High Wind — Claiborne, Tennessee

2024-09-27 · Claiborne, Tennessee

Event narrative

A prolonged wind event from Helene combined with extremely saturated soils led to widespread trees blown down across Claiborne County, resulting in severe damage to the local utility electric grid, with a couple hundred service calls to address downed trees, snapped electric poles, and damaged powerlines across the county.

Wider weather episode

Tropical Storm Helene caps off a several day heavy rainfall event in association with a stalled closed upper low that drew a stream of tropical moisture into the area on the 25th and 26th. The arrival of Helene on the 27th yielded catastrophic flash flooding and river flooding, as well as significant wind damage as wet soils and strong wind gusts led to forest damage.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1218020. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.