The National Weather Service has confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down in Hawkins County Tuesday evening, as a round of storms swept through the area. That storm system stayed north of Greene County.
An EF1 ranking denotes a tornado with gusts of between 86 mph and 110 mph. The tornado touched down five-and-a-half miles east of Sneedville shortly before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Highway 70 and Highway 33 with uprooted trees in the area.
The Hancock County Emergency Management Agency says there were no injuries but trees are down across the area. The tornado was estimated to be 250 yards wide and stayed on the ground for six miles.
It is believed to be the first September tornado ever in East Tennessee.
