A strong cold front triggered a squall line which tracked across extreme southwest North Carolina during the afternoon hours on the 11th. The storm reports were for damaging thunderstorm winds.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS MRX wrote it up.
A strong cold front triggered a squall line which tracked across extreme southwest North Carolina during the afternoon hours on the 11th. The storm reports were for damaging thunderstorm winds.
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 Apr 11, 1:55 PM EST, 4 hours earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 255 PM EDT FRI APR 11 2008 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT)...STRONG CONVECTION WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA THIS EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL ARE THE MAIN THREAT. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE. COLD WEATHER ON TAP FOR THE SHORT TERM. COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH AREA OVERNIGHT. CORE OF UPPER JET WILL PASS THROUGH THE AREA SAT DRYING OUT THE LAYER FAIRLY WELL. BREEZY WSW WINDS WILL RESULT IN WIND CHILLS READINGS IN THE 50S. A SPOKE OF CAA MOVES SE THROUGH THE AREA SATURDAY NIGHT. THIS RESULTS IN A STRENGTHENING INVERSION AROUND 6000 FT WHICH WILL TRAP STRATO-CU DECK. THIS WILL HOLD TEMPS UP SOME SAT NGT. YET ANOTHER SPOKE OF CAA WITH DEEPER MOISTURE MOVES IN ON SUNDAY. FREEZING LEVEL DROPS DOWN TO AROUND 3000 FT. BY SUNDAY EVENING LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATION WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. IT WILL BE MUCH COLDER THAN NORMAL SUNDAY NIGHT BUT CURRENTLY APPEARS MOST VALLEY LOCATIONS WILL REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING THANKS MAINLY TO CLOUD COVER. .LONG TERM (MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)...UPPER LOW TRACKING ACROSS THE CWA ON MONDAY BRINGING COLD AIR WITH IT. SUFFICIENT MOISTURE IS ALSO INDICATED TO KEEP CHANCE POPS GOING FOR MONDAY....THE HIGHEST CHANCES SHOULD BE IN THE NORTH WHERE THE BEST LIFT IS INDICATED. THICKNESS ANALYSIS INDICATE SNOW POSSIBLE FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS INTO MORNING MORNING. STILL SOME UNCERTAINTY ON THE TRACK OF THE UPPER LOW WHICH WILL AFFECT TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS. LOW SHIFTS EAST OF THE AREA ON MONDAY NIGHT. RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE REGION ON TUESDAY BRINGING DRY WEATHER FOR TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. MODELS INDICATING A WEAK FRONT APPROACHES FROM THE NORTH ON FRIDAY. WITH STILL UNCERTAINTY ON INTENSITY AND TIMING WILL KEEP FRIDAY DRY FOR NOW. STAYED NEAR MEX/HPC GUIDANCE NUMBERS FOR TEMPERATURES. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 55 66 40 53 35 / 80 10 10 40 30 KNOXVILLE MCGHEE TYSON AIRPORT, TN 55 65 37 50 33 / 80 10 20 50 40 OAK RIDGE, TN 52 64 36 49 35 / 80 10 30 50 40 TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 55 65 37 49 31 / 90 20 30 50 40 && .MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...NONE. TN...NONE. VA...NONE. && SON/GH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 459 AM EDT FRI APR 11 2008 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-120900- 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-NW 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-RUSSELL-WASHINGTON- 459 AM EDT FRI APR 11 2008 /359 AM CDT FRI APR 11 2008/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION TODAY AND TONIGHT. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ...WITH A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS POSSIBLE MAINLY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE MAIN SEVERE THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 50 MPH...AND HAIL OF PENNY SIZE OR LARGER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY COLDER AIR AND A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE IN FOR THE WEEKEND ...AND IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE SNOW SHOWERS OVER HIGHER TERRAIN WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF SOME LIGHT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ACROSS THE HIGHEST ELEVATIONS. TEMPERATURES AT OR BELOW FREEZING WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA ON MONDAY AND TUESDAY MORNINGS. OTHERWISE...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED FROM TUESDAY THROUGH THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. TG
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
522 PM EDT FRI APR 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0444 PM FLASH FLOOD 1 S PIKEVILLE 35.59N 85.20W
04/11/2008 BLEDSOE TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE DOWN ON OLD HWY 28 SOUTH OF PIKEVILLE. REPORTED BY
SHERIFFS OFFICE.
&&
MPROPSTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
525 PM EDT FRI APR 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0444 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 S PIKEVILLE 35.59N 85.20W
04/11/2008 BLEDSOE TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TREE DOWN ON OLD HWY 28 SOUTH OF PIKEVILLE. REPORTED BY
SHERIFFS OFFICE.
&&
MPROPSTSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 532 PM EDT FRI APR 11 2008 TNZ036-069-071-112230- ANDERSON-KNOX-NW BLOUNT- 532 PM EDT FRI APR 11 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT ANDERSON...BLOUNT AND KNOX COUNTIES THROUGH 630 PM... AT 530 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR OAK RIDGE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR... CLINTON BY 540 PM EDT. SMALL HAIL AND WINDS UP TO AROUND 45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. IN ADDITION TO SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS...CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES PRIMARY KILLERS. REMEMBER... IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM EDT FRIDAY EVENING FOR CENTRAL EAST TENNESSEE. DMG
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
552 PM EDT FRI APR 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0420 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 7 SSW WARTBURG 36.01N 84.64W
04/11/2008 MORGAN TN TRAINED SPOTTER
THREE FUNNEL CLOUDS REPORTED NEAR MORGAN AND CUMBERLAND
COUNTY LINE BY SPOTTER.
&&
MPROPSTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
624 PM EDT FRI APR 11 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0555 PM TSTM WND DMG N CLEVELAND 35.18N 84.87W
04/11/2008 BRADLEY TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
1 TREE DOWN OLD HORTON ROAD AND 1 TREE DOWN ON 17TH
STREET NW IN CLEVELAND. REPORTED BY DISPATCH.
&&
CCARPENTSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 630 PM EDT FRI APR 11 2008 VAZ001-002-005-006-112330- LEE-RUSSELL-SCOTT-WISE- 630 PM EDT FRI APR 11 2008 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT LEE...RUSSELL...SCOTT AND WISE COUNTIES THROUGH 730 PM... AT 626 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR JONESVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 55 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR... BIG STONE GAP BY 645 PM EDT. NORTON BY 655 PM EDT. WISE BY 700 PM EDT. WINDS UP TO AROUND 40 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. IN ADDITION TO SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS...CONTINUOUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES PRIMARY KILLERS. REMEMBER... IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. DMG
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 133 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:56 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Law enforcement reported 3 trees downed by thunderstorm winds near the Hiawasse Dam.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in North Carolina in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, April 2008
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: 89842.