At 500 MB, a strong western Atlantic high pressure ridge and a deep low pressure trough over the High Plains were denoted at the surface by a slow-moving cold front over the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys. This resulted in unseasonably warm and humid conditions across east Tennessee and southwest Virginia, and widespread heavy rains.
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.
At 500 MB, a strong western Atlantic high pressure ridge and a deep low pressure trough over the High Plains were denoted at the surface by a slow-moving cold front over the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys. This resulted in unseasonably warm and humid conditions across east Tennessee and southwest Virginia, and widespread heavy rains.
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 10, 6:37 PM EST, 1 hour 51 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Morristown TN
637 PM EST Sat Feb 10 2018
.AVIATION...Poor flight conditions through the period at all sites
as periods of moderate to heavy rainfall occur. Ceilings improve
to MVFR range early tomorrow morning as the heavier rain becomes
light to moderate. Expecting TYS and TRI to further improve to VFR
by late tomorrow afternoon.
&&
.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...Flood Watch through Sunday evening for Cherokee-Clay.
TN...Flood Watch through Sunday evening for 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...Flood Watch through Sunday evening for Lee-Russell-Scott-
Washington-Wise.
&&
SRHazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Morristown TN 310 AM EST Sat Feb 10 2018 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-110815- 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- 310 AM EST Sat Feb 10 2018 /210 AM CST Sat Feb 10 2018/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Southwest North Carolina...East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight ...Periods of Heavy Rain and Potential Flooding... ...Flood Watch is in effect through Sunday for east Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and southwest North Carolina... A strong, slowly progressing storm system and associated frontal boundary will produce a very moist southerly flow over the Tennessee Valley and southern Appalachians. This moisture will produce periods of rain, occasionally heavy, through tonight. Heaviest rainfall is expected overnight tonight with greatest rainfall totals expected across the Plateau, southeast Tennessee, and southwest North Carolina. The excessive runoff may produce flooding of low- lying areas, street flooding, and stream and river flooding. Gusty winds reaching to near 40 mph are also possible near the mountains late today and tonight. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday ...Periods of Heavy Rain Will Persist Through Sunday... ...Flood Watch is in effect through Sunday for east Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and southwest North Carolina... Continued moderate to heavy rains are expected Sunday before gradually diminishing on Monday. Weekend rainfall totals in excess of three inches over some areas could lead to continued flooding problems into Monday. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Multiple road closures across the county. Several mudslides. Some evacuations taking place in Big Stone Gap.
Multiple road closures across the county.
Several road closures around the county.
Water entered a few buildings in the city, including a public works building. Some road closures.
Water rescue in Powell Valley. Subject attempted to drive through high water and was pushed into the river. No injuries.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, February 2018
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: 735690, 735691, 735694, 735701, 735703.