Thunderstorm Wind, Sequatchie
- When
- March 28, 7:45 PM CST
- Where
- Sequatchie County, 2.07 mi S of Daus
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 35.290, -85.430
A tree was reported down on Frank Tate road.
Tornado and Damaging Winds in Tennessee, March 28, 2009
A strong cold front extending south from an Ohio Valley surface low moved through Southeast Tennessee during the evening and produced a line of severe thunderstoms. Moderate instability and southeasterly flow ahead of the line of storms aided the development of an isolated supercell thunderstorm.
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
- $44,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 6
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.
A strong cold front extending south from an Ohio Valley surface low moved through Southeast Tennessee during the evening and produced a line of severe thunderstoms. Moderate instability and southeasterly flow ahead of the line of storms aided the development of an isolated supercell thunderstorm. A brief...weak tornado passed just southeast of Dunlap, Tennessee during the late evening hours.
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 Mar 28, 6:55 PM CST, 50 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 28, 6:55 PM CST, 50 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
855 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009
.DISCUSSION...LINE OF STRONG STORMS MOVING EAST TOWARD FORECAST
AREA FROM MIDDLE TENNESSEE ALONG APPROACHING COLD FRONT. SINCE
SUNSET...SOME WEAKENING OF STORMS, BUT STILL FAIRLY STRONG HELICITY
AND SO TORNADO WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SOUTHERN PLATEAU AND
PORTIONS OF ADJACENT VALLEY. BEHIND THE FRONT, WILL CONTINUE TO SEE
GUSTY WINDS AND WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH 08Z OVER THE
EAST TN MOUNTAINS. DRIER...COOLER AIR WILL REACH INTO THE AREA BY
MORNING. WILL UPDATE ZONE PACKAGE TO ADJUST EVENING WORDING.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 46 52 36 69 45 / 60 30 0 0 10
KNOXVILLE MCGEE TYSON AIRPORT, TN 45 50 35 65 43 / 60 30 0 0 10
OAK RIDGE, TN 43 49 34 64 43 / 60 30 0 0 10
TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 44 49 32 62 37 / 60 30 10 0 10
&&
.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...NONE.
TN...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EDT SUNDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES:
BLOUNT SMOKY MOUNTAINS...COCKE SMOKY MOUNTAINS...SEVIER
SMOKY MOUNTAINS...SOUTHEAST GREENE...SOUTHEAST MONROE.
VA...NONE.
&&
BB/MJBHazardous weather outlook, Mar 28, 3:09 AM CST, 16 hours 36 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 509 AM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-290915- 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- 509 AM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009 /409 AM CDT SAT MAR 28 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY REGION TODAY...REACHING THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY TONIGHT. WARM AND MOIST AIR AHEAD OF A STRONG COLD FRONT...WILL CAUSE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND SCATTERED STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THE MAIN SEVERE THREATS WILL BE THE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...ALTHOUGH ISOLATED TORNADOES COULD ALSO OCCUR. RESIDENTS OF EAST TENNESSEE...SOUTHWESTERN VIRGINIA AND EXTREME SOUTHWESTERN NORTH CAROLINA ARE URGED TO KEEP INFORMED ON THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY MUCH COLDER AIR WILL FLOW INTO THE REGION BEHIND PASSAGE OF A STRONG COLD FRONT SATURDAY NIGHT. NEAR OR BELOW FREEZING TEMPERATURES MAY OCCUR SUNDAY NIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. TAKE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT TENDER OUTDOOR PLANTS AND VEGETATION...FROM A POSSIBLE BRIEF PERIOD OF FREEZING TEMPERATURES LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MORNING. OTHERWISE...NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED FROM MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. TG
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Mar 28, 6:21 PM CST, 1 hour 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 821 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009 TNZ081-098-099-290230- SEQUATCHIE-MARION-HAMILTON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...DUNLAP...JASPER...CHATTANOOGA 821 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009 /721 PM CDT SAT MAR 28 2009/ ...LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS APPROACHING CHATTANOOGA... A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST INTO THE CHATTANOOGA AREA THIS EVENING. THIS LINE OF STORMS HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND TORNADOES IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE AND ALABAMA. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED TO REACH CHATTANOOGA AROUND 1030 PM EDT. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES. DGS
The radar
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 72 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:44 UTC.
Event by event
5 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Sequatchie
- When
- March 28, 7:45 PM CST
- Where
- Sequatchie County, 1.49 mi NNE of Daus
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 35.340, -85.420
Several trees were reported down two and a half miles southwest of Dunlap.
Tornado, Sequatchie
- When
- March 28, 7:53 PM CST to 7:55 PM CST
- Where
- Sequatchie County, 2.36 mi SSE of Dunlap
- Rating
- EF0
- Path length
- 1 mi
- Path width
- 30 yd
- Property damage
- $30,000
- Reported by
- Emergency Manager
- Coordinates
- 35.350, -85.360
An EF0 tornado with winds estimated around 80 mph was observed near Lewis Road. Several trees were reported down along with significant damage to a house garage.
Thunderstorm Wind, Morgan
- When
- March 28, 9:50 PM EST
- Where
- Morgan County, 0.56 mi E of Wartburg
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 36.100, -84.590
A few trees were reported down approximately one half mile east of Wartburg.
Thunderstorm Wind, Scott
- When
- March 28, 10:12 PM EST
- Where
- Scott County, 0.89 mi SE of Glenmary
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 36.310, -84.610
Two trees were reported down on Highway 27 approximately one half mile south of Elgin.
Thunderstorm Wind, Campbell
- When
- March 28, 10:40 PM EST
- Where
- Campbell County, 0.56 mi W of Jacksboro
- Measured
- 55 kt (63 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- Department of Highways
- Coordinates
- 36.330, -84.190
A few trees were reported down in Jacksboro.
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.
- Tornado
- A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Winter Storm in Wisconsin, March 28 to 29, 2009
- Winter Weather in Wisconsin, March 28 to 29, 2009
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, March 28, 2009
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Florida, March 28, 2009
- High Surf in Florida, March 28, 2009
- Tornadoes in North Carolina, March 28, 2009
- Tornado and Damaging Winds in Florida, March 28 to 31, 2009
- Blizzard and Winter Storm in Montana, March 28 to 30, 2009
- Damaging Wind in Florida, March 28, 2009
- Tornadoes and Hail in Alabama, March 28, 2009
- Tornado and Hail in Tennessee, March 28, 2009
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Alabama, March 28, 2009
More
Every storm in Tennessee in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Tennessee, 2009Warnings in Tennessee, March 2009
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: 157295, 157297, 157294, 157299, 157300, 157301.