Storm displaces Chattanooga family, downs power lines

Chattanooga firefighters stand at a home on West 13th Street after a tree crashed through the roof and deck of the home.
Chattanooga firefighters stand at a home on West 13th Street after a tree crashed through the roof and deck of the home.

Severe thunderstorms swept through the tri-state region Sunday afternoon, dropping power lines and temperatures ahead of another expected heat wave.

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning at 4:09 p.m Sunday for southwestern Bradley County and Hamilton County. The warning lasted less than an hour, but that was plenty of time for the storm to make itself known before it weakened and moved into Marion County.

Power lines were reported down in Ooltewah and Collegedale and traffic lights spun around backwards on Dayton Boulevard.

Meanwhile, the Red Cross was called in to provide temporary housing to a family of seven after their home on West 13th Street near the Chattanooga National Cemetery was damaged by a tree that fell because of high wind.

Power lines and trees were reported down in Whitfield County, Ga., and trees were reported down in Walker County.

A Bradley County dispatcher said the storm caused "no major issues" there as it came off the Blue Ridge Mountains moving west.

Though weather fronts generally move from west to east, Sunday's storm was a "pulse thunderstorm," according to WRCB-TV chief meteorologist Paul Barys.

"In this latitude during this time of year, it's not unheard of at all," Barys said. "Usually it happens further south, but it happens. It all depends on what the whole pattern is. The pattern is a huge, high-pressure [area] off the East Coast giving us the heat, humidity and dry weather."

The warmth and dry weather are likely to return this week. High temperatures are predicted to be in the 90s again throughout the week, with WRCB predicting highs of 93 for today through Wednesday.

The temperature dropped to 75 in Chattanooga at 4:40 p.m. after it had been 95 just an hour before, Barys said.

"It's called the outflow," Barys said of the temperature change. "Sometimes it comes ahead of the storm, depending on which way the wind is coming."

Contact staff writer David Cobb at dcobb@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6249.

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