10 years later: Local meteorologist reflects on anniversary of 2011 Super Tornado Outbreak and its impact on the Tri-Cities
Tuesday marks ten years since one of the deadliest tornado outbreaks in the history of the United States unleashed its devastating effects on communities in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia.
The Super Outbreak of 2011 spanned three days from April 26-28, and unleashed hundreds of violent tornadoes that ravaged parts of the South, Midwest, and Northeast. The Tri-Cities was not immune from receiving tornadoes, as on April 27, several strong twisters touched down in the late evening into the early morning hours of April 28. Some of the most devastating storms can be found below:
*Camp Creek (Greene County, TN)- Confirmed EF3 that killed six and injured 33.
*Horse Creek (Greene County, TN)- Confirmed EF3 that killed two injured 70.
*Glade Spring (Washington County, VA)- Confirmed EF3 that killed three and injured 50.
*Butler (Johnson County, TN)- Confirmed EF2 that killed two.
Dave Hotz, Meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Morristown, worked on April 27, 2011 and reflected on that historic day in a conversation with Supertalk.
“Having over 50 tornadoes in a 24 hour time span across the Southern Appalachians area is very historical. We had no clue that is was going to be that big, and I don’t think anybody realized that it was going to be that massive across East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia,” Hotz said.
When asked about some of the elements that made these storms so violent, Hotz mentioned that the size of the hail combined with the high wind speed was a factor in causing significant property damage.
Hotz said a severe weather outbreak of this magnitude and in this area of the country is a once in a generation event, but stressed the importance of being prepared should another large scale tornado outbreak be in the forecast.
“This type of day is one of these days that you need to stay aware of the weather for your own life and the life of your own family,” said Hotz.
Basic tips on staying safe during a tornado can be found by clicking here.
Photo Courtesy: National Weather Service/NOAA
