A brief but destructive line of storms spawned a EF0 tornado touched down near Luttrell in Loudon County early Friday morning. Five people received minor injuries and the storm left a trail of minor structural damage across parts of Loudon and Monroe counties, according to a preliminary damage survey released by the National Weather Service in Morristown.
The tornado formed around 8:36 a.m. EDT approximately four miles northwest of Sweetwater. With estimated peak winds reaching 85 mph, the tornado traveled two miles before dissipating two minutes later. Survey teams reported straight-line wind damage to trees just south of the tornado’s main path, attributed to rear flank downdraft winds. Several homes and barns along Holt Road showed signs of EF0-level damage, and one camper trailer was rolled several times before the storm moved east.
The tornado then struck a farm along New Hope Road, where another camper trailer was overturned. All five injuries reported from the storm occurred in these trailers, officials said. The tornado was approximately 200 yards wide at its maximum, according to survey findings.
The storm weakened before it reached our part of East Tennessee.
