A boundary across the area triggered scattered severe thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours. Six tornadoes touched down across northeast Tennessee and into southwest Virginia.
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 scattered severe thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening hours. Six tornadoes touched down across northeast Tennessee and into southwest Virginia. There were also numerous reports of large hail, with a few hailstones as large as a baseball reported.
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 Apr 9, 12:36 AM EST, 44 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 136 AM EDT SAT APR 8 2011 .AVIATION...VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THROUGH THE TAF PERIOD. A SHORTWAVE WILL TRACK THROUGH AREA DURING THE MORNING AND AFTERNOON HOURS PRODUCING CONVECTION AT THE SITES. BUT WILL KEEP IT VFR FOR NOW BUT BRIEF BELOW VFR CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH ANY OF THE STRONGER STORMS. && .MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...NONE. TN...NONE. VA...NONE. && GH
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 344 AM EDT FRI APR 8 2011 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-090800- 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- 344 AM EDT FRI APR 8 2011 /244 AM CDT FRI APR 8 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CAN BE EXPECTED TODAY. A FEW OF THE STORMS COULD REACH STRONG TO SEVERE LEVELS...WITH THE MAIN THREATS BEING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. ISOLATED TORNADOES ALSO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE EXPECTED SATURDAY WITH A FEW STORMS POSSIBLY REACHING STRONG TO SEVERE LEVELS...WITH THE MAIN THREATS BEING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP AGAIN DURING THE DAY MONDAY... AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE AS WELL. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION COULD BE NEEDED ON THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND SATURDAY...AND POSSIBLY AGAIN MONDAY. TD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 1220 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 VAZ002-006-008-090500- RUSSELL VA-WASHINGTON VA-WISE VA- 1220 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WISE...WASHINGTON AND RUSSELL COUNTIES UNTIL 100 AM EDT... AT 1218 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF CLEVELAND...OR 9 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DAVENPORT...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF DIMES OR PENNIES AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...LEBANON...ABINGDON... CLEVELAND...HONAKER...HANSONVILLE...ROSEDALE...HILANDER PARK... HOLSTON...LINDELL...EMORY-MEADOW VIEW AND GLADE SPRING. THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. DH
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
116 AM EDT SAT APR 09 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0105 AM HAIL LEBANON 36.90N 82.08W
04/09/2011 E1.00 INCH RUSSELL VA LAW ENFORCEMENT
QUARTER SIZE HAIL AT LEBANON. REPORTED BY DISPATCH.
&&
GRCSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 136 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 TNZ017-018-090600- JOHNSON TN-SULLIVAN TN- 136 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR JOHNSON AND EXTREME EASTERN SULLIVAN COUNTIES UNTIL 200 AM EDT... AT 136 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 9 MILES WEST OF WHITETOP...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...LAUREL BLOOMERY. IN ADDITION TO SMALL HAIL 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. DH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 138 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 TNZ016-017-042-044>047-090645- HAWKINS TN-NORTHWEST CARTER TN-NORTHWEST GREENE TN-SOUTHEAST CARTER TN-SULLIVAN TN-UNICOI TN-WASHINGTON TN- 138 AM EDT SAT APR 9 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR GREENE...CARTER...HAWKINS... WASHINGTON...UNICOI AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES UNTIL 245 AM EDT... AT 136 AM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR SURGOINSVILLE...OR 12 MILES NORTHEAST OF ROGERSVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...KINGSPORT...JOHNSON CITY...ERWIN...ELIZABETHTON...COLONIAL HEIGHTS...GRAY... JONESBOROUGH...BANNER HILL...HAMPTON...CHURCH HILL...JEAROLDSTOWN... MOUNT CARMEL...SULLIVAN GARDENS...FALL BRANCH...LIMESTONE... LEESBURG...TRI-CITY AIRPORT...AVONDALE...BLUFF CITY AND EMBREEVILLE. IN ADDITION TO SMALL HAIL 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. DH
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 85 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 06:19 UTC.
10 hail, 6 thunderstorm wind, 4 tornado, 2 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Trained spotter reported quarter-size hail fell from a thunderstorm during the early morning hours.
Public reported thunderstorms produced dime to nickel size hail 4 miles west of Laurel Bloomery.
An EF-0 tornado with maximum winds of 80 mph downed several trees throughout its path.
Emergency manager personnel reported numerous large trees downed by thunderstorm wind along Head Town and John Frances Roads near Jonesborough. A roof of a barn was also blown off by the wind.
Law enforcement personnel reported thunderstorms produced softball-size hail in Rogersville.
Amateur radio personnel reported trees and powerlines downed by thunderstorm wind near the Johnson City Medical Center.
Law enforcement personnel reported thunderstorms produced quarter to golfball-size hail near exit 122 in Clinton.
Trained spotter reported thunderstorms produced golfball-size hail in Chucky.
Law enforcement personnel reported thunderstorms produced 2 inch-size hail in Sneedville and Mulberry.
Law enforcement personnel reported several trees downed by thunderstorm wind in Kylesford.
Emergency management personnel reported an EF-1 tornado touched down 2 miles east of Jonesborough. It had a 3 mile path length and a path width of 150 yards. The maximum wind of 90 mph downed numerous trees and powerlines. Three barns were also damaged by the wind.
Law enforcement personnel reported thunderstorms produced golfball-size hail in Tusculum.
An EF-1 tornado with 90 mph maximum winds touched down and downed several large trees throughout its path.
A trained spotter reported thunderstorms produced quarter-size hail in Erwin.
An EF-0 tornado with maximum wind speeds of 70 mph produced scattered tree damage along its path.
The pubic reported thunderstorms produced quarter-size hail 6 miles north of Sevierville.
Law enforcement personnel reported trees downed by thunderstorm wind countywide.
Emergency management personnel reported several trees downed by thunderstorm wind in Erwin and between Erwin and Flag Pond.
Law enforcement personnel reported heavy rain from thunderstorms produced flooding on Mathews Mill Road and Shanks Road as well as portions of Old State Route 34.
A trained spotter reported thunderstorms produced ping-pong-size hail in Hartford.
Emergency manager personnel reported heavy rain from thunderstorms produced flooding on Chandler Cove Road in Erwin.
Law enforcement personnel reported a few trees downed by thunderstorm wind in Cosby...Del Rio and Grassy Fork.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Tennessee, 2011Warnings in Tennessee, April 2011
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: 291938, 291941, 303811, 291942, 291943, 291944, 291946, 291947, 291949, 292015, 291955, 291956, 303792, 291957, 303819, 291961, 291963, 291964, 291969, 291970, 291979, 291981.