A few thunderstorms developed over the higher terrain across the region and strengthened while drifting slowly northeast. Damaging wind gusts developed with these isolated storms.
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 few thunderstorms developed over the higher terrain across the region and strengthened while drifting slowly northeast. Damaging wind gusts developed with these isolated storms.
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 Jul 31, 2:09 PM EST, 3 hours 14 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Morristown TN 309 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019 .SHORT TERM...(Tonight and Thursday)... Upper and mid-level trough axis remains across the area tonight and Thursday with some ridging and subsidence building in on the west side of this axis. Expect convective activity to decrease quickly after sunset with the loss of daytime heating. Areas that receive rainfall this evening and have a clearing sky will likely see some areas of fog late tonight and Thursday morning. This seems most likely across western portions of the forecast area and the Sequatchie Valley where mid-level subsidence and drying will be most pronounced. Further east, questions exist about the extent of a mid-level cloud deck late tonight and early Thursday which could inhibit fog like the past few mornings. Longwave troughing remains across the forecast area on Thursday. The GFS, NAM, and ECMWF all show a small shortwave dropping southeastward through the upper-level NW flow toward the region Thursday afternoon. This should allow for an increase in afternoon thunderstorms along and east of the trough axis across much of the area. Lower PoPs are expected across the far NW portions of the forecast area where subsidence will be stronger; however, will keep chance PoPs for these areas due to the uncertainty of exact placement of the trough axis and because of higher elevations aiding thunderstorms coverage along the northern Cumberland Plateau. HREF places MLCAPE between 1500 and 2000 J/Kg across the valley and eastern mountains with lower values near 1000 J/Kg across the northern Cumberland Plateau. Deep layer shear remains weak near 10 to 20 kt which will favor primarily ordinary pulse convection. Localized severe downburst winds appear probable with DCAPE of 1100 to 1300 J/Kg across much of the forecast area. PW values of 1.3 to 1.6 inches are not anomalous for this time of year, so any excessive rain threat appears low. Any localized flash flood risk would be primarily across regions with low FFG near urban areas and would be aided by slow movement of thunderstorms. Thunderstorm activity should quickly diminish after sunset as instability decreases with the loss of daytime heating and weak subsidence in the wake of the departing shortwave trough. .LONG TERM...(Thursday night through Wednesday)... There will be little change in the large scale pattern across the country through the long term period as a large high pressure ridge over the Southwest and another ridge over the western Atlantic will result in a blocking pattern and a broad trough over the eastern US. The clockwise flow around the Atlantic ridge will supply deep moisture to the Carolinas and Southern Appalachians, with our area on the western edge. With this pattern we can expect to see mainly scattered diurnal showers and thunderstorms each day, with the highest chances in the mountains along the NC border and the lowest chances along the Plateau. One period of enhanced rain chances appears to be on Sunday afternoon as a shortwave trough moves through the larger trough, providing a little better synoptic lift and drawing the deep moisture farther north and west. Some slight eastward progression of the longwave trough may occur on Tuesday and Wednesday, and with the models showing the trough axis to our east, PoPs will be lowered to slight chances those days. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... Chattanooga Airport, TN 71 90 70 88 / 20 30 20 30 Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport, TN 68 87 68 86 / 20 30 20 30 Oak Ridge, TN 68 88 68 88 / 20 30 20 30 Tri Cities Airport, TN 65 86 64 86 / 20 50 30 50 && .MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... NC...None. TN...None. VA...None. && JB/DGS
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Morristown TN 324 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-011930- Cherokee-Clay-Scott-Campbell-Claiborne-Hancock-Hawkins-Sullivan- Johnson-Morgan-Anderson-Union-Grainger-Hamblen-Northwest Cocke- Cocke Smoky Mountains-Northwest Greene-Southeast Greene- Washington-Unicoi-Northwest Carter-Southeast Carter-Roane-Loudon- Knox-Jefferson-Northwest 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-Russell- 324 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019 /224 PM CDT Wed Jul 31 2019/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southwest North Carolina...east Tennessee and southwest Virginia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Scattered showers and thunderstorms can be expected, especially this afternoon into early evening. A few of these thunderstorms may become strong, with locally damaging winds and torrential downpours. The primary impacts will be a few downed trees, localized power outages, and localized flooding, primarily in urban and poor drainage areas. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Scattered showers and thunderstorms can be expected Thursday afternoon into early evening. A few of these thunderstorms may become strong, with locally damaging winds and torrential downpours. The primary impacts will be a few downed trees, localized power outages, and localized flooding, primarily in urban and poor drainage areas. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not anticipated, but spotters are encouraged to submit any reports of severe weather through the web by going to www.weather.gov/mrx/SpotterReports.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Morristown TN 518 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019 TNZ035-067-312145- Roane TN-Morgan TN- 518 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SOUTH CENTRAL MORGAN AND NORTH CENTRAL ROANE COUNTIES UNTIL 545 PM EDT... At 518 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Rockwood, moving northeast at 10 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Rockwood, Harriman, Oakdale and Pine Orchard. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. && LAT...LON 3588 8465 3598 8471 3608 8456 3592 8448 TIME...MOT...LOC 2118Z 230DEG 9KT 3597 8464 Garuckas
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Morristown TN 532 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019 TNZ046-047-312200- Northwest Carter TN-Southeast Carter TN- 532 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019 ...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR CENTRAL CARTER COUNTY UNTIL 600 PM EDT... At 532 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Elizabethton, moving east at 10 mph. Winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm. Locations impacted include... Elizabethton, Central, Hampton and Hunter. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways. Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle. && LAT...LON 3626 8228 3633 8230 3643 8214 3626 8208 TIME...MOT...LOC 2132Z 253DEG 7KT 3631 8223 Garuckas
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Morristown TN
535 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019
VAZ008-312200-
Washington VA-
535 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY
UNTIL 600 PM EDT...
At 534 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Abingdon, moving east at 10 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Abingdon, Glade Spring, Lindell and Emory-Meadow View.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3671 8196 3681 8197 3688 8179 3679 8170
3673 8167
TIME...MOT...LOC 2134Z 259DEG 8KT 3676 8190
GaruckasSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Morristown TN
539 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019
TNZ071-073-312215-
NW Blount TN-North Sevier TN-
539 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN BLOUNT AND WEST
CENTRAL SEVIER COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM EDT...
At 539 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 9
miles east of Eagleton Village, or 11 miles east of Maryville, moving
east at 15 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Pigeon Forge, Townsend, Wears Valley, Roundtop Mountain State Park
and Walland.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3569 8384 3580 8383 3583 8360 3569 8362
3567 8375
TIME...MOT...LOC 2139Z 272DEG 11KT 3575 8377
GaruckasSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Morristown TN
559 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019
VAZ008-312230-
Washington VA-
559 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EAST CENTRAL WASHINGTON COUNTY
UNTIL 630 PM EDT...
At 558 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Chilhowie. This storm was nearly stationary.
Pea size hail and wind gusts up to 50 mph will be possible with this
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Glade Spring and Emory-Meadow View.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3672 8186 3682 8183 3684 8174 3679 8170
3672 8166
TIME...MOT...LOC 2158Z 284DEG 2KT 3678 8178
GaruckasSpecial Weather Statement
National Weather Service Morristown TN
601 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019
VAZ006-312230-
Russell VA-
601 PM EDT Wed Jul 31 2019
...SIGNIFICANT WEATHER ADVISORY FOR NORTHEASTERN RUSSELL COUNTY UNTIL
630 PM EDT...
At 601 PM EDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 7
miles southeast of Davenport, moving east at 10 mph.
Winds in excess of 40 mph will be possible with this storm.
Locations impacted include...
Honaker and Dye.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may lead
to localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded
roadways.
Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm.
Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe
shelter inside a building or vehicle.
&&
LAT...LON 3711 8189 3705 8183 3702 8181 3700 8204
3704 8206 3705 8204 3707 8202 3709 8202
3712 8201 3713 8199 3712 8197 3713 8196
3713 8193 3714 8190
TIME...MOT...LOC 2201Z 254DEG 8KT 3705 8201
GaruckasThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 136 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:24 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Two trees were reported down in Glade Springs and the surrounding vicinity.
One tree was reported down on Glove Road on the southeast side of Glade Springs.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, July 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: 832824, 832825.