Tennessee, 2009

High Wind in Tennessee, October 23, 2009

October 23, 2009 · NWS MRX · 3 events in 2 counties and zones

A strong pressure gradient across east Tennessee brought windy conditions over the mountains. Three people in a car were injured.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
3
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
3

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 pressure gradient across east Tennessee brought windy conditions over the mountains. Three people in a car were injured.

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 Oct 22, 6:45 PM EST, 12 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 22, 6:45 PM EST, 12 hours 30 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 22, 5:20 PM EST, 13 hours 55 minutes before
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The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.

High Wind, Southeast Greene

When
October 23, 7:15 AM EST to 8:15 AM EST
Where
Southeast Greene forecast zone
Measured
63 kt (72 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
36.175, -82.846 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted to 63 knots (72 mph) at the NOAA wind tower at Camp Creek.

High Wind, Sevier/Smoky Mountains

When
October 23, 8:30 AM EST to 9:30 AM EST
Where
Sevier/Smoky Mountains forecast zone
Measured
61 kt (70 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
35.785, -83.524 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winds gusted to 61 knots (71 mph) at the Cove Mountain fire tower west of Gatlinburg.

High Wind, Sevier/Smoky Mountains

When
October 23, 11:30 AM EST to 12:30 PM EST
Where
Sevier/Smoky Mountains forecast zone
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) estimated gust
Injuries
0 direct, 3 indirect
Reported by
Park/Forest Service
Coordinates
35.785, -83.524 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Park officials reported several trees were blown down by high winds on Highway 441 near Alum Cave Bluff Trail. One tree fell on a car causing 3 injuries.

What these are

High Wind
Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Tennessee in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, October 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 195555, 195556, 195557.