Flash Flood — Monroe, Tennessee

2023-08-14 to 2023-08-15 · near Tellico Plains, Monroe, Tennessee

Event narrative

Multiple road closures due to flash flooding. Washouts occurred along the Cherohala Skyway at MM 4.5, and along Hwy 360 northeast of Tellico Plains. Other road damages in the Cherokee National Forest blocked access to homes. Floodwaters entered several buildings, and flooded the ball park to nearly a foot of depth. Rain gauge and radar estimates depicted around 5 inches of rain fell over this mountainous area. EM estimates $6 million in damages to the area, while another $4 million was requested for repairs in the National Forest. These estimates did not include apparent losses to agriculture.

Wider weather episode

A highly anomalous weather pattern involving a closed low and a trailing cold front brought discrete thunderstorms and multicell clusters in multiple rounds to east Tennessee. Repeat events as well as training of cells resulted in flash flooding, some of it significant.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.2984, -84.3878)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1134671. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.