A highly organized mesoscale convective vorticity maximum with strong low to mid tropospheric flow coupled with moderate instability resulted in the development of discrete supercellular thunderstorms. These storms produced a long-lived tornado across Northeast Tennessee late in the afternoon and another long duration tornado across Southwest Virginia later in the evening.
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 highly organized mesoscale convective vorticity maximum with strong low to mid tropospheric flow coupled with moderate instability resulted in the development of discrete supercellular thunderstorms. These storms produced a long-lived tornado across Northeast Tennessee late in the afternoon and another long duration tornado across Southwest Virginia later in the evening.
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 8, 1:27 PM EST, 2 hours 3 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 227 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT)...CURRENT SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM STRENGTHENING OVER THE MID MS RIVER VALLEY...WITH A WELL-DEFINED MCS OVER THE WESTERN TN RIVER VALLEY MOVING EASTWARD. MODELS INDICATE THAT A MODERATELY UNSTABLE AIR MASS WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE TN RIVER VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON... WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY THE SPECIAL BNA SOUNDING TAKEN AT 18Z. THUS... EXPECT THIS MCS TO CONTINUE MOVING INTO THE FORECAST AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...BRINGING THE POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. FORECAST HELICITY VALUES ALSO SUPPORT THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO. THIS LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS PROGGED TO MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY TONIGHT...BUT ITS TRAILING COLD FRONT SHOULD ONLY SLOWLY MOVE INTO THE FORECAST AREA AND LINGER THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. BY SUNDAY...ANOTHER LOW PRESSURE AREA IS PROGGED TO DEVELOP ALONG THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER THE DEEP SOUTH...RESULTING IN SOME LINGERING CONVECTION ON SUNDAY. WHILE IT APPEARS TO BE A WET WEEKEND FOR ALREADY SATURATED GROUNDS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA...WILL NOT ISSUE A FLOOD WATCH AT THIS TIME SINCE HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS MAY NOT BE ORGANIZED ENOUGH FOR A WATCH...ALTHOUGH THIS POSSIBILITY WILL NEED TO BE EVALUATED BY LATER SHIFTS AS CONVECTIVE TRENDS BECOME MORE APPARENT. AS FOR TEMPS...GUIDANCE VALUES ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE PERIOD AND LOOK REASONABLE. .LONG TERM (MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY)...SCATTERED SHOWERS WILL BE EXITING THE CWA TO OUR SOUTH DURING THE DAY MONDAY AS A FRONT CONTINUES TO PUSH SOUTH OF THE AREA. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FOR A DRYING TREND TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. CONFIDENCE LOW ON DETAILS...BUT THE NEXT WEATHER SYSTEM SHOULD REACH INTO THE AREA THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY. STAYED NEAR GUIDANCE FOR TEMPS THROUGH THE EXTENDED. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 64 78 59 72 53 / 70 60 50 50 50 KNOXVILLE AIRPORT, TN 63 77 58 71 51 / 70 60 40 50 50 OAK RIDGE, TN 63 77 58 71 52 / 70 60 40 50 50 TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 62 75 57 69 49 / 70 60 40 40 40 && .MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...NONE. TN...NONE. VA...NONE. && DMG/MJB
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 935 AM EDT (835 CDT) FRI MAY 8 2009 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-091000- 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- 935 AM EDT (835 CDT) FRI MAY 8 2009 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST TENNESSEE...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ANOTHER COMPLEX OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS THE TENNESSEE RIVER VALLEY THIS AFTERNOON. WITH THIS NEXT SYSTEM...THERE WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL. IN ADDITION...AN ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO WILL BE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCES AND FRONTAL BOUNDARIES WILL CREATE A GOOD CHANCE OF MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH SUNDAY. NO WIDESPREAD HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS ANTICIPATED...BUT A FEW STRONG TO MARGINALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS COULD DEVELOP JUST ABOUT ANY AFTERNOON OR EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY. SATURATED GROUNDS FROM SEVERAL WET DAYS COULD CAUSE TREES TO FALL MORE EASILY THAN NORMAL. ANY ADDITIONAL SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL MAY CAUSE RIVERS AND STREAMS TO RISE TO NEAR OR ABOVE ABOVE FLOOD STAGE...AND LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING AND POSSIBLE MUD SLIDES. REMAIN ALERT FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS WEATHER...ESPECIALLY IF YOU LIVE NEAR AREA CREEKS AND STREAMS...AND ANY OTHER FLOOD PRONE AREAS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON...AND MAY BE NEEDED AT TIMES THROUGH SUNDAY. DMG
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
1136 AM EDT FRI MAY 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0715 AM TSTM WND DMG LA FOLLETTE 36.37N 84.13W
05/08/2009 CAMPBELL TN DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN COUNTY WIDE. REPORTED BY HWY DEPT.
0810 AM FLASH FLOOD 7 N LA FOLLETTE 36.47N 84.13W
05/08/2009 CAMPBELL TN DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
MUDSLIDE WITH TREES DOWN, DUE TO FLASH FLOODING ON ROCK
CREEK LANE. REPORTED BY HWY DEPT.
0954 AM TSTM WND DMG MADISONVILLE 35.52N 84.36W
05/08/2009 MONROE TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
FEW TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN BETWEEN MADISONVILLE AND
TELLICO PLAINS.
1040 AM TSTM WND DMG 3 NW HAYESVILLE 35.08N 83.86W
05/08/2009 CLAY NC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
TREE DOWN ON FIRES CREEK RD. REPORTED BY HWY DEPT.
&&
MEPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
1138 AM EDT FRI MAY 08 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 AM HAIL HUNTSVILLE 36.41N 84.49W
05/08/2009 E0.75 INCH SCOTT TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
PENNY SIZE HAIL REPORTED.
0715 AM TSTM WND DMG LA FOLLETTE 36.37N 84.13W
05/08/2009 CAMPBELL TN DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN COUNTY WIDE. REPORTED BY HWY DEPT.
0743 AM FLASH FLOOD 2 SE ELGIN 36.31N 84.58W
05/08/2009 SCOTT TN AMATEUR RADIO
SEVERAL INCHES OF WATER COVERING WOLF CREEK ROAD.
0743 AM FLASH FLOOD 5 N HUNTSVILLE 36.49N 84.49W
05/08/2009 SCOTT TN DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
SEVERAL INCHES OF WATER COVERING BUFFALO ROAD.
0810 AM FLASH FLOOD 7 N LA FOLLETTE 36.47N 84.13W
05/08/2009 CAMPBELL TN DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
MUDSLIDE WITH TREES DOWN, DUE TO FLASH FLOODING ON ROCK
CREEK LANE. REPORTED BY HWY DEPT.
0815 AM TSTM WND DMG 2 NE NORRIS 36.23N 84.04W
05/08/2009 ANDERSON TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES DOWNED BY THUNDERSTORM WINDS.
0815 AM TSTM WND DMG 3 SW MAYNARDVILLE 36.22N 83.84W
05/08/2009 UNION TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES DOWNED BY THUNDERSTORM WINDS.
0818 AM HAIL ALPHA 36.18N 83.38W
05/08/2009 E0.75 INCH HAMBLEN TN AMATEUR RADIO
PENNY SIZE HAIL AT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
0840 AM TSTM WND DMG 2 SW KNOXVILLE 35.95N 83.97W
05/08/2009 KNOX TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
A FEW TREES DOWNED BY THUNDERSTORM WINDS.
0841 AM TSTM WND DMG 2 SW MAYNARDVILLE 36.23N 83.83W
05/08/2009 UNION TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
A TREE DOWNED BY THUNDERSTORM WINDS ALONG HIGHWAY 61
WEST.
0930 AM TSTM WND DMG BENTON 35.18N 84.65W
05/08/2009 POLK TN UTILITY COMPANY
FEW POWER LINES DOWN ON MOUNTAIN VIEW ROAD. REPORTED BY
THE ELECTRIC COMPANY.
0954 AM TSTM WND DMG MADISONVILLE 35.52N 84.36W
05/08/2009 MONROE TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
FEW TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN BETWEEN MADISONVILLE AND
TELLICO PLAINS.
1040 AM TSTM WND DMG 3 NW HAYESVILLE 35.08N 83.86W
05/08/2009 CLAY NC DEPT OF HIGHWAYS
TREE DOWN ON FIRES CREEK RD. REPORTED BY HWY DEPT.
&&
MEPSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 422 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009 TNZ068-084>087-100-101-082115- BRADLEY-LOUDON-MCMINN-MEIGS-NORTHWEST MONROE-SOUTHEAST MONROE-WEST POLK- 422 PM EDT FRI MAY 8 2009 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL BE AFFECTING BRADLEY... LOUDON...MCMINN...MEIGS...MONROE AND NORTHERN POLK COUNTIES... AT 421 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR CHARLESTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL...AND WINDS 30 TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED 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. DH
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 123 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:29 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 7 tornado, 3 funnel cloud, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
One tree and a few power lines were reported down in the vicinity of Chestnut Ridge.
A few trees were reported down in Northwest Anderson county.
Numerous trees and power lines were reported down along highway 30 east.
Numerous trees and power lines were reported down along highway 30 east and across northeastern sections of the county.
The tornado briefly touched down about two miles northwest of Etowah and produced 80 mph (EF0) intensity winds. The path width was 20 yards while path length was 0.1 mile. Numerous trees and power lines were downed as a result of the tornado.
Several first responders including policemen, firemen, and emergency medical technicians viewed funnel cloud.
Several trees were reported down in Madisonville.
An EF2 tornado with a maximum wind speed of 135 miles an hour occurred around five miles southeast of Huntsville. The tornado initially touched down just west of the Fairview community with a maximum wind speed of 90 mph (EF-1) and a width of 100 yards. The tornado continued along an east path and increased in size and intensity to an EF-2 with a maximum wind speed at 135 mph and a width of 200 yards. Several large hardwood trees were snapped off near trunk level and a free standing cell phone tower was collapsed and twisted by the tornado winds. Extensive damage occurred in a concentrated path at least 80 yards in length at the 135 mph EF-2 level. The tornado continued east and finally weakened to an EF-1 with a maximum wind speed of 100 mph as it dissipated at the foothill of Gray Mountain. At least seven homes suffered minor to moderate wind damage along the 4.5 mile path of the tornado.
A dispatcher saw a funnel cloud north of Sharps Chapel.
A tornado touched down about a mile north northeast of Sharps Chapel. Several trees were blown over and twisted.
An EF-2 tornado with maximum wind speed of 110 miles an hour occurred around five miles southwest of Tazewell. The tornado initially touched down along Cole Road and quickly produced 110 mph winds. It lifted the roof off of a home on Cole Road moved east across the road and moved east across the road and destroyed two large wooden barns carrying debris up to a half mile away. Several trees were also snapped off at mid trunk level. The tornado continued in a 2.2 mile path and |dissipated near Neely Road.
A spotter reported a tornado on the ground moving east toward Thorn Hill. The tornado touched down 5.2 miles northeast of Thorn Hill in Grainger county then crossed into Hancock county. Wind speed was estimated at 80 mph in Grainger county at EF0 intensity. Damage included the downing and uprooting of numerous trees in Grainger county.
EF0 tornado crossed over into Hancock County, Tennessee, ending about three miles west of Treadway along an east northeast path and intensified to EF1 with a maximum wind speed at 90 mph. Damage included downing of numerous trees with significant damage to several barns and outbuildings. Most single family homes along the path had roof damage.
Several trees were reported down and two barns were damaged.
Law enforcement confirmed a tornado touchdown.
Penny size hail occurred at Jearoldstown.
The public reported a funnel cloud near Piney Flats.
Several trees were reported down in the vicinity of Piney Flats.
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, May 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: 164165, 164166, 164167, 164168, 164241, 164169, 164170, 164175, 164176, 191804, 164181, 164217, 195862, 164218, 164231, 164232, 164234, 164235.