Severe Thunderstorms Batter Cleveland Area in East Tennessee
Three back-to-back severe thunderstorm warnings hit the Cleveland, Tennessee area on June 22, with 60 mph gusts threatening roofs, siding, and trees along a wide swath of east Tennessee.
CLEVELAND, TENNESSEE — Severe thunderstorm warnings affected east Tennessee on Monday evening, with the Cleveland area experiencing storms capable of producing 60 mph wind gusts, according to the National Weather Service office in Morristown, Tennessee.
The storms led to three separate severe thunderstorm warnings across Bradley, Polk, McMinn, and Hamilton counties between mid-afternoon and early evening on June 22, while a broader severe thunderstorm watch covered much of northwest and north Georgia through 11 p.m. EDT.
Three Rounds of Warnings Hit the Region
The first warning was issued at 4:14 p.m. EDT and included Cleveland, South Cleveland, East Cleveland, Wildwood Lake, McDonald, Waterville, Hopewell, Flint Springs, Gap Springs, and Tasso. The storm was over South Cleveland and moving east at 40 mph, with radar indicating 60 mph wind gusts and the potential for damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
A second warning followed at 4:24 p.m. EDT, effective until 5:00 p.m. EDT, for southeastern Bradley County and western Polk County. The National Weather Service reported a severe thunderstorm over East Cleveland, near Cleveland, also moving east at 40 mph with the same 60 mph gust hazard. Locations under that warning included Cleveland, Benton, East Cleveland, Wildwood Lake, South Cleveland, Parksville, Reliance, Archville, Hiwassee Ocoee State Park, and Waterville.
A third warning was issued at 6:47 p.m. EDT, lasting until 7:30 p.m. EDT, expanding the threat area to include Bradley County, western Polk County, south central McMinn County, and southeastern Hamilton County. A severe thunderstorm had been detected over Wildwood Lake, near Cleveland, moving east at 50 mph.
Interstate 75 Corridor Affected
The first and third warnings specifically noted impacts along Interstate 75 in Tennessee between mile markers 16 and 33, alerting motorists in that stretch of the highway to the threat of damaging winds.
The third warning’s affected communities included Cleveland, Benton, Charleston, South Cleveland, East Cleveland, Wildwood Lake, Calhoun, Waterville, Conasauga, and Big Frog Mountain, according to the National Weather Service in Morristown.
Georgia Watch Extended Through the Evening
Alongside the Tennessee warnings, the National Weather Service office in Peachtree City, Georgia, issued Severe Thunderstorm Watch 378 at 5:30 p.m. EDT, covering 18 counties in Georgia through 11 p.m. EDT on June 22.
The watch applied to the following counties in north central Georgia: Cherokee, Dawson, Fannin, Gilmer, Lumpkin, Pickens, and Union. In northeast Georgia, Towns and White counties were included. The northwest Georgia counties covered were Bartow, Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Murray, Walker, and Whitfield.
Cities under the watch included Blairsville, Blue Ridge, Calhoun, Cartersville, Chatsworth, Cleveland, Cohutta Wilderness, Colwell, Dahlonega, Dalton, Dawsonville, Dial, Ellijay, Epworth, Fort Oglethorpe, Hemp, Hiawassee, Higdon, Jasper, Lafayette, Rome, Summerville, Trenton, and Woodstock, according to the National Weather Service.
In each case, radar was the source of detection for the severe storm activity, and residents in all warned and watched areas were advised to expect potential damage to roofs, siding, and trees from wind gusts reaching 60 mph.
