A deep area of low pressure produced high non-thunderstorm wind over the area on the 26th. The highest wind were across the mountains where the damaging wind were reported.
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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.
A deep area of low pressure produced high non-thunderstorm wind over the area on the 26th. The highest wind were across the mountains where the damaging wind were reported. Several trees were downed by the high wind.
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 Dec 26, 4:37 AM EST, 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN
437 AM EST WED DEC 26 2012
.SHORT TERM /TODAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
EARLY THIS MORNING...A BROAD AREA OF SHOWERS CONTINUES TO PUSH ITS
WAY NORTHWARD INTO THE FORECAST AREA FROM THE SOUTH...AS A SURFACE
LOW OVER SOUTHERN MIDDLE TENNESSEE LIFTS NORTHEAST. AS IT DOES
SO...A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE REGION LATER
TODAY...BRINGING IT WITH SOME COOLER AIR TO THE SOUTHERN
APPALACHIANS. THIS COOLER AIR WILL COMBINE WITH SOME LINGERING
MOISTURE ON THE BACKSIDE OF THIS STORM SYSTEM TO CREATE SOME SNOW
SHOWERS ACROSS THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING THROUGH THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS. ATTM...THE LACK OF DEEP MOISTURE...LIMITED COLD
AIR ALOFT AND A MORE PREVAILING WESTERLY FLOW WILL LIMIT THE
POTENTIAL FOR THIS TO BE A TRUE NORTHWEST FLOW SNOWFALL EVENT.
HOWEVER...HIGHER ELEVATION LOCATIONS ACROSS SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND
EAST TENNESSEE...PARTICULARLY THE HIGH MOUNTAIN PEAKS WILL LIKELY
EXPERIENCE SOME ACCUMULATIONS 1-4 INCHES...WITH SOME LOCALLY HIGHER
AMOUNTS POSSIBLE IN THE SMOKIES GIVEN THE LONGER DURATION OF COLD
AIR AND ENHANCED ORTHOGRAPHIC LIFT. GIVEN THIS...HAVE OPTED TO
ISSUE A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED AREAS FROM
23Z THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH 12Z THURSDAY MORNING WHEN THE SNOWFALL
POTENTIAL APPEARS GREATEST.
THE OTHER THREAT OF NOTE WITH THIS STORM SYSTEM WILL BE THE
POTENTIAL FOR SOME STRONG GRADIENT WINDS ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA
TODAY AS A STRONG 60-70 KT LOW-LEVEL JET PASSES OVER EAST
TENNESSEE. THE POTENTIAL FOR VERY GUSTY/STRONG WINDS WILL EXIST
ALONG THE FOOTHILLS AND HIGHER MOUNTAIN TERRAIN AND THUS A HIGH
WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FAVORED AREAS THROUGH THIS
AFTERNOON. ADDITIONALLY...WIND ADVISORIES FOR THE PLATEAU AND
MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA ARE IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS
AFTERNOON AS WELL. SOME GUSTY NEAR ADVISORY-LEVEL WINDS WILL LIKELY
PERSIST ALONG THE EAST TENNESSEE MOUNTAINS LATER TONIGHT...BUT
GIVEN THEIR WESTERLY COMPONENT THE HIGHER WIND SPEEDS WILL BE ON
THE LEE SIDE IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA...WITH VALUES IN THE VALLEYS
BEING MUCH LIGHTER AS WELL. THUS...HELD OFF ON EXTENDING ANY WIND
ADVISORY PRODUCTS FOR TONIGHT FOR NOW.
.LONG TERM /THU NIGHT THROUGH TUE/...
WEAK SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE AND UPPER LEVEL RIDGE WILL PROVIDE A
DRY THU NIGHT INTO AT LEAST THE FIRST PART OF FRIDAY. MODELS
CONTINUE TO BE IN DECENT AGREEMENT THAT THE NEXT SYSTEM WILL
APPROACH BY FRIDAY NIGHT. MODEL AGREEMENT AND RUN TO RUN
CONSISTENCY STILL LACKING FOR THE DETAILS HOWEVER. TREND OF THE
MODELS HAS BEEN TO SPEED THINGS UP...SO WILL CARRY SLIGHT CHANCE
POPS SOUTHWEST ZONES LATE FRIDAY...THEN CAT TO LIKELY POPS FOR
FRIDAY NIGHT. CHANCE SOUTHWEST TO LIKELY NORTHEAST SATURDAY. PRECIP
TYPE STILL LOOKS TO BE PRIMARILY RAIN IN THE SOUTHERN/CENTRAL AREAS
UNTIL A SWITCH TO SNOW SHOWERS ON THE BACKSIDE. PRECIP TYPE STILL
MORE UNCERTAIN NORTH. MAY BE A LINGERING SNOW SHOWER EARLY NORTHERN
AND CENTRAL MOUNTAINS SUNDAY BUT OTHERWISE DRY...WITH DRY WEATHER
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO MONDAY. ANOTHER SYSTEM FORECAST TO
APPROACH BY MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY...SO WILL CARRY CHANCE
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
CHATTANOOGA AIRPORT, TN 47 29 43 29 54 / 80 10 10 10 20
KNOXVILLE MCGHEE TYSON AIRPORT, TN 46 28 41 28 51 / 100 40 10 10 10
OAK RIDGE, TN 46 28 42 28 51 / 100 40 10 10 10
TRI CITIES AIRPORT, TN 45 27 38 24 50 / 100 60 20 10 10
&&
.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: CHEROKEE...CLAY.
TN...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: BLOUNT SMOKY MOUNTAINS...EAST POLK...
MCMINN...NW BLOUNT...NORTH SEVIER...NORTHWEST MONROE...
SEVIER SMOKY MOUNTAINS...SOUTHEAST MONROE...WEST POLK.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: CAMPBELL...CLAIBORNE...MORGAN...SCOTT TN.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EST
THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: BLOUNT SMOKY MOUNTAINS...
COCKE SMOKY MOUNTAINS...JOHNSON...SEVIER SMOKY MOUNTAINS...
SOUTHEAST CARTER...SOUTHEAST GREENE...UNICOI.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: COCKE SMOKY MOUNTAINS...JOHNSON...
NORTHWEST CARTER...NORTHWEST COCKE...NORTHWEST GREENE...
SOUTHEAST CARTER...SOUTHEAST GREENE...UNICOI...WASHINGTON
TN.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM EST /NOON CST/ THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: BLEDSOE...HAMILTON...MARION...RHEA...
SEQUATCHIE.
VA...WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE FOLLOWING
ZONES: LEE...SCOTT...WISE.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EST
THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING ZONES: LEE...RUSSELL...SCOTT...
WASHINGTON...WISE.
HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL 4 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON FOR THE
FOLLOWING ZONES: RUSSELL...WASHINGTON.
&&
AMP/LWHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MORRISTOWN TN 236 PM EST TUE DEC 25 2012 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-261945- 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- 236 PM EST TUE DEC 25 2012 /136 PM CST TUE DEC 25 2012/ THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA...EAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS POSSIBLE LATE TONIGHT ACROSS SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA... HIGH WIND WARNING FOR TONIGHT FOR THE FOOTHILLS AND EASTERN MOUNTAINS. DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE FROM THESE STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS...PLUS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE STORMS FOR SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE...AS WELL AS CHEROKEE AND CLAY COUNTIES OF NORTH CAROLINA. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THESE HAZARDS...PLEASE SEE OUR LATEST ADVISORY PRODUCTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY... ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY MORNING ACROSS SOUTHEAST TENNESSEE AND SOUTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA... HIGH WINDS WILL LINGER INTO EARLY WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON...AS A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEMS TRACKS NORTHEAST ACROSS THE REGION. STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS BETWEEN 25 AND 40 MPH WITH GUSTS OVER 70 MPH ARE POSSIBLE. WINDY CONDITIONS MAY CONTINUE AREA WIDE ALONG AND BEHIND THE COLD FRONT WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY EVENING. ALSO...THIS SYSTEM WILL LIFT A WARM FRONT INTO SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE FORECAST AREA EARLY WEDNESDAY...THEN AN ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP EAST THROUGH THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. ENOUGH INSTABILITY WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PRODUCE THUNDERSTORMS GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 40 INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD BE SEVERE PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS. ALSO...ISOLATED TORNADOES COULD OCCUR NEAR AND ALONG THE WARM FRONT. AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH WEDNESDAY...COLD AIR WILL RUSH IN BEHIND IT CHANGING THE RAIN TO SNOW LATE WEDNESDAY WITH SOME SNOW SHOWERS LINGERING WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. LIGHT SNOWFALL IS POSSIBLE..ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND FAR EAST TENNESSEE MOUNTAINS WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Dispatch personnel reported a few trees downed by high wind in Lebanon.
Dispatch personnel reported several trees downed by high wind between Damascus and Konnarock. Several trees were also reported downed by wind between Damascus and Glade Spring.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2012Every state in 2012This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, December 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: 421125, 421126.