Thunderstorm Wind, Rhea
- When
- April 3, 11:30 PM EST
- Where
- Rhea County, 0.89 mi SE of Morgantown
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 35.490, -85.010
Several trees were reported down countywide.
Damaging Winds in Tennessee, April 3 to 4, 2018
A strong low pressure system moved northeast out of the Midwest into the Eastern Great Lakes while pulling colder air southeast across the Southern Appalachian region. Severe convection developed ahead of the front generating wind gusts strong enough to down trees and produce some limited structural damage to homes.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 13
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.
What happened
The episode as NWS MRX wrote it up.
A strong low pressure system moved northeast out of the Midwest into the Eastern Great Lakes while pulling colder air southeast across the Southern Appalachian region. Severe convection developed ahead of the front generating wind gusts strong enough to down trees and produce some limited structural damage to homes. The damage reports were mainly over the higher Cumberland Plateau terrain.
What forecasters said that day
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, 7:45 PM EST, 3 hours 45 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 3, 7:45 PM EST, 3 hours 45 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Morristown TN 845 PM EDT Tue Apr 3 2018 .DISCUSSION... The evening update will be issued a little early as temperatures have not fallen as much as forecast, and PoPs will be tweaked to reflect the latest timing. Projecting the speed of the line of storms in Middle TN bring them into our western counties around 05Z, and the latest HRRR supports this. Storms are expected to have a weakening trend through the evening as surface-based instability decreases, but shear will remain high and the 00Z OHX sounding shows an elevated mixed layer and midlevel dry air that will support some threat of severe storms in our area, mainly damaging winds but also a marginal hail threat. The low observed dewpoints and high LCL heights are not supportive of a tornado threat. && .MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. TN...None. VA...None. && DGS
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 3, 3:17 PM EST, 8 hours 13 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Morristown TN 417 PM EDT Tue Apr 3 2018 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-042030- 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- 417 PM EDT Tue Apr 3 2018 /317 PM CDT Tue Apr 3 2018/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Southwest North Carolina...East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. .DAY ONE...Tonight A cold front will move through the region tonight, bringing widespread showers and thunderstorms. Some of these thunderstorms could be severe, with damaging winds and large hail being the primary threats. An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out. The line of storms is expected to arrive on the Cumberland Plateau around midnight, with passage through much of the Tennessee Valley by around 2-4 am EDT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
The radar
The Northeast Alabama radar (KHTX), 116 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:33 UTC.
Event by event
13 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Campbell
- When
- April 3, 11:36 PM EST
- Where
- Campbell County, 0.56 mi W of Fordtown
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 36.370, -84.130
Several trees were reported down. One of the trees damaged a home as it fell. Additionally, a roof was blown off of a trailer.
Thunderstorm Wind, Scott
- When
- April 3, 11:45 PM EST
- Where
- Scott County, 0.56 mi E of Oneida
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 36.500, -84.510
Several trees and power lines were reported down across the county.
Thunderstorm Wind, Loudon
- When
- April 4, 12:24 AM EST
- Where
- Loudon County, Highland Park
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 35.800, -84.270
One tree fell onto a home in Lenoir City.
Thunderstorm Wind, Claiborne
- When
- April 4, 12:25 AM EST
- Where
- Claiborne County, 3.55 mi SW of Sand Lick
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 36.360, -83.710
Several trees were reported down near Cedar Grove Marina off Highway 33.
Thunderstorm Wind, Rhea
- When
- April 4, 12:30 AM EST
- Where
- Rhea County, 1.68 mi E of St Clair
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 35.730, -84.790
One tree was reported down in the community of Muddy Creek.
Thunderstorm Wind, Claiborne
- When
- April 4, 12:35 AM EST
- Where
- Claiborne County, 0.89 mi NW of Tazewell
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 36.460, -83.580
Several trees were reported down across the county. A home was damaged in Tazewell due to one of these fallen trees.
Thunderstorm Wind, Hamilton
- When
- April 4, 12:40 AM EST
- Where
- Hamilton County, 0.57 mi W of Chickamauga
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 35.070, -85.260
Several trees and power lines were reported down across the county.
Thunderstorm Wind, Hamblen
- When
- April 4, 12:50 AM EST
- Where
- Hamblen County, 1.31 mi WSW of Morristown
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 36.210, -83.300
Several trees were reported down across the county.
Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson
- When
- April 4, 1:05 AM EST
- Where
- Jefferson County, 0.56 mi W of Jefferson Estates
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- NWS Employee
- Coordinates
- 36.150, -83.430
One tree was downed on Old Andrew Johnson Highway.
Thunderstorm Wind, Jefferson
- When
- April 4, 1:15 AM EST
- Where
- Jefferson County, 0.56 mi W of Jefferson City
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 36.120, -83.490
Several trees were reported down in the county.
Thunderstorm Wind, McMinn
- When
- April 4, 1:15 AM EST
- Where
- McMinn County, Athens
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- State Official
- Coordinates
- 35.450, -84.600
Several trees were reported down across the county.
Thunderstorm Wind, Sullivan
- When
- April 4, 1:39 AM EST
- Where
- Sullivan County, 2.78 mi W of Pettyjohns Mill
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Broadcast Media
- Coordinates
- 36.530, -82.500
A tree fell onto a home off Mountain View Avenue.
What these are
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornadoes and Hail in Illinois, April 3, 2018
- Tornadoes and Hail in Kentucky, April 3, 2018
- Tornadoes and Damaging Wind in Kentucky, April 3, 2018
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Ohio, April 3 to 4, 2018
- Damaging Winds in Mississippi, April 3, 2018
- Tornado and Flash Flood in Illinois, April 3 to 4, 2018
- Tornado and Hail in Missouri, April 3, 2018
- Damaging Winds in Texas, April 3, 2018
- Tornado and Hail in Illinois, April 3, 2018
- Damaging Winds in Alabama, April 3, 2018
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Indiana, April 3, 2018
- Tornadoes and Hail in Missouri, April 3, 2018
More
Every storm in Tennessee in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, April 2018
Sources
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: 738590, 738591, 738592, 738593, 738594, 738595, 738596, 738597, 738598, 738599, 738600, 738601, 738602.