A strong cold front tracked across southwest Virginia during the afternoon and evening hours. A squall line formed ahead of it producing widespread wind damage over the area.
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 strong cold front tracked across southwest Virginia during the afternoon and evening hours. A squall line formed ahead of it producing widespread wind damage over the area. A tornado was also reported in Russell County.
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 Feb 11, 2:51 PM EST, 2 hours 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
251 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT AND THURSDAY)...SQUALL LINE WILL BE MOVING
THROUGH THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND INTO THE EVENING. AHEAD OF THE
LINE...GRADIENT WINDS ARE GENERALLY 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 IN
THE VALLEY...WITH GUSTS IN THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS APPROACHING 70 MPH.
SEVERE POTENTIAL REMAINS FOR THE ENTIRE AREA AS CONVECTION WILL MIS
HIGHER WINDS ALOFT TO THE SURFACE...WITH SOME TORNADO POTENTIAL IN
SOUTHERN AREAS WHERE SURFACE DEWPOINTS ARE HIGHER AND WINDS ARE
BACKED. TIMING THE LINE TAKES IT TO OUR EASTERN BORDER AROUND 01Z.
WILL END POPS AT MIDNIGHT. BEHIND THE SQUALL LINE...WINDS WILL SHIFT
TO THE WEST...AND SHOULD DECREASE GRADUALLY. THE HIGH WIND WARNING
FOR THE PLATEAU WILL BE DOWNGRADED TO AN ADVISORY OVERNIGHT...WHILE
THE WARNING FOR THE MOUNTAINS WILL BE MAINTAINED. THE WIND ADVISORY
FOR THE VALLEY WILL BE MAINTAINED. MODELS INDICATE CLEARING SKIES
LATE TONIGHT AS THE UPPER TROUGH MOVES EAST...AND WE SHOULD BE CLEAR
BY DAYBREAK THURSDAY.
.LONG TERM (THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY)...SURFACE HIGH WILL
EXIT THE AREA ON FRIDAY WITH A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM REACHING IN FOR
FRIDAY NIGHT. WIDESPREAD PRECIP WILL SLIDE THROUGH AS THE SYSTEM
MOVES ACROSS THE CWA FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. A FEW
SHOWERS MAY LINGER INTO SATURDAY EVENING...MAINLY OVER NORTHERN
LOCATIONS AND EASTERN MOUNTAINS. A WEAK SHORT WAVE SLIDES THROUGH
TO OUR NORTH SUNDAY NIGHT FOR A FEW CLOUDS POSSIBLE ACROSS THE
NORTHERN AREAS. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FOR MONDAY AND
TUESDAY...ANOTHER SYSTEM PUSHES IN TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 41 62 37 61 42 / 10 0 0 20 60
KNOXVILLE AIRPORT, TN 40 58 34 60 42 / 20 0 0 10 60
OAK RIDGE, TN 39 58 34 60 42 / 10 0 0 10 60
TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 40 56 32 58 38 / 80 0 0 10 50
&&
.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 AM EST THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: CHEROKEE...CLAY.
TN...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 AM EST THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: BLOUNT SMOKY MOUNTAINS...COCKE SMOKY MOUNTAINS...
EAST POLK...JOHNSON...SEVIER SMOKY MOUNTAINS...SOUTHEAST
CARTER...SOUTHEAST GREENE...SOUTHEAST MONROE...UNICOI.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM EST /9 PM CST/ THIS EVENING FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: ANDERSON...BLEDSOE...BRADLEY...CAMPBELL...
CLAIBORNE...GRAINGER...HAMBLEN...HAMILTON...HANCOCK...
HAWKINS...JEFFERSON...KNOX...LOUDON...MARION...MCMINN...
MEIGS...MORGAN...NW BLOUNT...NORTH SEVIER...NORTHWEST
CARTER...NORTHWEST COCKE...NORTHWEST GREENE...NORTHWEST
MONROE...RHEA...ROANE...SCOTT TN...SEQUATCHIE...SULLIVAN...
UNION...WASHINGTON TN...WEST POLK.
VA...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: LEE...RUSSELL...SCOTT...WASHINGTON...WISE.
&&
DGS/MJBHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 500 AM EST WED FEB 11 2009 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-121000- 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- 500 AM EST WED FEB 11 2009 /400 AM CST WED FEB 11 2009/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ...HIGH WIND WARNING FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS TODAY AND TONIGHT... ...WIND ADVISORY FOR THE GREAT TENNESSEE VALLEY FOR TODAY... A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL BRING A COLD FRONT AND ITS ASSOCIATED STRONG WIND FIELD ACROSS THE TENNESSEE RIVER VALLEY TODAY. SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 25 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 60 MPH ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN WITH 20 TO 35 MPH WINDS COMMON OVER THE GREAT TENNESSEE VALLEY. WINDS WILL BECOME WESTERLY BEHIND A COLD FRONT PASSAGE THIS EVENING...THEN DIMINISH. A SQUALL LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP AHEAD OF THIS COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON...BRINGING THE POTENTIAL FOR WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS. IN ADDITION...AN ISOLATED TORNADO OR TWO WILL BE POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. GH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
405 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0345 PM TSTM WND DMG KINGSTON 35.87N 84.51W
02/11/2009 ROANE TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN IN KINGSTON AND COUNTY WIDE. REPORTED
BY DISPATCH.
&&
GRCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
409 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0355 PM TSTM WND DMG OAK RIDGE 35.96N 84.30W
02/11/2009 ROANE TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN IN OAK RIDGE AND COUNTY WIDE.
REPORTED BY DISPATCH.
&&
GRCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
413 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0355 PM TSTM WND DMG CLINTON 36.09N 84.13W
02/11/2009 ANDERSON TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN COUNTYWIDE.
&&
GRCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
417 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 PM TSTM WND GST KINGSTON 35.87N 84.51W
02/11/2009 E0 MPH ROANE TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEVERAL TREES DOWN IN KINGSTON. RPORTED BY DISPATCH.
&&
GRCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
423 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0400 PM TSTM WND DMG ATHENS 35.45N 84.60W
02/11/2009 MCMINN TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN COUNTY WIDE. REPORTED BY DISPATCH.
&&
GRCPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
454 PM EST WED FEB 11 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0425 PM TSTM WND DMG MAYNARDVILLE 36.25N 83.81W
02/11/2009 UNION TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
NUMEROUS TREES DOWN COUNTY WIDE. REPORTED BY DISPATCH.
0450 PM TSTM WND DMG BUFFALO SPRINGS 36.22N 83.57W
02/11/2009 GRAINGER TN TRAINED SPOTTER
LARGE TREES AND POWERLINES DOWN IN BUFFALOE
SPRINGS.REPORTED BY SPOTTER.
&&
GRCThe Knoxville radar (KMRX), 63 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:02 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 1 funnel cloud, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter reported numerous trees and powerlines downed by thunderstorm winds in Jonesville.
Law enforcement personnel reported numerous trees downed by thunderstorm winds countywide.
A trained spotter reported a possible funnel cloud along Highway 58 near Coeburn.
A trained spotter reported a mobile home porch and carport near Coeburn were damaged by thunderstorm winds.
A HAM radio operator reported several trees downed by thunderstorm winds along Highway 63 near Castlewood.
Law enforcement personnel reported several trees downed by thunderstorm winds in Coeburn.
An EF0 tornado tracked 4.2 miles near Honaker. The width of the path was 200 yards. The maximum wind speed estimate was around 70 mph. Several trees were downed and one barn had its roof dislodged.
Law enforcement personnel reported numerous trees and powerlines downed by thunderstorm winds countywide.
Law enforcement personnel reported numerous trees and powerlines downed by thunderstorm winds from Abingdon through the eastern portions of the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Virginia, 2009Warnings in Virginia, February 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: 154261, 154262, 154263, 154265, 154268, 154269, 154270, 154271, 154273.