Tree down across Cherry Street
A storm with wind gusts up to 70 mph did considerable damage in downtown Chattanooga around 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Fencing along Miller Park was twisted onto a nearby lane of traffic on Market Street.
A sizable tree was split, causing it to fall across Cherry Street between Third and Fourth streets.
In Hixson, a tree fell on a house.
A number of traffic lights were knocked out of service.
Several thousand homes and business lost power.
About 3,700 EPB customers were still without power at 4:45 p.m.
Larry Cloud told of a close call he had in Lookout Valley.
"At about 2 p.m. today, just as a heavy rain hit here in Lookout Valley, there must have been a real blast of high-level wind.
"I was riding the lawn mower toward the garage, quitting early to avoid drowning, when (according to two different neighbors who saw it happen), this huge old oak tree laid down and died right behind me.
"Several years ago I measured this tree at more than 111 feet tall. The main mass on the ground now is an honest 100 feet long, and it's over 42" diameter near the base.
"No harm done, and since I didn't see it or even hear it happen, there was no fright, either. There seems to be a good deal of work to do now, huh?"
This was the warning given just before the storm:
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FROM 1:54PM EDT SAT UNTIL 2:45PM EDTSAT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MORRISTOWN HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... BRADLEY COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE... SEQUATCHIE COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE... SOUTHWESTERN BLEDSOE COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE... EASTERN MARION COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE... HAMILTON COUNTY IN EAST TENNESSEE... * UNTIL 245 PM EDT/145 PM CDT/. * AT 153 PM EDT/1253 PM CDT/, SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM GRUETLI-LAAGER TO NEAR WHITWELL TO NEAR CHATTANOOGA VALLEY, MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. HAZARD...70 MPH WIND GUSTS AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED. IMPACT...HAIL DAMAGE TO VEHICLES IS EXPECTED. EXPECT CONSIDERABLE TREE DAMAGE. WIND DAMAGE IS ALSO LIKELY TO MOBILE HOMES, ROOFS, AND OUTBUILDINGS. * LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... CHATTANOOGA, CLEVELAND, DUNLAP, SODDY-DAISY, SIGNAL MOUNTAIN, WALDEN, LAKESITE, WHITWELL, CHARLESTON, RIDGESIDE, SOUTH CLEVELAND, FAIRMOUNT, HARRISON, EAST CLEVELAND, WILDWOOD LAKE, RED BANK, COLLEGEDALE, POWELLS CROSSROADS, WATERVILLE AND CARTWRIGHT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE IMMEDIATELY TO SHELTER INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING. STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THESE STORMS ARE PRODUCING WIDESPREAD WIND DAMAGE ACROSS MARION COUNTY. SEEK SHELTER NOW INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS! && HAIL...1.00IN WIND...70MPH
Tree that almost hit Larry Cloud in Lookout Valley