Ice Storm in Tennessee, December 16, 2010

Name: Ice Storm in Tennessee, December 16, 2010
Start: 2010-12-16T01:00
End: 2010-12-16T12:00
Location: Tennessee

December 16, 2010 · NWS MRX · 20 events in 20 counties and zones

A storm system moving through the region produced an initial burst of two to four inches at several locations. As warmer air moved into the region, freezing rain followed the snowfall, resulting in a quarter to half of an inch of icing at most locations.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 20 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $330,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 20

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.

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 Dec 16, 1:00 AM EST, 0 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 16, 1:00 AM EST, 0 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
100 AM EST THU DEC 16 2010

.AVIATION...WARM FRONT IS STRETCHED SOUTHEAST ACROSS WEST TN AND
NORTHERN AL. A STRONG WARM AIR ADVECTION PATTERN WILL CONTINUE
OVERNIGHT...WITH A FEW MORE HOURS OF FREEZING RAIN EXPECTED AT KCHA
AND KTYS. A PERIOD OF LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED INITIALLY AT
KTRI...BEFORE CHANGING OVER TO FREEZING RAIN BEFORE SUNRISE. MODELS
INDICATE THAT PRECIP SHOULD GRADUALLY CHANGE TO RAIN BEFORE SUNRISE
AT KCHA...AROUND SUNRISE AT KTYS...AND AFTER SUNRISE AT KTRI. AS
THIS WARM FRONT APPROACHES THE REGION THIS MORNING... VISIBILITIES
AND CEILINGS SHOULD LOWER INTO THE IFR RANGES...AND WILL LIKELY
REMAIN LOW THROUGH THE DAY ON THURSDAY AS THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
MOVES OVER THE TAF SITES. A COLD FRONT WILL THEN MOVE THROUGH THE
REGION TOWARDS SUNSET ON THURSDAY...WITH WINDS SHIFTING TO THE WEST
AND CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES FINALLY RISING.

&&

.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST THURSDAY FOR THE
     FOLLOWING ZONES: CHEROKEE...CLAY.

TN...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST /6 AM CST/ THURSDAY FOR
     THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BLEDSOE...BLOUNT SMOKY MOUNTAINS...
     BRADLEY...COCKE SMOKY MOUNTAINS...EAST POLK...HAMBLEN...
     HAMILTON...JEFFERSON...KNOX...LOUDON...MARION...MCMINN...
     MEIGS...NW BLOUNT...NORTH SEVIER...NORTHWEST COCKE...
     NORTHWEST MONROE...RHEA...ROANE...SEQUATCHIE...SEVIER SMOKY
     MOUNTAINS...SOUTHEAST MONROE...WEST POLK.

     WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL NOON EST THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: ANDERSON...CAMPBELL...CLAIBORNE...GRAINGER...
     HANCOCK...HAWKINS...JOHNSON...MORGAN...NORTHWEST CARTER...
     NORTHWEST GREENE...SCOTT TN...SOUTHEAST CARTER...SOUTHEAST
     GREENE...SULLIVAN...UNICOI...UNION...WASHINGTON TN.

VA...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL NOON EST THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING
     ZONES: LEE...RUSSELL...SCOTT...WASHINGTON...WISE.
&&

MJB

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 15, 8:25 PM EST, 4 hours 35 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
825 PM EST WED DEC 15 2010

NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002-
005-006-008-161000-
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-
825 PM EST (725 PM CST) WED DEC 15 2010

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST TENNESSEE...SOUTHWEST
VIRGINIA AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

A WARM FRONT WILL MOVE NORTHWARD ACROSS THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN
REGION TONIGHT...PRODUCING A WINTRY MIX OF SNOW...FREEZING RAIN AND
SLEET. SOME ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY
ACROSS THE NORTHERN CUMBERLAND PLATEAU...NORTHEAST TENNESSEE AND
SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA.

PLEASE SEE THE WINTER WEATHER WARNING/ADVISORY PRODUCT (MEMWSWMRX)
FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

A WEAK LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS FORECAST TO DEVELOP OVER THE SOUTHEAST
FRIDAY NIGHT...AND THEN MOVE NORTHEAST OFF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST
ON SATURDAY. THIS SYSTEM MAY BRING SOME LIGHT WINTRY PRECIPITATION
OVER THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING FOR
SNOW AND ICE REPORTS.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Dec 15, 9:06 PM EST, 3 hours 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
906 PM EST WED DEC 15 2010

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

&&

FERRELL

Local storm report, Dec 15, 9:07 PM EST, 3 hours 53 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
907 PM EST WED DEC 15 2010

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0800 PM     SNOW             CLEVELAND               35.18N 84.87W
12/15/2010  E0.1 INCH        BRADLEY            TN   PUBLIC

            HEAVY SNOW BEGAN AT 750 PM AND CONTINUES.

0842 PM     FREEZING RAIN    KINGSTON                35.87N 84.51W
12/15/2010  E0.10 INCH       ROANE              TN   AMATEUR RADIO

            LIGHT ACCUMULATIONS OF A TENTH OF AN INCH OR LESS ON
            CARS.

0850 PM     FREEZING RAIN    DUNLAP                  35.37N 85.39W
12/15/2010  E0.10 INCH       SEQUATCHIE         TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF GENERALLY A TENTH OF AN INCH OR LESS
            ACROSS THE COUNTY AND ESPECIALLY ON TREES AND CARS.

&&

FERRELL

Local storm report, Dec 15, 9:46 PM EST, 3 hours 14 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
946 PM EST WED DEC 15 2010

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0925 PM     FREEZING RAIN    2 S CHARLESTON          35.26N 84.76W
12/15/2010  E0.10 INCH       BRADLEY            TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ICE ACCUMULATING ON HIGHWAYS.

0925 PM     FREEZING RAIN    CLEVELAND               35.18N 84.87W
12/15/2010  E0.10 INCH       BRADLEY            TN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ICE ACCUMULATING ON ROADS...TREES AND CARS COUNTYWIDE.

&&

FERRELL

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

20 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Johnson

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Johnson forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.455, -81.852 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported 0.25 inches of ice along with 2 to 3 inches of snow in Mountain City.

Ice Storm, Sullivan

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Sullivan forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.513, -82.304 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported 0.50 inches of ice on the roads in Blountville.

Ice Storm, Hawkins

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Hawkins forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.441, -82.945 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.50 inches of ice on the roads in Rogersville.

Ice Storm, Hancock

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Hancock forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.524, -83.222 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.50 inches of ice on the roads in Sneedville.

Ice Storm, Claiborne

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Claiborne forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.486, -83.660 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Tazewell.

Ice Storm, Northwest Carter

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Northwest Carter forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.293, -82.127 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Elizabethton along with 3 inches of snow.

Ice Storm, Southeast Carter

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Southeast Carter forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.293, -82.127 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Elizabethton.

Ice Storm, Unicoi

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Unicoi forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.111, -82.432 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.50 inches of ice on the roads in Erwin.

Ice Storm, Washington

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.293, -82.497 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.50 inches of ice on the roads in Johnson City along with 1 to 2 inches of snow.

Ice Storm, Grainger

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Grainger forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.276, -83.510 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Rutledge.

Ice Storm, Union

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 12:00 PM EST
Where: Union forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.288, -83.837 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Maynardville.

Ice Storm, Anderson

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where: Anderson forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.118, -84.198 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Clinton.

Ice Storm, Jefferson

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where: Jefferson forecast zone
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 36.051, -83.446 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Jefferson City.

Ice Storm, North Sevier

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where: North Sevier forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.785, -83.524 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Sevierville.

Ice Storm, Northwest Cocke

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where: Northwest Cocke forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.925, -83.121 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Newport.

Ice Storm, Northwest Blount

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where: Northwest Blount forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.687, -83.925 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Maryville.

Ice Storm, Loudon

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where: Loudon forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.735, -84.312 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Loudon.

Ice Storm, Roane

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where: Roane forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.848, -84.523 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Rockwood.

Ice Storm, Rhea

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where: Rhea forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.609, -84.924 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Evensville.

Ice Storm, Northwest Monroe

When: December 16, 1:00 AM EST to 11:00 AM EST
Where: Northwest Monroe forecast zone
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 35.443, -84.253 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Law enforcement personnel reported freezing rain produced 0.25 inches of ice on the roads in Madisonville.

What these are

Ice Storm: Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Tennessee in 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history Warnings in Tennessee, December 2010

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: 271696, 271697, 271698, 271699, 271700, 271701, 271702, 271703, 271704, 271709, 271713, 271716, 271717, 271718, 271719, 271720, 271722, 271724, 271727, 271730.