East Tennessee is staring down a stormy Friday, with strong-to-severe thunderstorms possible from mid-afternoon into the evening. Forecasters and local emergency officials say storms could fire up after 2 p.m. and linger through late evening, bringing damaging straight-line winds and hail, along with a risk of downed trees and scattered power outages. From Newport to Morristown, residents and outdoor event planners are being urged to keep a close eye on the sky and have a backup plan ready if things go south.
That early heads-up went out Thursday from local emergency officials. As posted by Cocke County Emergency Management Agency on Facebook, the National Weather Service in Morristown is calling for severe weather to ramp up after 2:00 p.m. and continue until about 10:00 p.m. The post bluntly reminded everyone to "please keep this in mind when making Friday evening plans" and noted that a more refined timeline would be shared within about 12 hours as updated forecasts come in.
Timing and threats
The Storm Prediction Center's Day 1 convective outlook paints a slight risk across parts of the central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic, warning that storms in the broader region could pack damaging winds and hail. According to the Storm Prediction Center, isolated supercells or storm clusters could organize and kick out strong gusts capable of bringing down trees and power lines. Forecasters say how the morning storm activity behaves will play a big role in the exact timing and intensity of any severe weather across the Southeast later in the day.
How to prepare
Local forecasters and emergency managers are offering up some straightforward advice before the storms roll in. Secure loose outdoor items, charge phones and have a battery-powered radio or NOAA Weather Radio handy, since power can flicker when winds pick up. For the latest watches, warnings and spotter guidance, check the National Weather Service in Morristown and follow local emergency-management channels for updates. If a severe thunderstorm warning is issued, move indoors, stay away from windows and avoid driving through floodwater or anywhere near downed power lines.
County officials say they plan to post any timing tweaks and changes to the threat on their Facebook page and through other official outlets, and utility crews often stage ahead of time when damaging winds are on the table. The bottom line for Friday afternoon is simple: keep an eye on local forecasts and treat any watches or warnings as your cue to get to a safe spot until the storms move on.
