National Weather Service Issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning For Cherokee Country:here Is What You Should Know

Published on September 6, 2025

A upwind alert was issued by nan National Weather Service (NWS) Morristown early Saturday greeting for beardown thunderstorms successful Cherokee County. The warning, effective until 4 a.m., was triggered astatine 3:14 a.m. erstwhile Doppler radar detected a powerful thunderstorm astir 8 miles eastbound of Benton. The large wind was moving eastward astatine a gait of 25 miles per hour, packing beardown winds of up to 50 mph and nickel-sized hail (0.88 inches).

For residents of Cherokee County, nan alert was a reminder to return basal precautions successful nan look of utmost weather. The informing affected respective communities crossed nan county, including Benton, Tellico Plains, Coker Creek, Violet, Turtletown, Bullet Creek, Reliance, Archville, and Hiwassee Ocoee State Park, each of which are prone to experiencing nan afloat unit of nan storm.

The Threat: Wind Gusts and Hail

The NWS made it clear that nan large wind could bring pinch it important risks for residents successful its path. Wind gusts up to 50 mph were expected, which is capable to origin harm to trees, powerfulness lines, and unsecured structures. The NWS warned that these gusts could sound down character limbs, which whitethorn lead to powerfulness outages aliases harm to homes and vehicles. Furthermore, nan large wind was expected to nutrient nickel-sized hail, pinch diameters astir 0.88 inches. While this size of hail typically does not origin important structural damage, it tin still harm vehicles, break windows, and harm crops and vegetation, particularly successful areas that are susceptible to hail storms.

Impacted Areas and Localities

The NWS highlighted respective locations wrong Cherokee County that were apt to acquisition nan worst of nan storm. Residents of Benton, nan region seat, arsenic good arsenic those successful Tellico Plains, Coker Creek, Violet, Turtletown, Bullet Creek, Reliance, Archville, and Hiwassee Ocoee State Park, should person been particularly vigilant during nan play of nan warning. These areas are some residential and rural, and while Benton serves arsenic a bustling hub for section activities, nan agrarian surroundings, particularly areas for illustration Coker Creek and Turtletown, could find it much difficult to hole successful clip for specified a storm.

The proximity of nan large wind to Hiwassee Ocoee State Park besides presented a interest for campers and visitors to nan park. The park’s distant location could make it much difficult for outdoor enthusiasts to entree shelter quickly, which nan NWS powerfully advised group to do if they were outside. The NWS recommended everyone successful these areas to activity shelter instantly upon proceeding nan alert.

Safety and Preparedness: What You Should Do

As nan large wind moved done nan area, nan NWS shared captious information accusation for residents. The astir important proposal from authorities was to activity shelter indoors arsenic soon arsenic nan alert was issued. Those outdoors should not hesitate to find a sturdy building to return shelter in. The NWS besides advised that seeking screen nether trees aliases successful impermanent structures is risky, arsenic precocious winds could origin branches to fall, and hail could perchance harm makeshift shelters.

For those who are indoors, nan NWS emphasized ensuring that windows and doors are closed and that immoderate outdoor furnishings aliases debris is secured. With winds of up to 50 mph, objects for illustration trash cans, section chairs, and decorations tin go projectiles, which tin further summation nan consequence of wounded aliases damage.

For those surviving successful much agrarian aliases suburban areas of Cherokee County, wherever shelters whitethorn not ever beryllium easy accessible, it was recommended to enactment successful an interior room of nan location aliases building, distant from windows and doors. If possible, moving to a basement aliases lower-level room was nan safest option. Vehicles should not beryllium considered a safe spot during specified storms, arsenic hail could origin important harm to cars, and nan precocious winds tin make driving hazardous.

Monitoring and Staying Informed

Given nan unpredictability of terrible upwind events, nan NWS reminded residents to stay alert of ongoing upwind conditions. Local news channels, upwind power broadcasts, and online resources specified arsenic nan NWS’s website connection real-time updates connected nan storm’s progress. It is besides advisable to person an emergency kit containing flashlights, batteries, and immoderate basal medications successful lawsuit of powerfulness outages. Residents were encouraged to cheque upwind alerts often during nan early hours to guarantee they stayed informed of immoderate changes aliases caller warnings successful their area.

With beardown thunderstorms, it is communal for powerfulness outages to occur, and pinch nan storm’s predicted gusty winds and hail, nan imaginable for harm to infrastructure specified arsenic powerfulness lines and trees was high. The NWS urged each residents to study immoderate harm to section authorities and to debar downed powerfulness lines.

Protecting Yourself and Your Property

As nan large wind passed done Cherokee County, nan NWS’s advisory served arsenic a reminder of really important it is to beryllium prepared during terrible weather. While nan storm’s strength was brief, lasting conscionable complete an hour, it was still beardown capable to origin imaginable harm to homes, vehicles, and property. Local officials and emergency services successful Cherokee County were connected alert, fresh to assistance residents if needed.

If you unrecorded successful an area prone to storms and terrible weather, it is important to regularly reappraisal your family’s emergency plan, ensuring everyone knows what to do successful lawsuit of a upwind emergency. From securing outdoor items to ensuring you cognize really to entree shelter quickly, a small readying goes a agelong measurement successful preventing wounded and spot damage.

In times of terrible weather, preparedness and consciousness are your champion defense. For nan latest updates, beryllium judge to sojourn nan National Weather Service Morristown website and tune into section broadcasts for immoderate early alerts aliases updates. By staying informed and prepared, you tin thief support yourself, your family, and your spot safe.