statement	MRX	Cherokee, Clay	52 min
Jul 28, 7:54 PM EDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MRX	Cherokee, Clay	54 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Carolina, 2026 Every tornado warning in 2026 Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.