A deepening low pressure system shifted northeast from the Lower Mississippi Valley through the Eastern Great Lakes. The strong pressure gradient between high pressure over the Eastern Seaboard and the advancing low, generated fast low level winds the produced a mountain wave acceleration of wind flow across the Southern Appalachians.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 deepening low pressure system shifted northeast from the Lower Mississippi Valley through the Eastern Great Lakes. The strong pressure gradient between high pressure over the Eastern Seaboard and the advancing low, generated fast low level winds the produced a mountain wave acceleration of wind flow across the Southern Appalachians.
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 12, 12:37 AM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Morristown TN
1237 AM EST Tue Feb 12 2019
.AVIATION...Scattered showers will continue to push into the
Southern Appalachian Region tonight...ahead of an approaching cold
front. This will keep low clouds...generally IFR to LIFR...in place
with areas of fog expected through the overnight hours. The main
line of showers with possibly a stray rumble of thunder will track
across the TAF sites Tuesday morning into the afternoon. As a
result...expect persistent low clouds and reduced VIS as well as
widespread SHRA. Also of concern will be winds through the TAf
period. A strong 850MB jet accompanying the front will create a
large area of strong winds for LLWS from around 06Z to 09z tonight
through the end of the TAF period. Additionally...as the showers
moves through...they may pull down these winds and generate
occasional breezy and gusty wind at the terminals...mainly during
the afternoon hours. The precip should begin to exit the area after
00Z but low clouds...areas of fog and breezy winds will continue
through the end of the period.
&&
.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...None.
TN...Flash Flood Watch from 4 AM EST early this morning through this
evening for Anderson-Campbell-Claiborne-Grainger-Hamblen-
Hancock-Hawkins-Jefferson-Johnson-Knox-Morgan-Northwest
Carter-Northwest Greene-Scott TN-Southeast Carter-Sullivan-
Unicoi-Union-Washington TN.
Wind Advisory until 4 PM EST this afternoon for Johnson-
Southeast Carter-Southeast Greene-Southeast Monroe-Unicoi.
High Wind Warning until 4 PM EST this afternoon for Blount Smoky
Mountains-Cocke Smoky Mountains-Sevier Smoky Mountains.
VA...Flash Flood Watch from 4 AM EST early this morning through this
evening for Lee-Russell-Scott-Washington-Wise.
Wind Advisory until 4 PM EST this afternoon for Russell-Wise.
&&Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Morristown TN 756 PM EST Mon Feb 11 2019 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-130100- 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- 756 PM EST Mon Feb 11 2019 /656 PM CST Mon Feb 11 2019/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Southwest North Carolina...East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. .DAY ONE...Tonight An approaching cold front will bring strong gusty winds to the far east Tennessee and southwest Virginia Mountains and adjacent foothills late tonight through Tuesday afternoon. Sustained winds of 25-40 mph with gusts over 60 mph are expected across the Smoky Mountains and adjacent foothills which could result in tree damage and a few power outages. Scattered showers will move into the region over night. Given the saturated ground from recent rains, pockets of flash flooding could occur. Use caution if traveling. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday An area of rain, some moderate to locally heavy, will move across the area throughout the day which could result in pockets of flash flooding. Use caution if traveling. A line of showers and possibly a thunderstorm will move across the region from mid-morning through early afternoon. Isolated strong winds are possible with this line. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated at this time.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A 67 mph wind gust was recorded at the Cove Mountain wind tower.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, February 2019
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: 798812.