A cold front tracked through triggering isolated thunderstorms during the morning hours. The storm reports contained both damaging thunderstorm wind and hail as large as quarters.
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 cold front tracked through triggering isolated thunderstorms during the morning hours. The storm reports contained both damaging thunderstorm wind and hail as large as quarters.
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 Feb 24, 6:42 AM EST, 2 hours 56 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
642 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012
.AVIATION...SURFACE LOW PRESSURE OVER THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY WILL
DEEPEN AND MOVE NE TO THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES THROUGH THE PERIOD.
COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST THROUGH THE EAST TENNESSEE VALLEY THIS
MORNING...AND THROUGH THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS BY THIS AFTERNOON.
STRONG SOUTHWESTERLY WINDS WILL REMAIN STRONG AND SHIFT MORE TO THE
WEST AFTER THE FRONTAL PASSAGE. THE WINDS WILL WEAKEN AFTER 25/00Z.
BROKEN LINE OF CONVECTION WILL CONTINUE IN ADVANCE OF THE COLD
FRONT. THIS ACTIVITY WILL MOVE QUICKLY THROUGH THE TAF SITES
THIS MORNING. VFR CLOUDS AND VSBY WILL BE DOMINATE. FREEZING LEVEL
WILL FALL TO NEAR 3000 FEET AT 25/00Z AND CONTINUE DOWN TO NEAR THE
SURFACE BY 25/12Z
&&
.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: CHEROKEE...CLAY.
TN...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST /6 PM CST/ THIS EVENING FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: ANDERSON...BLEDSOE...BLOUNT SMOKY
MOUNTAINS...BRADLEY...CAMPBELL...CLAIBORNE...COCKE SMOKY
MOUNTAINS...EAST POLK...GRAINGER...HAMBLEN...HAMILTON...
HANCOCK...HAWKINS...JEFFERSON...JOHNSON...KNOX...LOUDON...
MARION...MCMINN...MEIGS...MORGAN...NW BLOUNT...NORTH
SEVIER...NORTHWEST CARTER...NORTHWEST COCKE...NORTHWEST
GREENE...NORTHWEST MONROE...RHEA...ROANE...SCOTT TN...
SEQUATCHIE...SEVIER SMOKY MOUNTAINS...SOUTHEAST CARTER...
SOUTHEAST GREENE...SOUTHEAST MONROE...SULLIVAN...UNICOI...
UNION...WASHINGTON TN...WEST POLK.
VA...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: LEE...RUSSELL...SCOTT...WASHINGTON...WISE.
&&
SONHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 942 PM EST THU FEB 23 2012 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-250245- 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- 942 PM EST THU FEB 23 2012 /842 PM CST THU FEB 23 2012/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... A COLD FRONT MOVING EAST INTO EXTREME WESTERN TENNESSEE AND NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI...SHOULD MOVE INTO THE CUMBERLAND PLATEAU DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. THUNDERSTORMS WERE INHIBITED BY WARM AIR ALOFT...AND DID NOT BECOME NEARLY AS WIDESPREAD AS HAD BEEN ANTICIPATED DURING THURSDAY EVENING. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL LIKELY TO DEVELOP AS THE COLD FRONT PUSHES EAST...BUT THE INTENSITY OF STORMS SHOULD STAY BELOW SEVERE LEVELS OVERNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY... THE STRONG PRESSURE GRADIENT AROUND THE RETREATING LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL PRODUCE STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS ACROSS THE AREA DURING THE DAY FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LESS LIKELY OVERNIGHT THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT. TG
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 420 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012 TNZ015-VAZ001-005-241000- HANCOCK TN-LEE VA-SCOTT VA- 420 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LEE...SCOTT AND HANCOCK COUNTIES UNTIL 500 AM EST... AT 412 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES EAST OF HARROGATE-SHAWANEE...OR 14 MILES EAST OF MIDDLESBORO...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...SNEEDVILLE... JONESVILLE...PENNINGTON GAP...ROSE HILL...KYLES FORD...ST. CHARLES... PATTONSVILLE...DRYDEN...JASPER...DUFFIELD...CLINCHPORT...FORT BLACKMORE AND NICKELSVILLE. 17
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 502 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012 TNZ014>016-038-VAZ005-241045- CLAIBORNE TN-GRAINGER TN-HANCOCK TN-HAWKINS TN-SCOTT VA- 502 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR WESTERN SCOTT...HAWKINS... HANCOCK...GRAINGER AND CLAIBORNE COUNTIES UNTIL 545 AM EST... AT 454 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES NORTHEAST OF RUTLEDGE...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...ROGERSVILLE...BEAN STATION...SURGOINSVILLE...MOORESBURG...TREADWAY...KLONDIKE...CHURCH HILL...OKOLONA AND MOUNT CARMEL. 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. MJB
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 825 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012 NCZ060-TNZ071-072-085>087-099>102-241415- BLOUNT SMOKY MOUNTAINS TN-BRADLEY TN-CHEROKEE NC-EAST POLK TN-HAMILTON TN-MCMINN TN-NORTHWEST MONROE TN-NW BLOUNT TN-SOUTHEAST MONROE TN-WEST POLK TN- 825 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR POLK...BLOUNT...MONROE... MCMINN...HAMILTON...BRADLEY AND CHEROKEE COUNTIES UNTIL 915 AM EST... AT 820 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF INDIAN SPRINGS...OR 12 MILES EAST OF CHATTANOOGA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 60 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...CLEVELAND...BENTON... ETOWAH...WATERVILLE...GAP SPRINGS...TASSO...PARKSVILLE...RELIANCE... DENTVILLE...ARCHVILLE...TURTLETOWN...BULLET CREEK...MOUNT VERNON... COKER CREEK...VIOLET...TELLICO PLAINS...UNAKA...TARIFFVILLE...CITICO AND CITICO BEACH. 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 839 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012 TNZ068>074-086-087-241430- BLOUNT SMOKY MOUNTAINS TN-JEFFERSON TN-KNOX TN-LOUDON TN-NORTH SEVIER TN-NORTHWEST MONROE TN-NW BLOUNT TN-SEVIER SMOKY MOUNTAINS TN-SOUTHEAST MONROE TN- 839 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR BLOUNT...SEVIER...MONROE... KNOX...JEFFERSON AND LOUDON COUNTIES UNTIL 930 AM EST... AT 836 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR MADISONVILLE...MOVING EAST AT 60 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...MARYVILLE...ALCOA... GATLINBURG...SEVIERVILLE...DANDRIDGE...EAGLETON VILLAGE...PIGEON FORGE...VONORE...GREENBACK...CITICO BEACH...TALASSEE...CLOVER HILL... HAPPY VALLEY...CADES COVE...WILDWOOD...WALLAND...TOWNSEND... SEYMOUR...WEARS VALLEY AND ELKMONT. SUSTAINED WINDS OR GUSTS UP TO 40 TO 50 MPH...HAIL OF PEA TO LESS THAN QUARTER SIZE...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. ANY FURTHER STRENGTHENING OF THESE STORMS MAY REQUIRE ISSUANCE OF A WARNING. DH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 900 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012 TNZ016-017-038>044-069>074-085>087-101-241500- BLOUNT SMOKY MOUNTAINS TN-COCKE SMOKY MOUNTAINS TN-GRAINGER TN-HAMBLEN TN-HAWKINS TN-JEFFERSON TN-KNOX TN-MCMINN TN-NORTH SEVIER TN-NORTHWEST COCKE TN-NORTHWEST GREENE TN-NORTHWEST MONROE TN-NW BLOUNT TN-SEVIER SMOKY MOUNTAINS TN-SOUTHEAST GREENE TN-SOUTHEAST MONROE TN-SULLIVAN TN-WASHINGTON TN-WEST POLK TN- 900 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR POLK...BLOUNT...GREENE... SEVIER...COCKE...MONROE...MCMINN...EXTREME EASTERN KNOX... JEFFERSON...HAWKINS...HAMBLEN...EXTREME EASTERN GRAINGER...WASHINGTON AND SULLIVAN COUNTIES UNTIL 1000 AM EST... AT 858 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM MORRISTOWN TO 8 MILES EAST OF ETOWAH...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...DANDRIDGE... SEVIERVILLE...NEWPORT...GATLINBURG...GREENEVILLE...RUSSELLVILLE... WHITE PINE...PIGEON FORGE...PARROTTSVILLE...TUSCULUM...COLONIAL HEIGHTS...GRAY...CITICO BEACH...TELLICO PLAINS...TALASSEE... WALLAND...HAPPY VALLEY...BULLS GAP...ST. CLAIR AND LOWLAND. SUSTAINED WINDS OR GUSTS UP TO 40 TO 50 MPH...HAIL OF PEA TO LESS THAN QUARTER SIZE...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. ANY FURTHER STRENGTHENING OF THESE STORMS MAY REQUIRE ISSUANCE OF A WARNING. DH
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 903 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012 TNZ015>017-VAZ001-002-005-241500- HANCOCK TN-HAWKINS TN-LEE VA-SCOTT VA-SULLIVAN TN-WISE VA- 903 AM EST FRI FEB 24 2012 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR LEE...WISE...SCOTT...HAWKINS... HANCOCK AND WESTERN SULLIVAN COUNTIES UNTIL 1000 AM EST... AT 858 AM EST...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF SURGOINSVILLE...OR 10 MILES NORTH OF ROGERSVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST 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...GATE CITY...WEBER CITY...OKOLONA...CHURCH HILL...DUFFIELD...CLINCHPORT...MOUNT CARMEL...FORT BLACKMORE...HILTONS...DUNGANNON...NICKELSVILLE AND ST. PAUL. SUSTAINED WINDS OR GUSTS UP TO 40 TO 50 MPH...HAIL OF PEA TO LESS THAN QUARTER SIZE...AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS. ANY FURTHER STRENGTHENING OF THESE STORMS MAY REQUIRE ISSUANCE OF A WARNING. DH
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 44 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 14:39 UTC.
1 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
The 911 call center reported thunderstorms produced quarter-size hail near Rogersville.
The 911 call center reported several trees downed by thunderstorm wind near Rogersville.
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, February 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: 360275, 360276.