A cold front tracked across east Tennessee during the afternoon hours producing scattered thunderstorms along it. A few storms became severe with hail up to golfball-size reported, as well as 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 cold front tracked across east Tennessee during the afternoon hours producing scattered thunderstorms along it. A few storms became severe with hail up to golfball-size reported, as well as 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 Aug 2, 1:33 PM EST, 57 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 233 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT)...CURRENT SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS A WEAK COLD FRONT OVER KENTUCKY JUST NORTH OF THE FORECAST AREA...WITH A VERY UNSTABLE AIR MASS AHEAD OF IT OVER THE TN RIVER VALLEY. THIS COLD FRONT IS PROGGED TO MOVE THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AS A BROAD UPPER- LEVEL TROUGH DEEPENS OVER THE NORTHEAST. ALTHOUGH MODELS INDICATE A LACK OF DEEP MOISTURE OVER THE FORECAST AREA...SCATTERED CONVECTION SHOULD DEVELOP UNTIL FRONTAL PASSAGE LATER THIS EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WITH RIDGING ALOFT THEN BUILDS ACROSS THE APPALACHIANS FOR SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...BRINGING DRY BUT HOT CONDITIONS. AS FOR TEMPS...WILL BASICALLY TREND TOWARDS A PERSISTENCE FORECAST THROUGH THE PERIOD. WITH SLIGHTLY LOWER DEWPOINTS EXPECTED BEHIND THE FRONT...SLIGHTLY LOWER MINS ARE EXPECTED EACH MORNING BUT WITH SLIGHTLY HIGHER MAXES EACH SUCCESSIVE DAY. .LONG TERM (TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY)...UNSETTLED WEATHER EXPECTED THROUGH MUCH OF THE EXTENDED. ON TUESDAY...AIR MASS BECOMES WEAKLY UNSTABLE AND A MINOR WAVE MOVES THROUGH. MOISTURE IS LIMITED SO WILL KEEP LOW POPS OVER HIGHER TERRAIN ONLY. CONFIDENCE LOW ON TIMING OF NEXT SYSTEM...BUT SHOULD SEE A WEAK COLD FRONT PUSH THROUGH DURING THE WEDNESDAY/THURSDAY TIME FRAME. UNTIL CONFIDENCE INCREASES...WILL KEEP 20 TO 30 POPS THROUGH THIS PERIOD. A SERIES OF WEAK SHORT WAVES AND ANOTHER FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES THROUGH DURING THE REST OF THE EXTENDED...PROVIDING A GENERALLY ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN. CONTINUED HOT THROUGH THE EXTENDED WITH A MINOR COOLING TREND LATE IN THE PERIOD. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 70 93 69 95 70 / 20 0 0 0 0 KNOXVILLE AIRPORT, TN 69 91 68 93 69 / 20 0 0 0 0 OAK RIDGE, TN 69 91 68 93 69 / 20 0 0 0 0 TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 62 88 60 90 62 / 20 0 0 0 0 && .MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...NONE. TN...NONE. VA...NONE. && DMG/MJB
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 945 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-031000- 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- 945 AM EDT (845 AM CDT) SAT AUG 2 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST TENNESSEE...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION THIS AFTERNOON...PRODUCING SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ANOTHER COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE REGION ON WEDNESDAY...AND BECOME STATIONARY AROUND THE AREA THROUGH FRIDAY. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE EACH DAY...WITH A FEW POSSIBLY BECOMING SEVERE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND POSSIBLY AGAIN BY THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. DMG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 957 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 VAZ006-021430- RUSSELL- 957 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECTING NORTHERN RUSSELL COUNTY THROUGH 1030 AM... AT 953 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF DAVENPORT...MOVING EAST AROUND 25 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. IN ADDITION TO SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT 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
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 1123 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 VAZ008-021630- WASHINGTON- 1123 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT EASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY THROUGH 1230 PM... AT 1120 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ALLISON GAP...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. IN ADDITION TO SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT 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
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 1201 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 TNZ042-043-021700- NORTHWEST GREENE-SOUTHEAST GREENE- 1201 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT GREENE COUNTY THROUGH 1 PM... AT NOON EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES WEST OF GREENEVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. IN ADDITION TO SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT 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
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 154 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 VAZ006-008-021900- RUSSELL-WASHINGTON- 154 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT RUSSELL AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES THROUGH 3 PM... AT 152 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER RUSSELL AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. WINDS UP TO 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. IN ADDITION TO SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT 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 national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 hail, 6 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Dispatch reported nickel-size hail fell across the southern and western portions of the county.
Dispatch reported a tree downed by thunderstorm winds on Blanken Road in Bean Station.
An amateur radio spotter reported penny-size hail fell in Johnson City.
Dispatch reported a tree downed by thunderstorm winds on Island Road near Blountville.
Dispatch reported a tree downed by thunderstorm winds on Panhandle Road northeast of Elizabethton.
An amateur radio spotter reported quarter-size hail fell in Englewood.
The Daily Post-Athenian newspaper in Athens reported the Athens Utility Board reported that thunderstorm winds downed a few trees and powerlines across mainly the eastern portions the county. Over 1,700 customers lost power.
An amateur radio spotter reported golfball-size hail fell in Englewood.
An amateur radio spotter reported a tree downed by thunderstorm winds on Reynolds Street in Englewood.
Dispatch reported ping pong ball size hail fell north of Unicoi.
An amateur radio spotter reported quarter-size hail fell in Ooltewah.
Dispatch reported a few trees downed by thunderstorm winds along Highway 25/70 near Newport.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, August 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: 124707, 124739, 124710, 124799, 124803, 124716, 125004, 124722, 124805, 124724, 124727, 124986.