Severe convection formed along an outflow boundary which originated over the higher terrain along the Tennessee and North Carolina border. The outflow boundary was strengthened by a strong gradient in pressure between Tropical Storm Lee over the Lower Mississippi Valley and higher pressure over the Middle Atlantic Coast.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Severe convection formed along an outflow boundary which originated over the higher terrain along the Tennessee and North Carolina border. The outflow boundary was strengthened by a strong gradient in pressure between Tropical Storm Lee over the Lower Mississippi Valley and higher pressure over the Middle Atlantic Coast. In addition, dry air in the lower levels of the atmosphere helped generate strong downdrafts within the individual storms.
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 Sep 3, 1:35 PM EST, 1 hour 30 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 235 PM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 .SHORT TERM...(TONIGHT AND SUNDAY)...MODELS IN DECENT AGREEMENT EARLY ON...BUT BEGIN TO DIVERGE BY SUNDAY AS GFS MUCH QUICKER BRINGING MOISTURE/SIGNIFICANT PRECIP INTO THE AREA. CONVECTION THIS EVENING EXPECTED TO DISSIPATE...THEN WILL GO DRY REMAINDER OF NIGHT. UPPER TROUGH AND COLD FRONT APPROACHING SUNDAY...AND MOISTURE FROM TS "LEE" WILL BE PULLED UP AHEAD OF APPROACHING FRONT. THIS WILL LEAD TO AN INCREASE IN CLOUDS...AND WILL CARRY CHANCE POPS ALL ZONES BY SUNDAY AFTERNOON. MAV TEMPS GENERALLY LOOK REASONABLE FOR TONIGHT...ALTHOUGH WILL TWEAK MAX TEMPS UP A BIT FOR SUNDAY SINCE THINK GFS IS A BIT QUICK BRINGING PRECIP INTO THE AREA. .LONG TERM...(SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY)...STILL QUITE A BIT OF UNCERTAINTY REGARDING UPCOMING SIGNIFICANT PRECIP EVENT STARTING SUNDAY NIGHT AS MODELS CONTINUE TO EXHIBIT POOR RUN-TO-RUN CONSISTENCY AND GENERAL DISAGREEMENT ON THE ONSET TIMING...MAXIMUM PRECIPITATION AXIS AND EVENT DURATION. THERE IS GENERAL AGREEMENT HOWEVER OF EVENT TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF BETWEEN THREE AND FOUR INCHES GENERALLY FOR OUR FORECAST AREA WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN TIER. WILL CONTINUE ESF HIGHLIGHTING POTENTIAL EVENT. DUE TO THIS UNCERTAINTY...HAVE NOT MADE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO PRECEDING GRIDS/FORECAST PACKAGE OTHER THAN TO BUMP UP POPS FOR SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY AS IT APPEARS WIDESPREAD PRECIP WILL OCCUR DURING THESE PERIODS. APPEARS MONDAY PERIOD WILL LIKELY EXPERIENCE THE BEST RAINFALL RATES AND ACCUMULATIONS. KEPT LAST FEW PERIODS OF LONG TERM DRY FOR NOW. FOR TEMPS...GENERALLY FOLLOWED MAV/MEX GUIDANCE CLOSELY. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 73 86 70 78 64 / 20 50 90 100 70 KNOXVILLE MCGHEE TYSON AIRPORT, TN 71 88 69 77 62 / 20 40 90 100 70 OAK RIDGE, TN 71 88 68 74 62 / 20 40 90 90 70 TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 66 88 66 75 61 / 30 30 80 90 80 && .MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...NONE. TN...NONE. VA...NONE. && LDW/LCM
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 337 AM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-040745- 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- 337 AM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 /237 AM CDT SAT SEP 3 2011/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY REMNANTS OF A TROPICAL STORM LEE CURRENTLY IN THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO WILL MOVE NORTHEAST TOWARD THE TENNESSEE VALLEY AND SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS LATE SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY AND COLLIDE WITH A FRONTAL BOUNDARY OVER THE AREA. DEPENDING OF THE EXACT TRACK OF THIS SYSTEM AND ASSOCIATED MOISTURE...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL ARE POSSIBLE...WHICH COULD PRODUCE EXTENSIVE FLASH FLOODING. THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF UNCERTAINTY OF THE EXACT PATH OF THIS SYSTEM...SO PLEASE STAY TUNED TO FURTHER UPDATES TO THE FORECAST. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED...BUT WILL MONITOR THE SYSTEM FOR EARLY NEXT WEEK.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 232 PM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 VAZ006-008-031915- RUSSELL VA-WASHINGTON VA- 232 PM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CITY OF BRISTOL...WASHINGTON AND RUSSELL COUNTIES UNTIL 315 PM EDT... AT 227 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR SALTVILLE...MOVING WEST AT 10 MPH. SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...ABINGDON...LEBANON... CLEVELAND...EMORY-MEADOW VIEW...ROSEDALE...HONAKER...LINDELL... HILANDER PARK...HOLSTON AND HANSONVILLE. 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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 318 PM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 VAZ006-008-032015- RUSSELL VA-WASHINGTON VA- 318 PM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CITY OF BRISTOL...WASHINGTON AND RUSSELL COUNTIES UNTIL 415 PM EDT... AT 313 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES SOUTH OF LEBANON...MOVING SOUTHWEST AT 10 MPH. SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...BRISTOL VA... HANSONVILLE...CASTLEWOOD...BENHAMS AND COLLINGWOOD. 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.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 342 PM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 TNZ040>043-032030- COCKE SMOKY MOUNTAINS TN-NORTHWEST COCKE TN-NORTHWEST GREENE TN-SOUTHEAST GREENE TN- 342 PM EDT SAT SEP 3 2011 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR GREENE AND COCKE COUNTIES UNTIL 430 PM EDT... AT 336 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 7 MILES NORTH OF HOT SPRINGS...OR 12 MILES SOUTH OF GREENEVILLE...MOVING WEST AT 10 MPH. SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...NEWPORT... PARROTTSVILLE...CEDAR CREEK...CANEY BRANCH AND DEL RIO. 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.
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 87 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:05 UTC.
9 thunderstorm wind, 6 flash flood, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A roof and back wall of a business located at the intersection of Eastman Road and East Stone Drive were heavily damaged due to severe thunderstorm winds. The roof was lifted up and a large portion of the back wall collapsed in.
The roof was damaged on the Model City Apartment buildings on Stonegate Road.
Several trees were reported down.
A few trees were reported down.
Several trees were reported down.
Several trees were reported down.
Several trees were reported down.
A few trees were reported down.
Several trees were reported down on Hard Luck Ranch Road.
Dispatch reported County Road 726 was nearly impassible due to water covering the roadway.
Dispatch reported numerous road closures and stalled vehicles due to high water in Chattanooga. These roads include Gunbarrel Road, Shallowford Drive, Chickamauga Road, Valley Brook road, North Moore Road, and Arrow Road. Some water was waste deep.
Dispatch reported multiple road closures and stalled vehicles due to high water in the Cleveland area. These roads include Georgetown Road, Mouse Creek Road, and Victory Street. Water was reported to be reaching up to the headlights of parked cars.
Dispatch reported water coming over the bridge at the intersection of Blythe Ferry Road and Ocoee Crossing, near Cleveland.
Flooding occurred on numerous roads around Knoxville, including Sherrill Blvd, Walker Road and Mineral Springs Road, Heiskel Avenue, and Proctor Street. Water rescues from stranded vehicles were made on Cross Park Drive.
Dispatch reported multiple roads closed and stalled vehicles due to rising water near Chattanooga.
A woman was killed when a tree fell on a car the woman was trying to relocate in her driveway. Her house was in the East Brainerd area or about 6 miles ESE of downtown Chattanooga and about 2 miles south of the airport.
The remnants of Tropical Storm Lee had moved northward from the Gulf of Mexico to southwest of Atlanta, GA. Heavy rains had moved into the region with a long duration of rains in the Chattanooga area. As of midnight EDT Monday night/Tuesday morning, 9.5 of rain had fallen over the past 30 hours. The rain-soaked grounds made trees more susceptible to toppling.
Winds at the Chattanooga airport were from the north at 21G31kt near the time of the incident.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Wind, Hamilton | 2011-09-05 | 54 | Female | Vehicle/Towed Trailer | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, September 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: 339373, 339374, 339375, 339376, 339377, 339378, 339379, 339381, 339380, 341985, 341999, 342000, 342010, 342011, 342012, 349897.