North Carolina, 2023

Damaging Winds in North Carolina, January 3, 2023

January 3, 2023 · NWS MRX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

A line of showers and thunderstorms crossed East Tennessee and southwest North Carolina from west to east during the afternoon. Widespread wind damage was reported.

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 line of showers and thunderstorms crossed East Tennessee and southwest North Carolina from west to east during the afternoon. Widespread wind damage was reported.

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 Jan 3, 3:11 PM EST, 43 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 3, 3:11 PM EST, 43 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 3, 8:12 AM EST, 7 hours 42 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Morristown TN
812 AM EST Tue Jan 3 2023

NCZ060-061-TNZ012>018-035>047-067>074-081>087-098>102-VAZ001-002-
005-006-008-041315-
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-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-Scott VA-Russell-Washington VA-
812 AM EST Tue Jan 3 2023 /712 AM CST Tue Jan 3 2023/

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southwest North
Carolina...east Tennessee and southwest Virginia.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

A strong storm system will affect the area today and Wednesday.
Strong to severe thunderstorms are possible this afternoon, and
again on Wednesday morning. This potential for severe storms is
expected to be mainly in southeast Tennessee and the Cumberland
Plateau. Damaging wind gusts are the main threat, with a low
potential for an isolated tornado. High winds with gusts above 50
mph are likely in and near the mountains today. Also, locally
heavy rainfall and isolated flooding will be possible, mainly
south of Interstate 40.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

No hazardous weather is expected.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and on Wednesday
morning.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jan 3, 3:29 PM EST, 25 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jan 3, 3:34 PM EST, 20 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jan 3, 3:37 PM EST, 17 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jan 3, 3:38 PM EST, 16 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jan 3, 3:41 PM EST, 13 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jan 3, 3:43 PM EST, 11 minutes before
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The radar

The Knoxville radar (KMRX), 118 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:55 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Cherokee

When
January 3, 3:54 PM EST
Where
Cherokee County, 0.69 mi N of Coalville
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
35.190, -83.900

A vehicle was struck by a falling tree near the intersection of Airport Road and Love Road. No injuries were reported after EMS visited the scene. There was an additional report of a tree and power line down in the county.

Thunderstorm Wind, Clay

When
January 3, 4:15 PM EST
Where
Clay County, 1.38 mi N of Hayesville
Measured
52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
35.070, -83.830

A few trees were blown down.

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

More

Every storm in North Carolina in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in North Carolina, January 2023

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1070036, 1070037.