Isolated thunderstorms developed during the late afternoon and evening hours. A few of the storms produced damaging thunderstorm wind but most of the reports were for large hail.
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.
Isolated thunderstorms developed during the late afternoon and evening hours. A few of the storms produced damaging thunderstorm wind but most of the reports were for large hail. Hail as large as a Kennedy one-half dollar was seen.
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 3, 2:03 PM EST, 1 hour 10 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 303 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 .SHORT TERM (TONIGHT AND WEDNESDAY)... MUCH MORE CONVECTION THIS AFTERNOON THAN HAD YESTERDAY...THUS CHANCES OF PRECIP IN CHANCE CATEGORY THIS EVENING. MODELS AND HPC SUGGEST MCS WILL DEVELOP AND PROVIDE HIGH CHANCES OF RAIN DURING THE DAY WEDNESDAY ESPECIALLY NORTH...SO WILL GO WITH LIKELY POPS NORTH AND GOOD CHC POPS SOUTH. THE WEAK RIDGE OVER THE AREA IS BREAKING DOWN...NW FLOW REPLACED BY WEAK W FLOW ALOFT. WE WILL BE TRANSITIONING TO A WETTER REGIME FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AS UPPER LOW OVER THE WESTERN US ROLLS EASTWARD AND INTERACTS WITH A FRONT THAT IS NOW NEAR THE GREAT LAKES. FRONT WILL DROP SOUTH INTO KY DURING WEDNESDAY AND WILL CONTINUE ITS SOUTHWARD PUSH INTO THE EARLY EXTENDED PERIOD. .LONG TERM (WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY)... A COLD FRONT WILL BE POSITIONED NEAR THE NORTHERN EXTREMITIES OF THE CWA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THIS FRONT WILL SLOWLY DRIFT SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA AS A CLOSED UPPER LOW TRACKS FROM THE OZARKS TO THE CAROLINAS THROUGH THURSDAY NIGHT. HIGHEST POPS WILL TRANSITION FROM NORTHERN AREAS WEDNESDAY NIGHT TO SOUTHERN AREAS BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON/EVENING AS THE FRONT PUSHES THROUGH. LOW LEVEL CONVERGENCE NEAR THE BOUNDARY ALONG WITH GOOD UPPER DIVERGENCE AND FALLING 500 MB HEIGHTS WILL PROVIDE LIFT FOR LIKELY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. CHANCE POPS CONTINUE INTO FRIDAY AS THE CLOSED LOW WILL BE CENTERED OVER THE SRN APPALACHIANS...THEN TAPER OFF BY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AS IT NEARS THE COAST. WHILE A THREAT OF SEVERE STORMS CANNOT BE RULED OUT THURSDAY...INSTABILITY LOOKS PRETTY LIMITED WITH DENSE CLOUD COVER THROUGH THE DAY...AND DEEP LAYER SHEAR LOOKS WEAK. A DEEP RIDGE WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION SATURDAY AND SUNDAY...PROVIDING MILD TEMPS AND MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES. BY MONDAY A DEEP CYCLONIC CIRCULATION BECOMES POSITIONED OVER ONTARIO...WITH A STRONG JET ACROSS THE OHIO VALLEY. THIS WILL PUSH A COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA AROUND MONDAY...WITH A MUCH COLDER AIR MASS BUILDING IN FOR TUESDAY. FROPA LOOKS DRY ON MONDAY WITH A DEEP NW FLOW PRECEDING THE FRONT. AGRICULTURAL INTERESTS WILL NEED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE POTENTIAL FOR A LATE SEASON FROST OR FREEZE NEXT WEEK. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 62 82 61 75 53 / 30 40 40 70 70 KNOXVILLE MCGHEE TYSON AIRPORT, TN 60 79 59 72 51 / 30 60 50 70 60 OAK RIDGE, TN 60 80 59 72 51 / 30 60 50 70 60 TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 54 77 54 66 46 / 40 70 60 60 40 && .MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...NONE. TN...NONE. VA...NONE. && GC/DGS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 526 AM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-040930- 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- 526 AM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 /426 AM CDT TUE APR 3 2012/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP ALONG A FRONTAL BOUNDARY ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY THREATS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... FRONTAL BOUNDARIES WILL LINGER IN THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN REGION THROUGH THURSDAY...WITH SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP EACH DAY...ESPECIALLY DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. A FEW STORMS MAY BECOME STRONG TO SEVERE EACH DAY...BRINGING THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGING WINDS...LARGE HAIL...LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL...AND CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED EACH AFTERNOON THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING THIS WEEK. SON/TD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 230 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 TNZ035-067-031915- MORGAN TN-ROANE TN- 230 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EXTREME SOUTHERN MORGAN AND ROANE COUNTIES UNTIL 315 PM EDT... AT 229 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR ROCKWOOD...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF DIMES OR PENNIES IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...KINGSTON...OAKDALE... HARRIMAN AND DEARMOND. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. DGS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 238 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 TNZ036-031930- ANDERSON TN- 238 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR ANDERSON COUNTY UNTIL 330 PM EDT... AT 233 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF OLIVER SPRINGS...OR 8 MILES WEST OF CLINTON...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH. SMALL HAIL IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...CLINTON. 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. DGS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 246 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 NCZ060-031930- CHEROKEE NC- 246 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CHEROKEE COUNTY UNTIL 330 PM EDT... AT 246 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES NORTH OF MURPHY...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF DIMES OR PENNIES IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...ANDREWS AND MARBLE. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. DGS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 252 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 TNZ013-014-031930- CAMPBELL TN-CLAIBORNE TN- 252 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN CLAIBORNE AND CAMPBELL COUNTIES UNTIL 330 PM EDT... AT 250 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 13 MILES NORTH OF LA FOLLETTE...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF DIMES OR PENNIES IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...WHITE OAK AND CLAIRFIELD. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. IN ADDITION TO SMALL HAIL...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. DGS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 345 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 TNZ013-032030- CAMPBELL TN- 345 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CAMPBELL COUNTY UNTIL 430 PM EDT... AT 342 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR LA FOLLETTE...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF DIMES OR PENNIES IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...LA FOLLETTE AND FINCASTLE. IN ADDITION TO SMALL HAIL...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. DGS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 347 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 VAZ008-032030- WASHINGTON VA- 347 PM EDT TUE APR 3 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WASHINGTON COUNTY UNTIL 430 PM EDT... AT 346 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF QUARRY...OR 6 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SALTVILLE...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. HAIL UP TO THE SIZE OF DIMES OR PENNIES IS EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...EMORY-MEADOW VIEW... GLADE SPRING...DAMASCUS AND KONNAROCK. IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES YOUR AREA...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY BUILDING. DGS
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 15 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:12 UTC.
5 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
An individual from the public reported thunderstorms produced Kennedy half-dollar-size hail in Rutledge.
An individual from the public reported thunderstorms produced quarter-size hail near Greenback.
An individual from the public reported thunderstorms produced quarter-size hail 4 miles northwest of Happy Valley.
Dispatch reported thunderstorms produced quarter-size hail northwest of Athens.
Emergency management personnel reported a home on County Highway 119 near Athens had structural damage by thunderstorm winds.
Law enforcement personnel reported thunderstorms produced quarter-size hail northwest of Athens near Clearwater.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, April 2012
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: 371674, 371675, 371676, 372914, 372916, 372917.