Winter Storm — Warren, Tennessee

1998-12-24 · Warren, Tennessee

Event narrative

Widespread trees and power lines down. Caney Fork Electric estimated it cost 1.5 million dollars to restore downed utility poles and power lines. Most of the cost was for labor especially over the Christmas holiday. The damage was worst than the February Ice Storm of 1994 by three fold.

Wider weather episode

Newspaper accounts reported trecherous driving conditions across Franklin county. 1/2 to 3/4 inch of ice was observed at 105 PM on December 24 and there was one injury. In Fentress county, 40 percent of the county was without power and numerous trees were down. 1/2 to 3/4 inch of ice reported as of 1200 PM over Pickett county. Trees were down and power outages along with 11/2 inch of ice reported at 1200 PM over DeKalb county. The Cookville NOAA Weather Radio was knocked off the air, due to ice on power lines in Putnam county. In Overton county there was a car accident with 2 injuries near Alpine. 1/2 inch of ice at 1200 PM at Alpine and 1 inch of ice at Livingston in Overton county. 3 to 4 inches of sleet and ice with 2000 homes without power reported in Cannon county. There was a 1/2 inch of ice at 1110 AM CST in Murfreesboro with several fender benders. Also, 1/2 to 3/4 inch of ice on the ground by 1100 AM CST in Hartsville along with numerous car wrecks. Widespread trees and power lines were down in Warren county. Warren and Coffee counties were the hardest hit counties in this winter storm. Caney Fork Electric estimated it cost 1.5 million dollars to restore downed utility poles and power lines. Most of the cost was for labor especially over the Christmas holiday. The damage was worst than the February Ice Storm of 1994 by three fold for Warren county. Cataclysmic tree and power line damage with one inch of ice in Coffee county. 80 percent of the residents were without power. Most of the damage was done when trees and power lines were coated with an inch of ice. The weight of the ice caused tree limbs and power lines to fall. This storm was considered worse than the February Ice Storm in 1994 for Coffee county.The NWS office at Old Hickory had 0.7 inch of ice at 1100 AM CST. Nashville had 1/2 inch of ice from the storm. Centerville 1 inch and Ashland City received 1 to 2 inches of ice. Major tractor trailer pileup on I-40 eastbound at Mt. Eagle Mountain with 3 injuries in Overton county.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 5674787. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.