Thunderstorm Wind, Monroe
- When
- May 5, 9:30 AM EST
- Where
- Monroe County, 7 mi SW of Tellico Plains
- Measured
- 60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $12,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 35.300, -84.383
Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 5, 2003
Several trees were reported down along rural Vale Road.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $12,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 1
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS MRX wrote it up.
Several trees were reported down along rural Vale Road.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, 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 the first event at May 5, 8:55 AM EST, 35 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 5, 8:55 AM EST, 35 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 955 AM EDT MON MAY 5 2003 THE FOLLOWING ARE ALL THE FORECAST DISCUSSIONS FROM THE PAST 24 HOURS...WITH THE MOST RECENT ON TOP. THIS PROVIDES A HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CURRENT FORECAST. ********************************************************************* LATE MORNING FORECAST DISCUSSION (UPDATE) 955 AM EDT MON MAY 5 2003 WILL UPDATE ZONES FOR RE-ISSUED TORNADO WATCH. NO OTHER SIGNIFICANT CHANGES PLANNED AT THIS TIME OTHER THAN SOME WORDING TWEAKS. LCM ********************************************************************* EARLY MORNING FORECAST DISCUSSION 415 AM EDT MON MAY 5 2003 CURRENT SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS A WARM FRONT MOVING ACROSS EAST TN THIS MORNING ALLOWING MOIST AIR TO POUR INTO THE AREA. FAIRLY HIGH INSTABILITY ALONG WITH SOME SHEAR WILL ALLOW FOR THE FORMATION OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS ACROSS THE CWA THIS MORNING AND INTO THE AFTERNOON HOURS. SPC HAS THE AREA IN SLIGHT RISK ATTM...BUT SEVERE WX IN MIDDLE TN IS MOVING TOWARDS THE CWA...REACHING THE WESTERN EDGE BY SUNRISE. HIGH WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND SOME TORNADOES HAVE BEEN REPORTED WITH THE STORMS IN MIDDLE TN. THE REST OF THE WEEK LOOKS VERY WET THRU FRI AS THE CONTINUED SOUTHWEST FLOW BRINGS MULTIPLE SYSTEMS THRU THE TN VALLEY. THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH ACROSS THE PLAINS STATES JUST DOES NOT WANT TO BUDGE...MAYBE SOME HOPE FOR THE WEEKEND WITH PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS DURING THE AFTN AND EVENING HOURS AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST. PRELIM NUMBERS FOR COORDINATION ONLY: CHA 79 66 81 65 / 90 80 80 50 TYS 77 65 78 63 / 90 80 80 40 TRI 72 60 77 59 / 90 70 80 40 OQT 76 65 78 64 / 90 80 80 40 .MRX... NC...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1000 AM EDT. TN...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL 1000 AM EDT FOR MOST ZONES. VA...NONE. BS ********************************************************************* EVENING FORECAST DISCUSSION (UPDATE) 1000 PM EDT SUN MAY 4 2003 MASS OF SHRA/TSRA CONTINUES TO SHIFT E THRU MID MS VLY TWD THE MID SOUTH LATE THIS EVENING. STORMS ARE FIRING IN DECENT AREA OF LIFT IN ASSOCIATION WITH STRONG WAA VCNTY WM FNT WITH EXCELLENT UPR LVL SUPPORT. WM FNT SHOULD CONTINUE TO PROGRESS SLOWLY N ACROSS MAINLY WRN SECTIONS OF FA LATER TONITE AS LOW LVL FLO INCREASES AHD OF LO PRES MOVG E ACROSS NRN MO. BELIEVE INTENSITY OF CONVECTION WL DECREASE TO A LARGE DEGREE BY 12Z MON. HOWEVER...SOME STORMS MAY STILL BE RELATIVELY STRONG AS THEY BUILD ONTO THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU TWD 08Z MON. WILL TWEAK POPS UP A BIT ACROSS WRN ZONES FOR THIS AREA OF PRECIP. REMAINDER OF FCST IN THE BALLPARK. ********************************************************************* AFTERNOON FORECAST DISCUSSION 305 PM EDT SUN MAY 4 2003 TONIGHT/TOMORROW...UPPER RIDGE OVER EASTERN CONUS WILL RETREAT ALLOWING TROUGH TO APPROACH THE TENNESSEE VALLEY FROM THE WEST. INITIAL WAVE WILL BRING A ROUND OF SCATTERED CONVECTION IN THE FIRST PERIOD. MORE ORGANIZED BAND OF CONVECTION IS PROJECTED TO PASS THOUGH THE FORECAST AREA EARLY IN THE SECOND PERIOD. THIS COULD REPRESENT THE BEST CHANCE OF ANYTHING SEVERE...ALTHOUGH MORNING TIMING MAY LIMIT SEVERE POTENTIAL SOMEWHAT. HOWEVER...UPPER LEVEL DYNAMICS APPEAR SUFFICIENTLY STRONG TO WARRANT MENTION. BASED ON EXPECTED CLOUD COVER...TEND TO FAVOR WARMER GUIDANCE NUMBERS IN THE FIRST PERIOD...AND COOLER GUIDANCE NUMBERS IN THE SECOND PERIOD. LONGER TERM...UNSETTLED PATTERN EXPECTED FOR REMAINDER OF THE WEEK AS MOISTURE REMAINS PLENTIFUL AND PIECES OF ENERGY MOVE ACROSS. LOW CONFIDENCE IN EXACT TIMING AND INTENSITY OF SYSTEMS THIS WEEK... BUT APPEARS THERE WILL BE PERIODS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS FROM TIME TO TIME...WITH NO CONFIDENCE FOR ANY LENGTHY DRY PERIODS. MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT WITH SYSTEM MONDAY NIGHT...SO WILL GO WITH LIKELY POPS ALL ZONES. OTHERWISE...MOSTLY CHANCE POPS TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH EXTENDED PERIOD. TEMPS NEAR GUIDANCE. PRELIMINARY NUMBERS FOLLOW: CHA 62 79 65 81 / 50 90 60 50 TYS 61 77 64 79 / 50 90 60 50 TRI 55 72 59 77 / 50 90 60 60 OQT 61 77 64 79 / 50 90 60 50
Hazardous weather outlook, May 5, 3:13 AM EST, 6 hours 17 minutes before
NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002-005- 006-008-050827- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 413 AM EDT MON MAY 5 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST TENNESSEE... SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE (MONDAY)... TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 AM EDT FOR PORTIONS OF EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA. A WARM FRONT EXTENDS SOUTH TO NORTH ACROSS EAST TENNESSEE. WIND PROFILES ARE VERY FAVORABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER TODAY ACROSS THE TENNESSEE RIVER VALLEY AND PORTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS. THE MAIN THREATS FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. IN ADDITION...A FEW TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. THE WEATHER SYSTEMS WILL COME IN TWO WAVES ONE EARLY TODAY AND A SECOND TONIGHT WITH THUNDERSTORM CHANCES THROUGHOUT THE DAY. .DAY TWO THROUGH SEVEN (TUESDAY THROUGH MONDAY)... A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES WILL BRING A CONTINUED CHANCE FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EACH DAY INTO THE WEEKEND. THE NEXT BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE REQUIRED TODAY. AND IS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE WEEK. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/MRX. SON
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 5, 6:16 AM EST, 3 hours 14 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
716 AM EDT MON MAY 05 2003
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0548 AM PIKEVILLE TN WIND DAMAGE
05/05/03 BLEDSOE TREES DOWN ON SUMMER CITY
ROAD AND EAST VALLEY
ROAD.
REPORTED BY
BLEDSOE SHERIFFS OFFICE.
0615 AM TN WIND DAMAGE
05/05/03 HAMILTON NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
NORTHWEST HALF OF
COUNTY.REPORTED BY
HAMILTON SHERIFFS
OFFICE.
0648 AM 2N RED BANK TN 0.75 IN HAIL
05/05/03 HAMILTON SPOTTER REPORT.
0650 AM TN WIND DAMAGE
05/05/03 HAMILTON NUMEROUS TREES AND
POWERLINES DOWN. REPORTED
BY HAMILTON SHERIFFS
OFFICE.
0655 AM RED BANK TN 1.00 IN HAIL
05/05/03 HAMILTON QUARTER SIZE HAIL EAST OF
RED BANK, AND IN NORTH
CHATTANOOGA. REPORTED BY
HAMILTON SHERIFFS
OFFICE.
0700 AM CHATTANOOGA TN 0.88 IN HAIL
05/05/03 HAMILTON NICKEL AND DIME SIZE HAIL
REPORTED IN DOWN TOWN
CHATTANOOGA. REPORTED BY
HAMILTON SHERIFFS
OFFICE.Local storm report, May 5, 8:43 AM EST, 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
943 AM EDT MON MAY 05 2003
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0600 AM COUNTY WIDE TN WIND DAMAGE
05/05/03 MARION NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
ACROSS THE EASTERN HALF
OF THE COUNTY. REPORTED
BY SHERIFFS DISPATCH.
0630 AM 9NE HALETOWN TN WIND DAMAGE
05/05/03 MARION SEVERAL TREES DOWN ON AND
ALONG MULLINS COVE ROAD.
REPORTED BY SHERIFFS
DISPATCH.
0635 AM 3SW BIG SPRING TN WIND DAMAGE
05/05/03 MEIGS 2 TREES DOWN ON HORNER
HOLLOW ROAD. REPORTED BY
SHERIFFS DISPATCH.
0928 AM COUNTY WIDE TN WIND DAMAGE
05/05/03 SEQUATCHIE NUMEROUS TREES DOWN
ACROSS THE WESTERN HALF
OF THE COUNTY. REPORTED
BY SHERIFFS DISPATCH.The radar
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 131 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:30 UTC.
Event by event
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Georgia, May 5 to 11, 2003
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 5, 2003
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Alabama, May 5 to 6, 2003
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 5, 2003
- Flash Flood in Tennessee, May 5 to 6, 2003
- Flash Flood in Tennessee, May 5 to 6, 2003
- Tornado and Flash Flooding in Mississippi, May 5, 2003
- Flash Flood in Tennessee, May 5, 2003
- Flash Flood in Tennessee, May 5 to 6, 2003
- Flash Flood in Tennessee, May 5, 2003
- Flash Flood in Tennessee, May 5, 2003
- Flash Flood in Tennessee, May 5, 2003
More
Every storm in Tennessee in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, May 2003
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5356960.