A boundary across the area triggered isolated severe thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours.
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 boundary across the area triggered isolated severe thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours.
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 Aug 5, 9:00 AM EST, 3 hours 40 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
1000 AM EDT THU AUG 5 2010
.DISCUSSION...
CURRENT SURFACE ANALYSIS SHOWS A WEAK COLD FRONT ACROSS THE OHIO
RIVER VALLEY...WITH A VERY MOIST AIR MASS OVER THE FORECAST AREA.
AREA RADARS REVEALED A LINE OF CONVECTION ALONG THIS FRONT...WITH
SOME SCATTERED PRE-FRONTAL ACTIVITY FURTHER SOUTH OVER SOUTHEAST KY.
SHORT-RANGE MODELS AGREE THAT A BROAD UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH WILL
AMPLIFY OVER THE EASTERN HALF OF THE NATION TODAY AND TONIGHT...
PUSHING THIS WEAK COLD FRONT INTO THE FORECAST AREA BY THIS EVENING.
MODEL SOUNDINGS REVEAL INCREASING MID LEVEL WINDS AND COOLING MID
LEVEL TEMPS BY THIS AFTERNOON...WITH A MODERATELY TO POTENTIALLY
STRONGLY UNSTABLE AIR MASS DEVELOPING ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA. IN
ADDITION...AN INVERTED-V PROFILE IN THE LOWER LEVELS SHOULD
ENCOURAGE DAMAGING DOWNBURST WINDS WITH SOME STORMS...WITH HIGH
PRECIPITABLE WATER VALUES (AROUND 2 INCHES) RESULTING IN LOCALLY
HEAVY RAINFALL. OVERALL...IT APPEARS THAT ORGANIZED CONVECTION WILL
LIKELY INTENSIFY AHEAD OF THE FRONT AND MOVE ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
BY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WITH THIS IN MIND...WITH MENTION THE
POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING WINDS AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL IN THE ZONE
FORECASTS.
OVERALL...CURRENT FORECAST APPEARS TO BE ON TRACK...BUT WILL PLAN TO
UPDATE THIS MORNING TO MAKE A FEW TWEAKS TO TEMPS AND PRECIP
WORDING. WILL PLAN TO CONTINUE THE HEAT ADVISORY FOR THE KNOXVILLE
AND CHATTANOOGA AREAS FOR TODAY...ALTHOUGH AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS AND
CONVECTIVE COVERAGE MAY KEEP HEAT INDICES A LITTLE LOWER THAN
YESTERDAY.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 99 75 95 72 95 / 50 50 40 30 20
KNOXVILLE AIRPORT, TN 96 73 94 69 93 / 60 60 40 30 10
OAK RIDGE, TN 96 72 94 68 92 / 60 60 30 20 10
TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 92 68 91 63 90 / 60 60 30 20 10
&&
.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...NONE.
TN...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 PM EDT /7 PM CDT/ THIS EVENING FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: ANDERSON...BLEDSOE...BRADLEY...GRAINGER...
HAMBLEN...HAMILTON...JEFFERSON...KNOX...LOUDON...MARION...
MCMINN...MEIGS...NW BLOUNT...NORTH SEVIER...NORTHWEST
COCKE...NORTHWEST MONROE...RHEA...ROANE...SEQUATCHIE...
UNION...WEST POLK.
VA...NONE.
&&
DMGHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 413 AM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-060815- 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- 413 AM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 /313 AM CDT THU AUG 5 2010/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... ANOTHER HOT DAY IS IN STORE FOR THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION. THE COMBINATION OF VERY HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY LEVELS WILL PRODUCE HEAT INDICES ABOVE 100 DEGREES ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION AND UP TO 105 DEGREES OVER THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN TENNESSEE VALLEY. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE PRODUCING DAMAGING DOWNBURSTS WINDS AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL. THE HEAVY RAINS MAY PRODUCE LOCALIZED FLASH FLOODING. FOR MORE DETAILS...PLEASE SEE THE HEAT ADVISORY ISSUED FOR THE SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL AREAS OF THE GREAT TENNESSEE VALLEY WHERE HEAT INDICES WILL EXCEED 105 DEGREES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION FRIDAY PRODUCING SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE STRONG PRODUCING STRONG DOWNBURSTS WINDS AND HEAVY RAINFALL. A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS FOR THIS WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK PRODUCING MOSTLY DRY AND HOT CONDITIONS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. DH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 1206 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 TNZ014-015-038-051645- CLAIBORNE TN-GRAINGER TN-HANCOCK TN- 1206 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CLAIBORNE...HANCOCK AND GRAINGER COUNTIES UNTIL 1245 PM EDT... AT NOON EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF TAZEWELL...OR 13 MILES SOUTHEAST OF MIDDLESBORO...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...SNEEDVILLE...HOWARD QUARTER...EVANSTON...TREADWAY AND KYLES FORD. 17
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 1230 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 TNZ036-069-051715- ANDERSON TN-KNOX TN- 1230 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR KNOX AND ANDERSON COUNTIES UNTIL 115 PM EDT... AT 1223 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTH OF CLINTON...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...CLINTON... KNOXVILLE...NORRIS...POWELL...HALLS...BEARDEN...MALONEYVILLE...LAKE FOREST AND MASCOT. 17
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 1236 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 TNZ082-083-051730- BLEDSOE TN-RHEA TN- 1236 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BLEDSOE AND RHEA COUNTIES UNTIL 130 PM EDT /1230 PM CDT/... AT 1132 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A CLUSTER OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF PIKEVILLE... WHICH WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL...AND LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. IN ADDITION TO HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING IS OCCURRING WITH THIS STORM. MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY! LIGHTNING IS ONE OF NATURES PRIMARY KILLERS ASSOCIATED WITH THUNDERSTORMS. REMEMBER...IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. DMG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 1257 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 TNZ015-016-VAZ001-005-051745- HANCOCK TN-HAWKINS TN-LEE VA-SCOTT VA- 1257 PM EDT THU AUG 5 2010 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LEE...SCOTT...HANCOCK AND HAWKINS COUNTIES UNTIL 145 PM EDT... AT 1252 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES EAST OF SNEEDVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH HEAVY RAIN. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...GATE CITY... PENNINGTON GAP...SURGOINSVILLE...WEBER CITY...KYLES FORD...DRYDEN... PATTONSVILLE...JASPER...DUFFIELD...CHURCH HILL...OKOLONA...MOUNT CARMEL...CLINCHPORT...HILTONS...FORT BLACKMORE...NICKELSVILLE AND DUNGANNON. 17
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
125 PM EDT THU AUG 05 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0100 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 NE PIKEVILLE 35.65N 85.15W
08/05/2010 BLEDSOE TN LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEVERAL TREES DOWN ON MILL DAM ROAD AND UPPER EAST VALLEY
ROAD. REPORTED BY DISPATCH.
&&
FERRELL/JORDANThe Knoxville radar (KMRX), 83 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:38 UTC.
11 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter reported several trees downed by thunderstorm winds 5 miles west of Gate City.
A trained spotter reported a thunderstorm wind gust to 62 mph (54 knots) 5 miles west of Gate City.
A trained spotter reported numerous large and small branches and limbs downed by thunderstorm winds in the City of Bristol.
Law enforcement personnel reported a couple of trees downed by thunderstorm winds along South Holston Lake.
Law enforcement personnel reported 2 trees downed by thunderstorm winds in Ewing.
Law enforcement personnel reported 1 tree downed by thunderstorm southeast of Jonesville at Black Water.
A trained spotter reported several large tree limbs downed on roads by thunderstorm winds near Coeburn.
A trained spotter reported an estimated thunderstorm wind gust at 60 mph (52 knots) near Coeburn.
The Kingsport Times News newspaper reported trees, large tree limbs, debris and few powerlines downed on roads by thunderstorm winds in Coeburn, Norton and Wise.
Law enforcement personnel reported several trees downed by thunderstorm winds on Route 63 near Dante.
Law enforcement personnel reported several trees downed by thunderstorm winds across the western portions of the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, August 2010
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: 249146, 249147, 249148, 249154, 249149, 249150, 249151, 249152, 258313, 249153, 249155.