A cold front tracked across east Tennessee during the afternoon and evening hours. The resulting squall line triggered numerous thunderstorm wind damage reports along with large hail.
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 and evening hours. The resulting squall line triggered numerous thunderstorm wind damage reports along with large hail. Three tornadoes were also reported. One person was injured.
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 10, 12:25 PM CST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 225 PM EDT FRI APR 10 2009 .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT)...BROKEN LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING...AND WITH SIGNIFICANT CAPE AND LOW LEVEL WIND SHEAR...STILL EXPECTING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF TORNADOES THIS AFTERNOON INTO EARLY EVENING. ONCE THE COLD FRONT PASSES...SHOULD HAVE SOME SHOWERS LINGERING...ESPECIALLY NORTH...AND LOW CLOUDS MOVING IN. WILL NOT STRAY FROM MAV TEMPS FOR TONIGHT. .LONG TERM...(SATURDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)...RATHER UNSETTLED WEATHER REGIME IN THE OFFING FOR THE LONG TERM AFTER A MAINLY DRY WEEKEND. NEXT IN A SERIES OF SYSTEMS APPROACHES BY EARLY MONDAY. THIS DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A SEVERE WEATHER THREAT AT THIS TIME AS INSTABILITY IS DECIDEDLY LACKING PER MODEL FORECAST SOUNDINGS. HOWEVER...UPPER CLOSED LOW ASSOCIATED WITH THIS EVENT WILL ONLY SLOWLY DRIFT EASTWARD RESULTING IN THE PERSISTENCE OF SCATTERED PRECIP INTO WEDNESDAY. BRIEF DRY PERIOD EXPECTED WEDNESDAY NIGHT BEFORE THE NEXT SYSTEM APPROACHES ON THURSDAY. FOR TEMPS..GENERALLY ONLY TWEAKED PRECEDING GRIDS/FORECAST AS THEY APPEARED REASONABLE. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 51 65 43 72 53 / 50 10 0 0 60 KNOXVILLE MCGHEE TYSON AIRPORT, TN 50 62 40 69 47 / 80 10 0 0 30 OAK RIDGE, TN 51 62 39 69 48 / 70 10 0 0 30 TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 49 59 36 67 42 / 90 20 0 0 20 && .MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...NONE. TN...NONE. VA...NONE. && LDW/LCM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 320 AM EDT FRI APR 10 2009 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-110730- 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- 320 AM EDT FRI APR 10 2009 /220 AM CDT FRI APR 10 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS MIDDLE TENNESSEE..CENTRAL KENTUCKY...AND NORTHERN ALABAMA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...THEN MOVE EAST ACROSS THE REGION. THE GREATEST THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS WILL BE BETWEEN 4 AND 10 PM TODAY WITH THE MAIN CONCERN BEING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS...BUT ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY ANOTHER ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS IS POSSIBLE MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 1037 AM EDT FRI APR 10 2009 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-102000- 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- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MURPHY...HAYESVILLE...ONEIDA... LA FOLLETTE...TAZEWELL...SNEEDVILLE...ROGERSVILLE...KINGSPORT... BRISTOL...MOUNTAIN CITY...WARTBURG...CLINTON...OAK RIDGE... MAYNARDVILLE...RUTLEDGE...MORRISTOWN...NEWPORT...COSBY... GREENEVILLE...CEDAR CREEK...JOHNSON CITY...ERWIN...ELIZABETHTON... ROAN MOUNTAIN...KINGSTON...LENOIR CITY...KNOXVILLE...DANDRIDGE... MARYVILLE...CADES COVE...SEVIERVILLE...GATLINBURG...DUNLAP... PIKEVILLE...DAYTON...DECATUR...ATHENS...MADISONVILLE... COKER CREEK...JASPER...CHATTANOOGA...CLEVELAND...BENTON... DUCKTOWN...JONESVILLE...WISE...NORTON...GATE CITY...LEBANON... ABINGDON 1037 AM EDT FRI APR 10 2009 /937 AM CDT FRI APR 10 2009/ ...A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE LOWER OHIO AND TENNESSEE VALLEYS TODAY. GUSTY SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST WINDS AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM WILL HELP TO BRING WARM AND MOIST AIR INTO THE REGION TODAY. AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAS ALREADY MOVED THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CAN STILL BE EXPECTED THROUGH THE EARLY AFTERNOON...THEN MORE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE IN BY LATE AFTERNOON AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ACROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE SEVERE STORMS...AND TORNADOES WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE TELEVISION OR RADIO STATIONS...FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND FORECASTS ON THIS POTENTIAL SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK.
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 62 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:52 UTC.
21 thunderstorm wind, 5 hail, 3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter reported penny-size hail fell at Powells Crossroads.
Law enforcement personnel reported numerous trees downed by thunderstorm winds across the northern portions of the county.
An F2 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 120 mph occurred around 2 miles south of Dunlap. The tornado initially touched down along Frank Tate Road with a maximum wind speed of 90 mph (EF-1) and a width of 100 yards. The tornado continued in a northeast path and increased in size to an EF-2 with a maximum wind speed of 120 mph and a width of 175 yards. Several large hardwood trees were snapped off near the trunk base with extensive damage occurring in a concentrated path. The tornado continued its northeast movement and finally weakened to a EF-1 with a maximum wind speed of 100 mph as it dissipated at the foothill of Signal Mountain. A school and several homes suffered minor to moderate wind damage along the nearly 5 mile of the tornado.
A tornado briefly touched down along Highland Drive just east of Dunlap, Tennessee and produced damage to a few trees and some light to moderate structural damage to a home.
Emergency management officials reported thunderstorm winds produced 15 reports of trees on homes in Dunlap.
Law enforcement personnel reported numerous trees downed by thunderstorm winds across the southern portions of the county.
An EF-1 tornado with a maximum wind speed of 90 mph touched down 1 mile east-northeast of Sale Creek and tracked 0.5 miles with a maximum path width of 30 yards. About 40 trees were damaged in a narrow path. No man-made structures were hit.
An amateur radio operator estimated a thunderstorm wind gust to 65 mph near Soddy Daisy.
The newspaper reported a several trees and powerlines downed by thunderstorm winds in Graysville. In addition, a few homes sustained damage.
Amateur radio personnel reported a roof blown off a house by thunderstorm winds in Sale Creek.
An amateur radio operator reported penny size hail fell near East View.
An amateur radio operator reported several trees and powerlines downed by thunderstorm winds in the East Ridge area.
Emergency management personnel reported several homes damaged by thunderstorm winds in the Calhoun area.
A trained spotter reported several trees downed by thunderstorm winds in the Cleveland area. A few homes sustained minor wind damage.
Law enforcement personnel reported penny-size hail fell in the Big Creek area.
Law enforcement personnel reported one tree and powerlines downed by thunderstorm winds in the Philadelphia area.
Law enforcement personnel reported a few trees downed by thunderstorm winds in the Kingston area.
Law enforcement personnel reported a few trees and powerlines downed by thunderstorm winds in the Mineral Park area.
A trained spotter reported penny-size hail fell in the Englewood area.
A trained spotter reported an estimated thunderstorm wind gusts at 60 mph in Englewood.
An amateur radio operator reported a 30 inch diameter tree was downed by thunderstorm winds and blocked a highway in the Madisonville area.
A local newspaper reported several trees and powerlines downed by thunderstorm winds in the Madisonville area. In addition, a home sustained minor roof damage as well as a section of bleachers at the high school.
The local newspaper reported several trees and powerlines downed by thunderstorm winds across the county.
An individual reported a tree fell on a home and vehicle from thunderstorm winds in Athens. One person in the home was hospitalized with a neck injury.
Law enforcement personnel reported several trees downed by thunderstorm winds in the Kingston area.
A trained spotter reported nickel-size hail fell in the Kingsport area.
Law enforcement personnel reported two trees downed by thunderstorm winds in the New Market area.
Law enforcement personnel reported a few trees downed by thunderstorm winds in the Wellsville area.
Law enforcement personnel reported two trees downed by thunderstorm winds southwest of Greeneville.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Tennessee, 2009Warnings in Tennessee, April 2009
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: 162124, 162281, 162289, 162641, 164309, 162291, 162296, 162297, 164312, 167335, 164314, 164315, 164342, 164317, 164318, 164320, 164321, 164323, 164326, 164328, 164330, 167299, 167316, 167336, 164331, 164333, 164335, 164336, 164338.