Winter Storm — Van Buren, Tennessee

2015-02-20 to 2015-02-21 · Van Buren, Tennessee

Event narrative

Snow and sleet accumulations up to 1.0 fell during the late afternoon on February 20, followed by freezing rain with ice accumulations up to 1 from the evening on February 20 into the early morning hours on February 21. TEMA and local emergency management reported numerous trees and power lines knocked down across the county, including at Fall Creek Falls State Park, with some roadways blocked. Power outages affected some areas for up to 2 weeks. Van Buren County was declared a Presidential disaster area on April 2, 2015.

Wider weather episode

An historic winter storm struck Middle Tennessee just 2 days after a widespread snowfall and only 4 days after another major winter storm affected the area. Light snow moved into the area during the afternoon hours on February 20. Although temperatures remained near or below freezing, the snow transitioned to sleet and eventually freezing rain across Middle Tennessee through the night as temperatures warmed aloft due to a very powerful 850 mb jet. This low level jet was measured at 86 knots on the 12Z February 21 OHX upper air sounding, the highest known measurement of an 850 mb wind speed at NWS Nashville. Continued strong warm air advection gradually warmed surface temperatures above freezing from southwest to northeast across Middle Tennessee during the morning hours on February 21.

Due to significant ice remaining on trees and power lines from the previous winter storms earlier in the week, along with gusty south winds from 30 to 50 mph, widespread ice storm damage occurred across eastern Middle Tennessee. The worst damage was on the Cumberland Plateau, where ice accumulations reached up to 1. This icing brought down thousands of trees, power lines, and power poles, blocking numerous roadways and damaging many homes, businesses, and other structures. Many residents of Fentress, eastern Overton, Cumberland, eastern Putnam, eastern White and Van Buren counties were without power for 2 weeks, and some were without power for up to 1 month. Local utilities companies and emergency management described the ice storm damage as one of the worst natural disasters to ever affect the region, comparable to an EF2 tornado striking the entire area. A Presidential disaster declaration was made for the Cumberland Plateau in April 2015.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 560880. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.