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…]

Oak Ridge Schools on two-hour delay Thursday as temperature plummets

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Bitterly Cold Temperatures

Images courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown

Note: This story was updated at 7:12 p.m.

The temperature in Oak Ridge is expected to drop to 7 degree Fahrenheit Wednesday night, and Oak Ridge Schools will be on a two-hour delay on Thursday morning because of the cold weather.

The high on Thursday is forecast at 25 in Oak Ridge, and it’s expected to climb to 34 on Friday, when President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and Biden’s wife Jill visit Pellissippi State Community College in west Knox County and Techmer PM in Clinton. [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.

Forecast: Severe thunderstorms, heavy rain; tornado, flood watches issued

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NWS Severe Thunderstorms, Rain, Wind

Image courtesy National Weather Service in Morristown.

 

Severe thunderstorms, heavy rain, and flooding are possible in the region starting Monday evening and continuing through Tuesday night, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

Isolated tornadoes are possible, mainly across the Cumberland Plateau and southern half of the Tennessee Valley, the Weather Service said. A tornado watch remains in effect until 8 p.m. Monday for southwestern Virginia and East Tennessee. The watch includes Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Roane, and Scott counties, among others.

The flood watch is in effect from 8 p.m. today until 8 a.m. Tuesday.

The National Weather Service said its main concerns are the isolated tornadoes, widespread damaging winds that could cause power outages due to fallen trees and power lines, and heavy rainfall producing flash flooding. Large hail is also possible.

The forecast near Oak Ridge calls for a 60 percent chance of heavy rain this afternoon, with a 100 percent chance of severe thunderstorms tonight. [Read more…]

Severe thunderstorms expected through this evening

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Severe Thunderstorms

Severe thunderstorms are expected across East Tennessee through this evening, with damaging winds and large hail possible. (Image courtesy of National Weather Service in Morristown.)

Severe thunderstorms are expected across East Tennessee through this evening, with damaging winds and large hail possible.

Localized flooding and isolated tornadoes are also possible, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.

The forecast for Oak Ridge calls for showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly after midnight. [Read more…]

Strong, damaging winds possible through this afternoon

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A strong low pressure system moving northeast through East Tennessee and southwest North Carolina and Virginia could produce damaging winds through this afternoon along the foothills and eastern mountains, and some snowfall is possible in the region, forecasters said.

The system could produce strong southerly winds between 25 and 40 mph, and gusts over 70 mph are possible, the National Weather Service in Morristown said.

“As a cold front moves through the region today, cold air will rush in behind it, changing the rain to snow late this afternoon, with some snow showers persisting across the area tonight,” an NWS hazardous weather outlook said. “Light snowfall is possible, especially across the higher elevations of southwest Virginia and far East Tennessee mountains Wednesday night into Thursday.”

[Read more…]