Following the devastating tornado outbreak across Kentucky and neighboring areas, a line of strong to severe storms moved through the Tennessee Valley region Saturday morning into the early afternoon. The main impact across the region was damaging winds, with many areas having numerous downed trees and a few snapped powerlines.
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.
Following the devastating tornado outbreak across Kentucky and neighboring areas, a line of strong to severe storms moved through the Tennessee Valley region Saturday morning into the early afternoon. The main impact across the region was damaging winds, with many areas having numerous downed trees and a few snapped powerlines. Thousands lost power in the region, with a few injuries reported as well.
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 11, 5:46 AM EST, 49 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
National Weather Service Morristown TN
546 AM EST Sat Dec 11 2021
.UPDATE...
FOR 12Z AVIATION.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
Quick update to include the tornado watch information. Also made
adjustments to hourly temperature forecast.
&&
.AVIATION...
12Z TAF DISCUSSION.
Strong storm system will move across the TAF sites during the next
12 hours. A line of showers and embedded thunderstorms will move
across the TAF sites between 14-17Z. High wind gusts to 35kts+
are expected with this squall line along with heavy downpour.
This band of convection will be along and ahead of a frontal
boundary. The tight pressure gradients with this system will
produce a strong low-level jet of 60-70kts at 850mb. The tight
pressure gradient will produce windy conditions at all TAF sites
before and after the frontal passage. Southwest winds of 15 to
25kts with gusts to 30kts are anticipated becoming west then
northwest after FROPA.
Dry air will quickly move in behind the frontal passage this
evening with ceilings/vis becoming VFR with gradual weakening of
the pressure gradients.
&&
.MRX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NC...NONE.
TN...High Wind Warning until 4 PM EST this afternoon for Blount Smoky
Mountains-Cocke Smoky Mountains-Sevier Smoky Mountains-
Southeast Monroe.
Wind Advisory until 4 PM EST this afternoon for Anderson-Bradley-
East Polk-Grainger-Hamblen-Hamilton-Hancock-Hawkins-
Jefferson-Johnson-Knox-Loudon-McMinn-Meigs-North Sevier-
Northwest Blount-Northwest Carter-Northwest Cocke-Northwest
Greene-Northwest Monroe-Rhea-Roane-Southeast Carter-
Southeast Greene-Sullivan-Unicoi-Union-Washington-West Polk.
Wind Advisory until 4 PM EST /3 PM CST/ this afternoon for
Bledsoe-Campbell-Claiborne-Marion-Morgan-Scott-Sequatchie.
VA...Wind Advisory until 4 PM EST this afternoon for Lee-Russell-
Scott-Washington-Wise.
&&Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Morristown TN 315 AM EST Sat Dec 11 2021 NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002- 005-006-008-120815- 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- 315 AM EST Sat Dec 11 2021 /215 AM CST Sat Dec 11 2021/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southwest North Carolina...east Tennessee and southwest Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight High winds will continue to develop across the mountains today with windy conditions area-wide. A high wind warning has been issued for the Smoky Mountains. A wind advisory is in effect for the rest of east Tennessee and southwest Virginia. A line of storms will move quickly across the area this morning into early afternoon. Strong gusty winds are likely with localized damaging winds. Localized down trees and power lines are expected. An isolated tornado is possible across the Plateau and southeast Tennessee this morning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday No hazardous weather is expected. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be needed today.
The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 120 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 11:34 UTC.
19 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A few trees were blown down east of the Big South Fork National Park.
A few trees were blown down south of Big South Fork National Park.
A few trees were blown down near Jellico.
Several trees were blown down near Jasper.
Several trees were blown down near South Pittsburg.
Trees were blown down in multiple locations south of Pikeville.
Multiple trees were blown down south of Interstate 40, near exit 347 along U.S. 27.
A few trees were blown down to the northeast of Chattanooga.
A tree was blown down and injured one person off Campbell Station Road.
Multiple trees and power lines were blown down.
Over 20 trees were blown down in the Karns community. One tree fell on a home.
Multiple trees and power lines were blown down near Etowah.
Several trees were blown down in Halls.
Multiple trees were blown down on U.S. 411.
Numerous trees were blown down around the county.
Wind damaged a mobile home. A couple was injured and had to be helped from their home.
Multiple trees were blown down.
Trees and power lines were blown down on Kidwell Ridge Road.
Trees were blown down around the county.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Tennessee in 2021Every state in 2021This day in weather historyWarnings in Tennessee, December 2021
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: 993233, 993235, 993237, 993238, 993240, 993242, 993243, 993244, 993246, 993247, 993248, 993249, 993251, 993252, 993253, 993254, 993255, 993256, 993258.