Flash Flood — Johnson, Tennessee

2024-09-27 to 2024-09-28 · near Trade, Johnson, Tennessee

Event narrative

Reports of water rescues in Trade were received at 8:30 am EST. By 9:30 am EST, multiple structures had been damaged by flood waters throughout Trade. Damaging flood waters occurred in Mountain City and northward through Laurel Bloomery through the morning. Employees at the Parkdale Plant between Mountain City and Midway were evacuated by helicopter. Antioch Baptist Church near Midway was completely washed away by Roan Creek, to which it was adjacent. Portions of TN 91 from Laurel Bloomery northward to the state line were washed out. Flooding hazards in the county continued into the night. Reports were received from county officials, trained spotters, social media, and broadcast media.

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.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (36.3790, -81.7500)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1218745. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.