Heavy Snow — Northwest Carter, Tennessee

2013-01-17 · Northwest Carter, Tennessee

Event narrative

A snowfall amount of 3.5 inches was reported four miles west of Elizabethton.

Wider weather episode

Very strong lifting of a moist air mass in the presence of an upper level low pressure system resulted in a heavy wet snowfall event during the period from around noon est until early evening. Atmospheric dynamics were so intense at times, that lightning was generated; i.e. thundersnow. Much of the snow accumulated across the region from Central East Tennessee northeast through Southwest Virginia, generally north of Interstate 40 and east of Interstate 75. The upper level low moved east from Northern to Northeast Georgia generating 3 to 5 inches of snow across the Great Valley of Central East Tennessee northeast to the Tri-Cities area. Much greater snowfall amounts occurred across Southwest Virginia with enhancement in the higher terrain in this region as well as over the mountains of Northeast Tennessee. In these areas, snowfall amounts ranged from 6 inches to as much as a foot in the highest elevations across Southwest Virginia.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 421961. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.