Oak Ridge Today

Saturday storms knock down trees, damage property

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144 North Slope Lane

A house on North Slope Lane near Hidden Hills Drive received the most damage, authorities said. Hidden Hills Drive is off Hidden Valley Road, which runs between State Route 61 and Laurel Road northeast of Oak Ridge.

 

The storms that blew through on Saturday brought high winds and heavy rain to parts of East Tennessee. There were some trees and power lines down in Anderson County.

“The Claxton area, especially around West Wolf Valley Road, and near Laurel Road between Clinton and Oak Ridge were the hardest hit,” Anderson County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Mark Lucas said Saturday evening.

He said there was minor damage reported from trees or limbs on houses. One house on North Slope Lane near Hidden Valley Road received the most damage, Lucas said.

There were no reported injuries.

Most trees and power lines across roads were cleared by Saturday evening, Lucas said. [Read more…]

Small roof collapse temporarily closes The Other One, but food truck will offer limited menu outside

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The Other One Diner Deli and Dive

The Other One Diner Deli and Dive, a family-owned restaurant, is in Grove Center in Oak Ridge.

 

Note: This story was updated at 11:20 p.m.

Part of the roof collapsed into the kitchen at The Other One on Tuesday, and the restaurant is temporarily closed while repairs are made. But a food truck will offer a limited menu outside on Thursday.

The popular mom-and-pop burger and sandwich shop at Grove Center is owned and operated by Amanda Caldwell and Jimmy Long.

Early Wednesday afternoon, Caldwell said The Other One, which has been open for five years, could be closed for up to one week.

She said a section of the original roof estimated to be about two feet by three feet collapsed at about 5:50 p.m. Tuesday after a day of heavy rain and thunderstorms. No one was hurt, although two employees were in the kitchen at the time and the restaurant had to close, Caldwell said. [Read more…]

Strong to severe storms, flooding possible today

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Strong to Severe Storms

 

Strong to severe storms and flooding are possible across the region as a band of showers and storms slowly moves east across the area, forecasters said.

A flood advisory is in effect in Oak Ridge and Clinton, among other areas, through 11:15 a.m., and a flood watch is in effect from noon to 11 p.m.

The National Weather Service in Morristown has also issued a wind advisory that applies to Oak Ridge and Clinton, among other areas. It’s in effect through 8 p.m.

The NWS said heavy rainfall of one to two inches can be expected across much of the area, and rainfall of up to three inches is possible in a few locations. The rain and storms are expected today over the southern Appalachians and eastern Tennessee Valley as a strong storm moves east from the Mississippi Valley, slowly pushing a cold front across the area. [Read more…]

NWS: Showers, thunderstorms this afternoon, evening

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Showers and Thunderstorms

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

Showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening could lead to locally heavy rainfall and minor flooding, forecasters said.

Lightning and gusty winds are also possible, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

There is a 70 percent chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and tonight near Oak Ridge, with a high of 83, the NWS said.

There is a 60 percent chance of showers on Friday, with a high of 81.

The greatest chance of precipitation in the area today is late this afternoon through midnight, forecasters said.

After Dark movie ‘The Goonies’ moved to Civic Center due to rain, storms

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The Goonies

Submitted

The location and time of the Oak Ridge After Dark event tonight has been changed due to rain and storms expected to remain in the region this evening. The event will now take place in the gymnasium of the Oak Ridge Civic Center, and the movie will start promptly at 7 p.m. No chairs can be brought into the facility, but blankets are allowed and the bleachers will also be available for seating.

“Although the weather poses a threat, we plan to keep the momentum of Oak Ridge After Dark going,” said Sam Jones, Oak Ridge After Dark coordinator. “The plan to host the event inside the Civic Center gym will ensure safety and comfort for all attendees. We hope a large crowd will come out to support the second installment of the series.”

The theme of tonight’s After Dark event is Pirate Night. Children are encouraged to dress as their favorite characters in conjunction with each theme. Themed characters will be on hand for photo opportunities. Visit the Historic Oak Ridge Facebook page or http://oakridgevisitor.com/2014/07/01/oak-ridge-after-dark/ for a complete list of scheduled films.

The After Dark series also includes a Comedy Night on Friday, August 8, followed by Hero Night on Friday, August 15. [Read more…]

Oak Ridge: 4,000 lose power, 70 homes damaged

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Wadsworth Circle Home Tree

One of two trees that fell on a home on West Wadsworth Circle. The second tree, visible on the ground in the background, punched a hole in the roof and displaced a mother, grandmother, and two children.

 

Note: This story was last updated at 2:40 p.m.

Roughly 4,000 customers lost power in the Tuesday evening storm, and about 70 damaged homes will require repairs by an electrician before power can be restored, an Oak Ridge official said Wednesday morning.

Oak Ridge Electric Director Jack Suggs said he doesn’t recall ever having 70 homes damaged in one storm, although the Electric Department has experienced worse storms when many utility poles were broken. But the brief, fierce Tuesday storm, which brought severe winds and driving rain, was significant in terms of its damage to homes and its far-reaching nature, from Blair Road on the west end of town to east Oak Ridge and beyond—into Clinton and Anderson County, Suggs said.

“It was pretty widespread,” Suggs said.

Janet Bowker on Plymouth Circle and Storm Debris

Janet Bowker, left, walks through debris on Plymouth Circle in front of her home, where a tree fell into her bedroom during the Tuesday evening storm. Her home is at right but not visible in this picture. There were no injuries, but Bowker does not have power now.

 

The storm, which ripped through Oak Ridge at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, left a trail of debris: scattered branches and limbs, broken trees, fallen power lines, and damaged buildings and homes. It also triggered a flood of calls to the city’s 911 call dispatch center.

About 500 customers remained without power around noon Wednesday, including the 70 damaged homes. [Read more…]

NWS: Chance of snow Wednesday, sunny Thanksgiving

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National Weather Service Storm Warning

The National Weather Service says a strong regional storm system could bring heavy rain, sleet, and snow early this week. (Images courtesy National Weather Service)

The National Weather Service in Morristown is warning of a strong regional storm system that could bring heavy rain, sleet, and snow to East Tennessee and southwest Virginia early this week.

Forecasters said rain will move into the area tonight (Monday night) and could briefly change over to or mix with sleet around daybreak Tuesday. The rain is expected to continue Tuesday, with some minor local flooding possible.

Colder air moving into the region on Tuesday night could change the rain to snow, starting at higher elevations in the evening and working down to the foothills and some valleys after midnight, forecasters said.

 

[Read more…]

TVA breaks all-time record for power generation from its dams

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Norris Dam

The Norris Dam in Anderson County can produce electricity for the Tennessee Valley Authority. (Photo courtesy TVA)

KNOXVILLE—More electricity was generated from the Tennessee Valley Authority’s 29 hydroelectric dams in fiscal year 2013, which ended Sept. 30, than in any other year in the agency’s 80-year history.

The dams provided 18.5 million megawatt-hours of clean, renewable energy, breaking the previous record set in 1973 by 122,000 MWh. That is enough electricity to serve more than 1.2 million homes in the TVA service area for an entire year.

Above-average rain and runoff fueled the increase in hydro generation. The Tennessee Valley received almost 62 inches of rainfall and almost 30 inches of runoff in fiscal 2013, which were 121 percent and 136 percent of normal, respectively. Runoff is the amount of rainfall that actually reaches streams and creeks, and eventually the Tennessee River, its tributaries, and TVA’s dams. [Read more…]

TVA releasing dam water to reduce Tennessee River flooding

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The Tennessee Valley Authority on Wednesday said it is working to move large volumes of water—as much as one million gallons per second in some places—along the Tennessee River system to reduce potentially damaging flooding from record rainfall.

TVA said it prepared for this event by lowering reservoir levels on the main channel of the Tennessee River beginning the last week of June, leaving some areas below normal for this time of year. [Read more…]

Pictures: Flooding on Windrock Road in Oliver Springs

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Windrock Road Flooding

Flooding along Windrock Road in Oliver Springs on Sunday afternoon after days of heavy rain.

Days of heavy rain that tapered off Sunday flooded streams and roads in East Tennessee, and caused many cities to reschedule their July 4 fireworks shows.

Here are two pictures of flooding along Windrock Road in Oliver Springs on Sunday afternoon. [Read more…]

Fireworks still scheduled for tonight as heavier rains move out of area

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July 4 Fireworks Setup

Workers set up fireworks at A.K. Bissell Park in Oak Ridge for a Sunday evening (July 7) show. (Photo by Darryl Kerley)

The Oak Ridge fireworks show is still scheduled for this evening, and crews were loading the fireworks Sunday morning, Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said.

The July 4 fireworks were rescheduled for 10 p.m. today (Sunday, July 7) because of forecasts calling for heavy rain before and on Independence Day.

The event itself starts at 7 p.m. today at A.K. Bissell Park. Radio host Jack Ryan will be transmitting live from the park beginning at 6 p.m. and will conclude the live broadcast on Merle 96.7 FM with a patriotic medley as the fireworks are shot, according to a city press release last week. [Read more…]

Heavy rains continue, flood watch in effect through Sunday evening

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East Tennessee Flood Watch

A flood watch remains in effect in East Tennessee through Sunday evening, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown. (Image courtesy NWS/Morristown)

Heavy rains have continued through this weekend, and a flood watch remains in effect for much of East Tennessee through Sunday evening.

The National Weather Service in Morristown said an additional one to two inches of rain is possible through 8 p.m. Sunday.

The Weather Service has issued a urban and small stream flood advisory through 10:30 a.m. in Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Knox, Loudon, Roane, Scott, and Union counties. Local law enforcement personnel have reported minor flooding across low-lying areas and some county roadways, and some small streams are “bank full,” forecasters said.

[Read more…]