MORRISTOWN, Tenn. (WJHL) — The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado impacted part of Lee County during Tuesday evening’s severe storms.
According to the NWS office in Morristown, an EF1 tornado touched down about 5.4 miles southeast of Pennington Gap along US Highway 58 in the Stickleyville community.
The NWS estimated that the peak wind speed was 100 mph and was on the ground for just over a mile. The path was about 50 yards wide and the tornado lasted for about two minutes.
The start location according to the report was two miles north of Pattonsville. It ended about two miles northeast of Pattonsville.
The damage surveyed by the NWS was mainly uprooted trees.
Tornadoes are classified by the Enhanced Fujita, or EF, scale:
- EF0…Weak……65 to 85 mph
- EF1…Weak……86 to 110 mph
- EF2…Strong….111 to 135 mph
- EF3…Strong….136 to 165 mph
- EF4…Violent…166 to 200 mph
- EF5…Violent…>200 mph
There were no fatalities or injuries, according to the NWS.
A tornado also touched down in neighboring Scott County on Tuesday.
NWS surveyors also found a 2.5-mile wide swath of wind damage in Pennington Gap, but say it was likely caused by straight-line winds or rear-flank downdraft, with winds of 70–90 mph.
